Can You Get Into Law School With A Low GPA And High LSAT?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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Can you get into law school with a low GPA and high LSAT?

A strong LSAT score can compensate for a low GPA

, so it is well worth the time and effort it takes to do well. Many competitive law schools screen applicants using a weighted index of their grades and LSAT scores, so extra points on the LSAT may effectively boost your GPA.

What if I have a low GPA but high LSAT score?

If you've got either a high GPA and a low LSAT score, or a low GPA and a high LSAT score, then

you're a splitter

. With a low GPA, your LSAT score becomes all the more important. If you have a low GPA, you should aim to become a splitter with an LSAT performance well above the target school's 75

th

percentile.

Can I get into law school with a 2.5 GPA?

So generally, if you're trying to get into the top schools, a GPA below 3.6 will be considered low. But to answer the question what GPA do you need to get into law school, any law school, then the answer is

at least a 2.5

. That is realistically the lowest GPA you can have to get into law school.

Can you go to law school with a 2.0 GPA?

Law schools generally require that you have specified minimum collegiate GPA and LSAT scores to qualify for admission.

Harvard, Yale, and the other top five-ranked law schools require that you have a GPA of at least 3.50 and an LSAT score of 170.

Do law schools look at GPA or LSAT?

Your GPA? Law school is an academic program. The most important determination committees will make about you is whether you have the necessary intellectual firepower to succeed in such an environment. This is why

law schools rely so heavily on your GPA and LSAT score

.

Is LSAT more important than GPA?

While LSAT is the most important factor, GPA is still significant. When you get down into schools lower in the rankings (outside the top 10 schools), numbers alone become an even better predictor of how likely you are to get into a specific school.

LSAT is still the more important number than GPA.

How I got into law school with a low GPA?

  • If you are still in undergrad, then work hard to achieve a high GPA! Get your GPA up as much as possible to offset your low-to-date GPA. …
  • Get a stellar LSAT score. …
  • Write an addendum that explains your low GPA. …
  • Apply to a lot of law schools.

Can you get into law school with a 155 LSAT?

A score of 155 on the LSAT is a classic ‘in-between' score. While the score is not too low, it will also not put you in the cream of LSAT test takers.

An LSAT score of 155 can at best be classified as an average score which will put you in the hunt for a decent law school

.

What law schools accept a 150 LSAT score?

No. Law School LSAT Low 97

Seattle University

150
97 Stetson University 153 97 Texas Tech University 152 97 U. of Arkansas-Fayetteville 151

Can you get into Harvard law with a low GPA?


At no point on the GPA or LSAT scales are the chances of admission to Harvard Law School 0 or 100 percent

. Current 75/25 percentiles for both GPA and LSAT scores can be found on the first-year class profile.”

Can a high LSAT makeup for a low GPA?


A strong LSAT score can compensate for a low GPA

, so it is well worth the time and effort it takes to do well. Many competitive law schools screen applicants using a weighted index of their grades and LSAT scores, so extra points on the LSAT may effectively boost your GPA.

What is the lowest GPA accepted to Harvard?

To get to Harvard your GPA has to be

at least a 4.0

and even then if you get in your lucky but they require at least a 4.18 GPA only .

What is considered a low GPA for law school?

The average median GPA among the 10 law schools with the lowest GPAs is

below a 3.0 on a 4.0 scale

, where a 4.0 corresponds to a straight-A average and a 3.0 corresponds to a straight-B average. That means some law schools welcome B-minus college students.

Is a 165 LSAT good?

25 law schools all reported an LSAT median score of at least 163‡. This means that

to be a competitive candidate at a top 25 law school, you will most likely need a score above 165

.

What is the easiest law school to get into?

The best easiest law schools to get into are:

Vermont Law School, New England Law school, Salmon P. Chase College of Law, University of North Dakota, Willamette University College of Law, Samford University Cumberland School of Law

Is a 163 a good LSAT score?

From your raw scores, the test is graded on an LSAT score scale from 120-180. The average LSAT score is about 150.

To get into a top 14 law school, you need to score above 162

, and to get into a top 50 law school, you need 154 or above.

Can I get into law school with a 149 LSAT?

Risk Band LSAT Score Percentile High Risk 147-149 33 – 40.3 Very High Risk 145-146 26.1 – 29.5 Extreme Risk 120-144 ≤ 22.9

What law schools can I get into with a 3.3 GPA?

Law School 75th percentile GPA (all applicants) 25th percentile GPA (all applicants) Mercer University 3.63 3.2 University of Miami 3.71 3.3 Michigan State University 3.74 3.33 University of Michigan 3.88 3.56

Can I get into a T14 law school with a low GPA?


A 3.38 is not a bad GPA unless you are applying for a T14 law school

, in that case it's terrible. The lowest 25

th

percentile GPA is Georgetown at a 3.47, but a 3.5 is still going to be a poor GPA for one of these schools. Don't fear however, hope is not lost. You simply need to focus your efforts on the LSAT.

Can I get a law school scholarship with a low GPA?

For students seeking financial aid for law school,

applying to lower-tier law schools increases your chances of getting scholarship offers

. This is because lower-tier law schools have lower median GPAs and LSAT scores, so if you apply to these schools with a relatively high LSAT score, you may be offered a scholarship.

Is 148 a good LSAT score?

Typical LSAT score ranges include: 120-147 Low.

148-156 Mid

.

Is a 145 LSAT score good?

The average LSAT score is around 150. The LSAT has a margin of error, but

145 is considered a symbolic line by legal education experts and school administrators

.

Where can I go with a 160 LSAT?

160 is the average-admitted LSAT score at the next tier up, schools like

George Mason, Tulane, University of Arizona, and University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill

.

Is 162 a good LSAT score?

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. Law schools ranked between 10 and 50: 155 to 165.

Law schools ranked between 50 and 100: 150 to 162

.

Is 157 a good LSAT score?

Among the 192 law schools ranked by U.S. News & World Report in 2019, the average median LSAT score was 156. If we were to speak about a good LSAT score in very broad terms,

157 or above would be a reasonable place to start

. Anything above 160 is not a bad LSAT score.

Is 166 a good LSAT score?


Most of the successful applicants with LSAT scores in the 166-169 range were likely high GPAers as well

. There may also be some early decision admits or early-cycle applicants with strong soft factors thrown in there too.

What did Michelle Obama score on the LSAT?

Unraveling the secret behind Obama's LSAT Score

Only two of them scored over the 63% mark; and in fact scored between

94-98%

, which would be equivalent to a score of 166 – 171 in today's grading system.

What did Elle Woods get on her LSAT?

In the film, Elle scored a

179

on her LSAT. That is one point away from a perfect score of 180. This means she scored in the 90th overall percentile. The average student's LSAT score is a 150.

What is the lowest GPA ever?

Is law school harder than med school?

In short, medical school is hands-on and requires a lot of memorization. Law school requires analytical work and critical thinking. Law school requires heavy reading and writing while medical school requires learning about problems through clinical studies and hands-on training.

Can you go to law school without LSAT?

While it is clear that

many top law schools are accepting students who have not completed the LSAT

, that is not the only reason some people choose note to take it. In fact, the desire for students to skip this test helped to push schools to accept alternatives in the first place.

What GPA do I need to get into law school?

Can a high LSAT compensate for low GPA?


A strong LSAT score can compensate for a low GPA

, so it is well worth the time and effort it takes to do well. Many competitive law schools screen applicants using a weighted index of their grades and LSAT scores, so extra points on the LSAT may effectively boost your GPA.

Can I get into Harvard law with a 3.0 GPA?

In general,

students with a 3.0 GPA still have a chance to get into Harvard, provided that the application can demonstrate that they are what the university is looking for exactly

. In some instances, hooks, such as being an athlete, allow applicants to get admitted into Harvard, even with a low GPA.

Is 136 a good LSAT score?

Overall LSAT Percentiles (2016-2019) Score Percentile Rank 138 9.6 137 8.1 136 6.8

Does GPA matter for law school?

Keep in mind that law schools look at your application in full — not just your score and grades.

An upward grade trend can offset a mediocre or poor GPA

, as can a strong LSAT score. Similarly, consistently outstanding academic performance and a strong GPA can offset a less competitive LSAT score.

Carlos Perez
Author
Carlos Perez
Carlos Perez is an education expert and teacher with over 20 years of experience working with youth. He holds a degree in education and has taught in both public and private schools, as well as in community-based organizations. Carlos is passionate about empowering young people and helping them reach their full potential through education and mentorship.