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I'm wondering what the thoughts are on a below-median GPA in light of a difficult major at a prestigious university? I'm from a school that doesn't have a lot of pre-law students and when looking at my LSAC report, my GPA is at the 50th percentile for the law school applicants, but there aren't many of them and I'm majoring in a natural science.

My LSAT is 169, so, not stellar, but not bad. Do I stand a chance in the T14?

Also wondering if you think admissions committees are familiar with grade-deflating universities?

(hoping/praying/wishing).

Sorry, but cumulative LSAC GPA is all they care about. 4.0 in dance at crappy community college beats out Math/Physics/Computer Science triple major from Stanford with a 3.8-3.9, simple as that.

I will modify the above statement and state that the posters below are correct that it counts as a small soft, but is not a deciding or mitigating factor. In terms of pure stats, its probably like inching up your gpa by .01-.03, but it will not really change your chances.

doesn't make much of a difference, from what I understand. you are not a person to adcomms, you are a pair of numbers.

dissonance1848 wrote:Sorry, but cumulative LSAC GPA is all they care about. 4.0 in dance at crappy community college beats out Math/Physics/Computer Science triple major from Stanford with a 3.8-3.9, simple as that.

I'm not sure its that crazy, but this.

the above 2 responses may be credited but may be harsh.

do you stand a chance at T14? depends on what the GPA is. that's the biggest factor. next, is your PS average or extraordinary? when did you submit?

are adcoms familiar with grade-deflating universities? i think they just balance that out by comparing w/ other applicants from your school. yes, i understand they might be lighter liberal arts majors but hey that's what it is.

the prestige of the school and the difficult major might help like a small soft.

dissonance1848 wrote:Sorry, but cumulative LSAC GPA is all they care about. 4.0 in dance at crappy community college beats out Math/Physics/Computer Science triple major from Stanford with a 3.8-3.9, simple as that.

In the handwritten note I got from Dean Cornblatt in my acceptance letter to Georgetown, he specifically commented on my "excellent academic record" especially "in light of the challenging environment" at my undergrad. I was barely above median GPA, and below median LSAT (but above 25% and not a URM).

I don't want to get your hopes up or anything (and I'm not getting my hopes up for the rest of my cycle), because probably most of the time was dissonance said is correct, but I think that there are definitely some times when admissions does consider your undergrad/program.

So, 50% GPA for most T-14 you are looking at? That means you are probably 3.7-3.8, with a 169. Seems like you have a shot at Gtown, Cornell, Michigan, and a chance at Duke. NU loves WE, so you prob out there. Berkeley out, Penn small shot, but most likely out. For CCN out unless you retake and get a 172+ (more for NYU because they average unless its at least 6 point difference, meaning you need a 175 anyways). Y/S out, period. Havard maybe, meaning you need something like a 177+ for a shot.

RTFM wrote:

dissonance1848 wrote:Sorry, but cumulative LSAC GPA is all they care about. 4.0 in dance at crappy community college beats out Math/Physics/Computer Science triple major from Stanford with a 3.8-3.9, simple as that.

In the handwritten note I got from Dean Cornblatt in my acceptance letter to Georgetown, he specifically commented on my "excellent academic record" especially "in light of the challenging environment" at my undergrad. I was barely above median GPA, and below median LSAT (but above 25% and not a URM).

I don't want to get your hopes up or anything (and I'm not getting my hopes up for the rest of my cycle), because probably most of the time was dissonance said is correct, but I think that there are definitely some times when admissions does consider your undergrad/program.

Above median is above median is above median. Even at a festering TTT like GeorgeTTTOwn that's still what 3.8+?

If your GPA was below their median, you wouldn't get in.

dissonance1848 wrote:So, 50% GPA for most T-14 you are looking at?

Sorry for being unclear, I meant I'm at the 50% for the LSAC report -- so, at the average of all applicants from my school. I guess I should just come out with it, I'm ~3.45

I'm definitely not even considering H/Y/S, and only applied to CCN because I am obsessed with them.

Thanks everyone for the thoughts -- I applied to a bunch of reach schools hoping, but I'm certainly not counting on anything.

dissonance1848 wrote:So, 50% GPA for most T-14 you are looking at? That means you are probably 3.7-3.8, with a 169. Seems like you have a shot at Gtown, Cornell, Michigan, and a chance at Duke. NU loves WE, so you prob out there. Berkeley out, Penn small shot, but most likely out. For CCN out unless you retake and get a 172+ (more for NYU because they average unless its at least 6 point difference, meaning you need a 175 anyways). Y/S out, period. Havard maybe, meaning you need something like a 177+ for a shot.

I read his first statement as "median of applicants to all law schools from his undergrad." The info that's on the LSAC report.

If you are at a 3.45, then retake, even if it means applying next cycle. It will make the difference between being shut out of the T14 and getting into the lower half (besides B) for sure.

Yeah, got confused, oh well.

dissonance1848 wrote:If you are at a 3.45, then retake, even if it means applying next cycle. It will make the difference between being shut out of the T14 and getting into the lower half (besides B) for sure.

For people with below 3.7 GPA, 170 LSAT is a make or break point.

OP really only has a slim shot at Cornell and Michigan at this point.