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So my transcripts were received by LSAC a week or so ago. I just checked the Academic summary and my GPA was slightly lower on my LSAC transcript then the one from my school. After doing some research, I found that LSAC credited me for a B in a particular class during a semester in which I had an A (my school did NOT do minuses/pluses). Is this an error on the LSAC's part? If so, is it easy to get fixed? I've already sent them an email, but am somewhat worried and am wondering if anyone on here had this issue.

That's a weird error. I have no personal experience on this but it seems like an error that should be fixed.

Further, what's the difference between LSAC and normal GPA?

M.M. wrote:Further, what's the difference between LSAC and normal GPA?

LSAC GPA is the one that law schools look at in determining admissions. I understand that it is an attempt to adjust for grade inflation to some degree, so I lot of people's LSAC GPAs are lower than their "normal" ones, though I'm not sure how the adjustments are made.

Excellence = a Habit wrote:

M.M. wrote:Further, what's the difference between LSAC and normal GPA?

LSAC GPA is the one that law schools look at in determining admissions.I understand that it is an attempt to adjust for grade inflation to some degree, so I lot of people's LSAC GPAs are lower than their "normal" ones, though I'm not sure how the adjustments are made.

The LSAC GPA doesn't attempt to adjust for grade inflation, it attempts to adjust for differences in grading systems. Some schools use a standard A - F system, some use plus/minus and have it impact the undergrad GPA while some don't, some use a 100 point scale, some use a 10 point scale, some use a five point scale, some use other grading scales entirely. LSAC gives a GPA that is based on a 4.33 - 0 scale to all* applicants so that schools with different grading systems produce applicants that can be compared to one another simply.

Even if your school uses a 4.33 - 0 scale, your undergrad GPA and your LSAC GPA might be different. LSAC counts all grades on a transcript, even if your ugrad doesn't factor them into your GPA because of an academic forgiveness policy. LSAC counts a "fail" in a pass/fail course as an F, even if your ugrad (like mine) doesn't factor pass/fail classes into your GPA one way or the other. LSAC counts a + as a #.33 and counts a - as a #.67, while some undergrads use .3 and .7. LSAC sometimes counts a withdrawal on your transcript as an F. LSAC takes all transcripts into account when calculating the GPA, not just the degree-granting institution.

*Some exceptions apply, such as international transcripts

Bildungsroman wrote:

Excellence = a Habit wrote:

M.M. wrote:Further, what's the difference between LSAC and normal GPA?

LSAC GPA is the one that law schools look at in determining admissions.I understand that it is an attempt to adjust for grade inflation to some degree, so I lot of people's LSAC GPAs are lower than their "normal" ones, though I'm not sure how the adjustments are made.

The LSAC GPA doesn't attempt to adjust for grade inflation, it attempts to adjust for differences in grading systems. Some schools use a standard A - F system, some use plus/minus and have it impact the undergrad GPA while some don't, some use a 100 point scale, some use a 10 point scale, some use a five point scale, some use other grading scales entirely. LSAC gives a GPA that is based on a 4.33 - 0 scale to all* applicants so that schools with different grading systems produce applicants that can be compared to one another simply.

Even if your school uses a 4.33 - 0 scale, your undergrad GPA and your LSAC GPA might be different. LSAC counts all grades on a transcript, even if your ugrad doesn't factor them into your GPA because of an academic forgiveness policy. LSAC counts a "fail" in a pass/fail course as an F, even if your ugrad (like mine) doesn't factor pass/fail classes into your GPA one way or the other. LSAC counts a + as a #.33 and counts a - as a #.67, while some undergrads use .3 and .7. LSAC sometimes counts a withdrawal on your transcript as an F. LSAC takes all transcripts into account when calculating the GPA, not just the degree-granting institution.

*Some exceptions apply, such as international transcripts

Is there a define set of rules regarding this? And you say "Even if your school uses a 4.33 - 0 scale" does this mean that a scale in which you can achieve over a 4.0 is common? As far as I know 4.0 is the highest you can get at my school, but if you can get higher I'd like to find out; as of now it looks like the highest possible GPA I can even get is 3.83

M.M. wrote:Is there a define set of rules regarding this? And you say "Even if your school uses a 4.33 - 0 scale" does this mean that a scale in which you can achieve over a 4.0 is common? As far as I know 4.0 is the highest you can get at my school, but if you can get higher I'd like to find out; as of now it looks like the highest possible GPA I can even get is 3.83

http://www.lsac.org/jd/Help/faqs-cas.asp#gpa-different


You'd have to check with your school to find out if an A+ is credited as a 4.33 or a 4.0 (if your school even uses plus/minus grading). If your school does use plus/minus, regardless of how the school counts an A+, LSAC will count it as a 4.33.

zworykin wrote:

M.M. wrote:Is there a define set of rules regarding this? And you say "Even if your school uses a 4.33 - 0 scale" does this mean that a scale in which you can achieve over a 4.0 is common? As far as I know 4.0 is the highest you can get at my school, but if you can get higher I'd like to find out; as of now it looks like the highest possible GPA I can even get is 3.83

http://www.lsac.org/jd/Help/faqs-cas.asp#gpa-different


You'd have to check with your school to find out if an A+ is credited as a 4.33 or a 4.0 (if your school even uses plus/minus grading). If your school does use plus/minus, regardless of how the school counts an A+, LSAC will count it as a 4.33.

Well that sucks, because I don't know if I've ever even had a class where it was possible to get an A+ ... does this just give students who go to universities who do this an advantage? I've gotten 97+s in a few classes but no classes ever offer A+, some for C+ and B+, but none for A+

M.M. wrote: ... does this just give students who go to universities who do this an advantage?

Pretty much. Oh well.

M.M. wrote:

zworykin wrote:

M.M. wrote:Is there a define set of rules regarding this? And you say "Even if your school uses a 4.33 - 0 scale" does this mean that a scale in which you can achieve over a 4.0 is common? As far as I know 4.0 is the highest you can get at my school, but if you can get higher I'd like to find out; as of now it looks like the highest possible GPA I can even get is 3.83

http://www.lsac.org/jd/Help/faqs-cas.asp#gpa-different


You'd have to check with your school to find out if an A+ is credited as a 4.33 or a 4.0 (if your school even uses plus/minus grading). If your school does use plus/minus, regardless of how the school counts an A+, LSAC will count it as a 4.33.

Well that sucks, because I don't know if I've ever even had a class where it was possible to get an A+ ... does this just give students who go to universities who do this an advantage? I've gotten 97+s in a few classes but no classes ever offer A+, some for C+ and B+, but none for A+

Look up LSAC's grading scale for your UG here:
http://www.lsac.org/Members/TranscriptK ... earch.aspx

It should tell you if your UG even offers A+ grades.

zworykin wrote:

M.M. wrote: ... does this just give students who go to universities who do this an advantage?

Pretty much. Oh well.

lol, ridiculous. Seems like I've seen a lot of "yeah the LSAC screws you this way _______ but oh well it's a necessity for dealing with many many students per year." posts.

Oh and thanks to the guy above. I'm kind of pissed now coz I just learned my LSDA GPA is going to be lower than my undergrad and that my school doesn't even offer A+ ... Looks like I might be screwed for HYS

My university GPA and LSAC GPA only varied by -0.05

So luckily it wasnt that much. I'd like to hear how others faired.