What matters more, having a great GPA or a high LSAT score?

Krystin Major

How important is your LSAT score? Your GPA? Law school is an academic program. The most essential determination admissions 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. These are the two most important pieces of information about you that admissions committees will consider.

Your undergraduate GPA is probably set in stone or is nearly so. Therefore, your last best chance to improve your odds of admission is to improve your LSAT score.

Your LSAT score is important regardless of your GPA.

• If you have an impressive GPA, the test can be a liability; a poor performance can call your academic record into question.
• If you have a poor GPA, the test is an opportunity; it can overcome doubts raised by your transcript.

Schools will begin their evaluation process by some-how sorting their applicant pools by academic profiles. It's relatively easy to plot your academic chances of getting into most schools. However, this becomes increasingly difficult with the more selective schools, a few of which don't even publish their entering class's numerical statistics (LSAT and GPA).

RosieEzgur

This is what I believe the Order of Importance is for law school admissions:

1. LSAT
2. (close second) GPA
3. Personal Statement
4. Letters of Recommendation
5. Resume
6. Apply Early

It is true that a high GPA with a low LSAT will be a bit of a red flag for admissions, but there is always the opportunity to write an addendum if there are extenuating circumstances for why your LSAT is lower, like sub 155.

RosieEzgur

This is what I believe the Order of Importance is for law school admissions:

1. LSAT
2. (close second) GPA
3. Personal Statement
4. Letters of Recommendation
5. Resume
6. Apply Early

It is true that a high GPA with a low LSAT will be a bit of a red flag for admissions, but there is always the opportunity to write an addendum if there are extenuating circumstances for why your LSAT is lower, like sub 155.

sheljademo

interesting article!!

Annabelle_Reese_KP

great post