LSAC GPA Forum

[mx23250]

So I understand how LSAC adjusts your UGPA based on the presence of A+, withdraws, repeats, etc. However, I recall reading something about how they also compare your GPA to other students at the same undergrad who went on to law school. I haven't yet submitted all my transcripts to generate this report (finishing up my masters this summer, so I'm waiting until August), so I haven't seen what the report looks like (I assume we get a copy of the report?).
My question is: what sort of "ranking/comparison" is given relative to other students at your undergrad? Is this factored in to your GPA calculation (i.e., "scaled") or is some other information given? I'm just curious. Or is this completely wrong and the only thing "calculated" and displayed is your UGPA based on your own personal coursework/grades/withdraws, etc.? Thanks!

[MKC]

http://www.lsac.org/policies/transcript ... zation.asp

Basically, LSAC counts every class you took prior to obtaining your bachelors. The details are in the link. Your peers are irrelevant.

[mx23250]

http://www.lsac.org/policies/transcript ... zation.asp

Basically, LSAC counts every class you took prior to obtaining your bachelors. The details are in the link. Your peers are irrelevant.

Thanks. I don't recall where I read the thing about the peers and it seemed like an odd thing to include, so I thought I'd check out of curiosity. Thanks!

[A. Nony Mouse]

They do get information about grades from your UG - can't remember exactly how it works, whether it's a distribution thing or "average grade of people taking LSAT" or what. But what they report to USNWR is your individual GPA, so that's what matters for your application. In theory, the average grade for people going to law school allows them to see whether you're at the top/middle/bottom of the pack, but in practice, I can't imagine they care in 99.95% of cases.

[bp shinners]

They do get information about grades from your UG - can't remember exactly how it works, whether it's a distribution thing or "average grade of people taking LSAT" or what. But what they report to USNWR is your individual GPA, so that's what matters for your application. In theory, the average grade for people going to law school allows them to see whether you're at the top/middle/bottom of the pack, but in practice, I can't imagine they care in 99.95% of cases.

This is correct. They'll get a report on the school to put your GPA in context, but no one really cares that much about the context. Especially since it's school-based and not major-based, which at least might be a little useful. But at this point, almost every school is so grade inflated that the assumption is simply you should have all As and Bs.

So, in short, it's interesting from a, "Huh, so that's what my school looks like from a bird's eye" perspective, but pretty irrelevant to law school.

[mx23250]

They do get information about grades from your UG - can't remember exactly how it works, whether it's a distribution thing or "average grade of people taking LSAT" or what. But what they report to USNWR is your individual GPA, so that's what matters for your application. In theory, the average grade for people going to law school allows them to see whether you're at the top/middle/bottom of the pack, but in practice, I can't imagine they care in 99.95% of cases.

This is correct. They'll get a report on the school to put your GPA in context, but no one really cares that much about the context. Especially since it's school-based and not major-based, which at least might be a little useful. But at this point, almost every school is so grade inflated that the assumption is simply you should have all As and Bs.

So, in short, it's interesting from a, "Huh, so that's what my school looks like from a bird's eye" perspective, but pretty irrelevant to law school.

Gotcha. Thanks!