GPA/LSAT floors at top schools Forum

[calgoldenbear]

Does anyone know what these are at, say, the top 50 schools? Or can point me in the direction of somewhere I can find out? Are these official floors or just observations based on numbers posted online, etc.?

[radient]

Most schools don't announce an official floor, but in practice, the mylsn.info site shows that there tend to be certain points at which admittance is very unlikely. It is based on online posts from law school numbers.

[Biglaw1990]

.

[sjp200]

The floor I would say is fluid dependent on the other score. If you are a higher LSAT, you can get away with an even lower GPA, and vice-versa. But I would also say it only works to a certain point. A 180 does not mean you can get in or hope to get in with a reasonable degree of confidence @ YHS or maybe even CCN if your gpa is in the 2's. If you are not URM, I'd suggest getting at least a 3.3 with a 169+ or a 3.8 with a 163+ but thats not based off anything too scientific

Add URM to the mix and then the floor kinda just collapses and really 1 high stat can outweigh a dreadfully low one (assuming the PS is constant and not complete garbage). I've seen 155-158 LSATs at T14 get in with 3.9 GPA and URM which is borderline ridiculous considering they are also being offered some serious scholarships at times.

[fliptrip]

I enjoyed this question, so I took to mylsn for a spot of research.

If you freeze your search at or above a given 75th for a school, you can detect the floor on the other end. Here's three school's results:

non-urms

HLS: 3.43 GPA, 167 LSAT
CLS: 3.23 GPA, 166 LSAT
Chi: 3.5 GPA, 163 LSAT

URMs have floors too...

HLS: 3.45 GPA, 160 LSAT
CLS: 3.2 GPA, 158 LSAT
Chi: 3.37, GPA, 156 LSAT

So, clearly what was said earlier about Chicago and CLS bears out in the data. It makes sense and is probably some kind of equilibrium in the game that UChicago and Columbia play considering they pull from the same applicant pool. They've basically identified their respective sweet spots and just pound on them. I also sort of see an interaction between HLS and CLS here--they generally seem to like the high LSAT lower GPA person, but HLS only has to dip down into the 3.4s to get its requisite super high scorers leaving those just a tick below for CLS.

Also, looking at URM data, the conventional wisdom again bears out, with each school being far less forgiving on GPA than on LSAT. It also represents the general 6-8 point boost on LSAT URM status can have. I'd address how ridiculous that is, but doing such a thing would be debating affirmative action, which ain't allowed in these parts.

[asdfdfdfadfas]

I enjoyed this question, so I took to mylsn for a spot of research.

If you freeze your search at or above a given 75th for a school, you can detect the floor on the other end. Here's three school's results:

non-urms

HLS: 3.43 GPA, 167 LSAT
CLS: 3.23 GPA, 166 LSAT
Chi: 3.5 GPA, 163 LSAT

URMs have floors too...

HLS: 3.45 GPA, 160 LSAT
CLS: 3.2 GPA, 158 LSAT
Chi: 3.37, GPA, 156 LSAT

So, clearly what was said earlier about Chicago and CLS bears out in the data. It makes sense and is probably some kind of equilibrium in the game that UChicago and Columbia play considering they pull from the same applicant pool. They've basically identified their respective sweet spots and just pound on them. I also sort of see an interaction between HLS and CLS here--they generally seem to like the high LSAT lower GPA person, but HLS only has to dip down into the 3.4s to get its requisite super high scorers leaving those just a tick below for CLS.

Also, looking at URM data, the conventional wisdom again bears out, with each school being far less forgiving on GPA than on LSAT. It also represents the general 6-8 point boost on LSAT URM status can have. I'd address how ridiculous that is, but doing such a thing would be debating affirmative action, which ain't allowed in these parts.

That leads me to a question- why isn't that allowed? As long as the conversation is one that is in good nature, I wouldn't think it would be an issue. Right?

My guess is that historically keeping the conversation in good nature is the issue. Thoughts?

[fliptrip]

I think it is very hard to debate that issue without it becoming emotionally charged. The ban applies only to on-topic forums like this one. In the lounge it can be debated to everyone's heart's content.

[asdfdfdfadfas]

I think it is very hard to debate that issue without it becoming emotionally charged. The ban applies only to on-topic forums like this one. In the lounge it can be debated to everyone's heart's content.

That makes sense. Thanks for the quick response.

[MAPP]

I enjoyed this question, so I took to mylsn for a spot of research.

If you freeze your search at or above a given 75th for a school, you can detect the floor on the other end. Here's three school's results:

non-urms

HLS: 3.43 GPA, 167 LSAT
CLS: 3.23 GPA, 166 LSAT
Chi: 3.5 GPA, 163 LSAT

Just for clarification, what you have posted here is the GPA floor for when an applicant has above the 75th percentile lsat score, and then next to that you have the lsat floor when an applicant has above the 75th percentile GPA?

[fliptrip]

I enjoyed this question, so I took to mylsn for a spot of research.

If you freeze your search at or above a given 75th for a school, you can detect the floor on the other end. Here's three school's results:

non-urms

HLS: 3.43 GPA, 167 LSAT
CLS: 3.23 GPA, 166 LSAT
Chi: 3.5 GPA, 163 LSAT

Just for clarification, what you have posted here is the GPA floor for when an applicant has above the 75th percentile lsat score, and then next to that you have the lsat floor when an applicant has above the 75th percentile GPA?

Yes, that's right. It generally assumes that if you're not above a 75th and you're below a 25th, it's not happening.

[MAPP]

I enjoyed this question, so I took to mylsn for a spot of research.

If you freeze your search at or above a given 75th for a school, you can detect the floor on the other end. Here's three school's results:

non-urms

HLS: 3.43 GPA, 167 LSAT
CLS: 3.23 GPA, 166 LSAT
Chi: 3.5 GPA, 163 LSAT

Just for clarification, what you have posted here is the GPA floor for when an applicant has above the 75th percentile lsat score, and then next to that you have the lsat floor when an applicant has above the 75th percentile GPA?

Yes, that's right. It generally assumes that if you're not above a 75th and you're below a 25th, it's not happening.

So basically an applicant to Chicago needs to have a 4.0+ GPA to have the lsat floor apply . Curse my calculus prof freshman year, that lsat floor might apply to me otherwise.

[fliptrip]

Yeah, you're not far off...The issue is all the folks with a 3.9/164 and the 3.88/165 types and so on.

[James.K.Polk]

Chicago posted their lowest admitted GPA is 3.23. I'm below that and on the WL, so hoping to change it

There's another poster on here with a sub-3 GPA who has gotten into quite a few t14s, and my low-3s hasn't been such a huge deal, relatively speaking.

[fliptrip]

Chicago posted their lowest admitted GPA is 3.23. I'm below that and on the WL, so hoping to change it

There's another poster on here with a sub-3 GPA who has gotten into quite a few t14s, and my low-3s hasn't been such a huge deal, relatively speaking.

Interesting. This was UChi itself reporting, not from mylsn, right?

I'm not at all surprised to hear about folks below 3.0 GPAs having success in the T-14. Holding that LSAT median is more important because its harder to do. There are many more high GPAs than there are super high LSATs. UVA took someone with a 2.8 and 176.

[James.K.Polk]

Chicago posted their lowest admitted GPA is 3.23. I'm below that and on the WL, so hoping to change it

There's another poster on here with a sub-3 GPA who has gotten into quite a few t14s, and my low-3s hasn't been such a huge deal, relatively speaking.

Interesting. This was UChi itself reporting, not from mylsn, right?

Right - I came across it somewhere on the website (probably "class profile" in some capacity) and took note because I was below it

[MAPP]

The issue is all the folks with a 3.9/164 and the 3.88/165 types and so on.

These are very precise numbers that you are saying, with confidence, have no chance at UChicago. Is this based on your personal experience? Or am I just under-utilizing mylsn's capabilities to predict admittance?

[fliptrip]

The issue is all the folks with a 3.9/164 and the 3.88/165 types and so on.

These are very precise numbers that you are saying, with confidence, have no chance at UChicago. Is this based on your personal experience? Or am I just under-utilizing mylsn's capabilities to predict admittance?

Oh no, this is just me spitballing. You aren't under-utilizing anything.

[tsujimoto74]

Chicago posted their lowest admitted GPA is 3.23. I'm below that and on the WL, so hoping to change it

There's another poster on here with a sub-3 GPA who has gotten into quite a few t14s, and my low-3s hasn't been such a huge deal, relatively speaking.

Interesting. This was UChi itself reporting, not from mylsn, right?

I'm not at all surprised to hear about folks below 3.0 GPAs having success in the T-14. Holding that LSAT median is more important because its harder to do. There are many more high GPAs than there are super high LSATs. UVA took someone with a 2.8 and 176.

This is reassuring to read as a splitter (173/3.33) who's still waiting to hear from several schools. I'm just hoping my GPA doesn't kill my chances.

[Lexaholik]

Chicago posted their lowest admitted GPA is 3.23. I'm below that and on the WL, so hoping to change it

There's another poster on here with a sub-3 GPA who has gotten into quite a few t14s, and my low-3s hasn't been such a huge deal, relatively speaking.

I wonder what the commonly accepted GPA floor for U of C was before they announced that their lowest accepted applicant had a 3.23. LSN is pretty good but it's not complete. And even if it is, what's to say a school won't go below its floor? It might be you.

GPA floors are good to know but I'm not sure how actionable that information is. Even if you're below them you still should apply, especially if you have a high LSAT. I've seen a ton of anecdotal evidence that people get into schools despite having GPAs below the conventionally held floor. E.g. http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 5#p5740935 When I attended my T14 I knew a guy who confided in me that he had a 2.2 undergrad GPA. I heard stories like this all the time.

You really never know. You really only need to be lucky once.