What is the GPA range for top law schools?
Asked by: Eloy Lockman Sr. | Last update: October 6, 2025Score: 4.7/5 (41 votes)
What GPA Is Needed for Most Law Schools? Most law schools require a minimum GPA of 3.5 for admission. However, top law schools typically require a GPA of 3.7 or higher to be considered a competitive applicant.
What is a good GPA for top law schools?
Undergraduate GPA: - A competitive GPA for law school applicants is usually around 3.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale. - Top-tier law schools often look for GPAs in the range of 3.7 to 4.0.
Is a 3.8 GPA good enough for Harvard law?
Your gpa will be fine, but for the very very top schools, it is a noticeable difference. There is no exact LSAT you need to have, but to be competitive, minimum low 170s. I had a client with a 3.75 get into Harvard with a 172/173 (can't remember precisely), and another get into Columbia with high 3.8 and 171.
Is a 3.2 a bad law school GPA?
A low GPA for law schools will entirely depend on your goals. If your GPA is at or below a school's 25th percentile, your GPA will be considered low for that school. So generally, if you're trying to get into the top schools, a GPA below 3.6 will be considered low.
Can you get into a top law school with a 3.5 GPA?
These statistics reveal how important the LSAT is to law-school admissions. Earning a high GPA isn't enough. As the Fordham Law School statistics indicate, even those with a 3.5 GPA or better who don't do well on the LSAT have only about a four- percent chance of admission.
Law School Splitter | High LSAT + Low GPA | why GPA "doesn't matter"
Is 3.7 a bad GPA for law school?
Among the 191 ranked law schools that submitted grade data to U.S. News in an annual survey, the average median GPA of entering law school students in 2021 was 3.55. But at the 20 highest-ranked law schools, the average median GPA is much higher – 3.86.
Is 174 a good LSAT score?
So, a great score on the LSAT is a 172, but more than 100,000 people take the LSAT every year and only 1% score 172 or higher. For the top 50 law schools, the median LSAT score is between 164 and 174. A good LSAT score for top tier(defined by T14 schools for this article) law schools is between 171 and 174.
Can I get into Harvard law with a 3.2 GPA?
That said, you can get into Harvard Law School even if your GPA is 3.82 or lower.
What GPA do big law firms want?
What Is a Good GPA for Big Law? It depends on what firms you're hoping to work with. Many firms require lawyers to have a GPA of 3.5 from a top school, while many others consider a 3.0 from the same institution to be acceptable.
Is a 3.0 too low for law school?
Considering students are generally advised to score a GPA of 3.5 in college to get into law school, a 3.0 is typically considered low. However, it all depends on the schools you're applying to! As discussed earlier, several schools consider a 3.0 to be within their competitive range.
What did Elle Woods get on her LSAT?
Elle Woods, a fictional character portrayed by Reese Witherspoon in the movie Legally Blonde, is known for her remarkable LSAT score—179 out of 180. Portrayed as a stereotypical "valley girl," she embarks on a journey to Harvard Law School in the movie that has since become a cult favorite.
Can I get into Yale law with a 3.8 GPA?
We do not utilize a GPA or standardized test score cutoff of any kind in our review process. Every year applicants from all backgrounds and with scores in all ranges are admitted to Yale Law School.
What is the GPA for Georgetown law?
The 25th percentile LSAT is 166 and the 75th percentile LSAT is 173. The median GPA is 3.91. The 25th percentile GPA is 3.7 and the 75th percentile GPA is 3.97.
Is GPA or LSAT more important?
In general terms, it can be said that law schools value LSAT scores more than they do undergraduate GPA, but whether or not this statement applies to a given institution and how by much depends on the school.
How hard is a 170 LSAT?
The LSAT is scored on a bell curve, ranging from 120 to 180. On recent tests, the hump of the curve has centered around 153. Percentiles vary slightly between tests, but generally around 25% of test-takers score 160 or higher, 5% score 170 or higher, and 1% score 175 or higher. Only one in 1,000 test-takers scores 180.
What are softs for law school?
Softs refer to everything in your application that isn't "hard" data.
What is an impressive law school GPA?
Top-ranking law schools often expect higher average GPAs, typically ranging from 3.8 to 4.0 or even higher. They place a strong emphasis on academic excellence to complement strong LSAT scores.
What is the GPA cut off for Jones Day?
We require a GPA of 3.5 or higher. We seek well-rounded, motivated students with the potential to develop into exceptional lawyers and who will embrace Jones Day's culture and mission.
What is the hardest law school in the USA?
1. Yale University. With an acceptance rate of just 6.9%, it's no wonder that Yale is the hardest law school to get into. Only around 1 in 15 of their highly qualified applicants makes it through.
Will a 175 LSAT get you in anywhere?
Here is a breakdown of what counts as a good enough score for law schools based on the school's rank: Top-five law schools: 170 to 180. Schools like Harvard and Yale, which are the top two, rarely accept applicants with less than 172 on the LSAT. Law schools ranked between 5 and 10: 165 to 170.
What's the lowest GPA Yale accepted?
We do not set a minimum GPA, nor do we attempt to re-weight GPA's to any standard other than what a school provides.
What was Obama's LSAT score?
The easiest to predict, by far, is Barack Obama's score, mostly because we have some data. Based on admissions records, we can deduce — somewhat reliably — that Barry-O scored between the 94th and 98th percentile on his LSAT. Using today's grading system, that would place him somewhere around a 170.
How rare is a 180 LSAT?
How Hard Is It To Get A Perfect Score On The LSAT? According to LSAC, only 119 test-takers out of nearly 60,000 achieved this in 2022. So when you ask, “How many people get a 180 on the LSAT?” the answer highlights the rarity and difficulty of this achievement.
How bad is a 155 on the LSAT?
According to U.S. News, law school admissions experts recommend striving for at least a 150; however, for a top-ranking law school, you should aim for a 160 or better. For a Top 10 law school, a 170 or more is desired. Of course, this all depends on which schools you are applying to.