GPA Equalizer? Forum

[T-Account]

Hi all,

I'm new to the forum and new to the law school application/admissions process. I've just (a week ago) thought about the prospects of going to law school in a couple years after working for a few. I've just graduated with a masters degree...so I will likely be a little older when/if I end up attending law school. Anyway, I went to a top 30 private college for UG and graduated with a 3.92, which was the highest GPA in my major (I think I was top 20 in my class). My school does not hand out A+'s, so my question is whether or not I am at a disadvantage because I went to a school where I could not earn an A+. Would it be worth it to point out that I had the highest GPA in my major (I received a named award) on an application? From what I've read on the forums in the past couple days as I have started exploring law school it seems that schools do not care where you went/what the grading scale is/class rank/etc., all they look for is your GPA. Is there any type of scaling at all?

Thanks,
T-A

[bk1]

With your GPA that high you won't be at a disadvantage since your GPA will be a plus at pretty much every law school. Also, people with above 4.0's are exceedingly rare so it's not like there are many people with higher GPA's than yours.

You also cannot make them look at one GPA over another. They will make decisions based on your LSAC GPA alone and will not care about your major GPA. However, it would be worth noting the award you got in the education section of your resume.

[UnamSanctam]

Law schools will only care about your GPA/LSAT because the hard numbers are what influence their overall ranking. Your GPA is something I'd kill for. Buy the PowerScore Bibles (except Reading Comprehension) and the Manhattan Reading Comprehension book, then buy the practice tests that LSAC releases. Study for the summer, take the LSAT in October, and score a 170+. The world is then your oyster.

[JamMasterJ]

With your GPA that high you won't be at a disadvantage since your GPA will be a plus at pretty much every law school. Also, people with above 4.0's are exceedingly rare so it's not like there are many people with higher GPA's than yours.

You also cannot make them look at one GPA over another. They will make decisions based on your LSAC GPA alone and will not care about your major GPA. However, it would be worth noting the award you got in the education section of your resume.

+1. Also, your gpa might not be calculated to exactly the same number by LSAC. It could go up or down.

[glewz]

With your GPA that high you won't be at a disadvantage since your GPA will be a plus at pretty much every law school. Also, people with above 4.0's are exceedingly rare so it's not like there are many people with higher GPA's than yours.

You also cannot make them look at one GPA over another. They will make decisions based on your LSAC GPA alone and will not care about your major GPA. However, it would be worth noting the award you got in the education section of your resume.

Do make a note of the Major GPA & Award on your resume, but yeah, bk is probably right to say that the LSAC GPA is the key stat.

[JamMasterJ]

Also, wrong forum

[T-Account]

Also, wrong forum

I see what I did there. Sorry.

[bp shinners]

Do make a note of the Major GPA & Award on your resume

This is really the only place to get stuff like that included that doesn't make you look arrogant (I guess a letter of rec, too, but you have limited control of that).

[flexityflex86]

It isn't as good as a >4.0, but your 3.92 will be looked at very favorably coming from a t-30. If you hit a 170, Yale is possible.

[dpk711]

It isn't as good as a >4.0, but your 3.92 will be looked at very favorably coming from a t-30. If you hit a 170, Yale is possible.

Still a long shot.

[incompetentia]

3.92/170 is strong H material already. Not an unenviable situation to be in *looks at GPA *

[T-Account]

Thank you all for the responses.

While I understand that LSAT and GPA are the only two things really looked at by law schools, it just seems so odd to me. Having just started looking into the law school admissions process and comparing it the last "real" admissions process I went through (UG), it just seems so weird that the "whole person" isn't being looked at. In a way I guess that helps me, coming from a school with rumored grade deflation I didn't have too many ECs in UG after spending much of my time studying. However, I was hoping that my professional work experience would give me a boost. I'm guessing this experience will only help me in interviews (if that), assuming I get into a top school to begin with.

And so it begins...

[soj]

As you probably know by now, many people here agree with you that the current system is unfair, but there's nothing we can do about it. Schools don't want to look at things fairly (hurts rankings to sacrifice numbers for quality), and even if they wanted to, they likely couldn't (time constraints, too many variables). Just be glad you have a high GPA and focus on acing the LSAT.

In other words, focus on what it is, not what it should be.