T-14 GPAs... Forum

[MikeRoss2568]

Hello everyone,

I'm new to the forums here and will be applying to Law School soon from Canada hoping to get into a T-14.

My question is, when reading the average GPA's reported by universities, (i.e., Yale says the 75th percentile is 3.96, Harvard says something similar, in the 3.9s), is this on a traditional 4.0 scale, or a 4.33 scale? As far as I am aware, the LSDAS (is that what it is called in the States?) calculates your GPA on a 4.33 scale, does it not? So wouldn't universities report their info on a 4.33 scale?

I have a 3.85/4.0 on the 4.0 scale, but on the 4.33 scale it is just over a 4.0 (4.03ish).

[Tiago Splitter]

It's on the 4.33 scale. So if your school counted A+'s you're in good shape.

[MikeRoss2568]

Thank you for the swift response.

I have two more questions.

1. As an international, am I disadvantaged? I know when applying to U.S undergrad programs from a Canadian high school, being in the international pool was generally recognized to mean you are in a harder pool of applicants since you now are competing with the world's best. Is this true for law school?

2. Do most T-14 schools put an emphasis on extracurriculars at all? My extracurriculars are above average I would say (I didn't cure a disease or invent something or anything like that, but I interned at a top 3 consulting company during the summer, run a charity that spans four universities and raises $50 000 a year, and a few other things)? So, given the fact that I have a high GPA (higher than the 75th percentile), an LSAT of 174 (first attempt), and these extracurriculars, do I get a boost at all?

Sorry for these seemingly stupid questions, I only recently decided on Law School in the United States.

Thanks again!

[Tiago Splitter]

Others can answer the international question better than I could, but law school admission is 90% or more about numbers. It's more about numbers than just about any other program and that surprises a lot of people, but it's very true. You've got a 4.03/174, so you're already a legitimate candidate at every school in the US. Extracirriculars might be a tiebreaker, but they just don't make that much difference in law school admissions.

[MikeRoss2568]

Others can answer the international question better than I could, but law school admission is 90% or more about numbers. It's more about numbers than just about any other program and that surprises a lot of people, but it's very true. You've got a 4.03/174, so you're already a legitimate candidate at every school in the US. Extracirriculars might be a tiebreaker, but they just don't make that much difference in law school admissions.

Thanks again.

For the record, I am going into my third year of university and will work my utmost to up that 4.03 as much as possible!