Low(er) than average GPA, but high LSAT score

sophie74

Hi all,

After looking through the UGPA/LSAT score search feature on LSAC, I am discouraged that even with a hypothetical 180, my GPA brings my chances of getting into the top schools down significantly.

Is it true that a high LSAT cannot compensate for a lower than average (based on school) GPA?

Cant Get Right

@sokarpf said:
Is it true that a high LSAT cannot compensate for a lower than average (based on school) GPA?

It is absolutely not true. If you get that 180, pretty much any school is going to try and find a way to work with you on the GPA. @"Nicole Hopkins" got into Northwestern on scholarship with a 170 LSAT and somewhere in the neighborhood of a 2.9 GPA from Princeton.

Ignore the chances and master the LSAT. You're in the right place to do it!

sophie74

@"Cant Get Right" said:
It is absolutely true.

Hopefully you misspoke, and meant, it is NOT true?

Cant Get Right

I did misspeak, haha! It is absolutely NOT true!!!

cam

You might check out MyLSN or Law School Numbers to see what people in the past have been admitted with. Granted, those are self reported samples, but you might see a little bit different information than on the LSAC page.

http://mylsn.info/r/pre-law/admissions/search/

Sprinkles

@sokarpf said:
Is it true that a high LSAT cannot compensate for a lower than average (based on school) GPA?

Not true in the slightest. The LSAT outweighs your GPA/PS/DS/LORs. Give the LSAT another shot and keep your head up.

cetienn2

You are in the running for Georgetown, Columbia, NYU, Northwestern, Michigan,UPenn, Virginia, and Duke if you score at least a 169

Chipster Study

I have been told by admissions deans that if you score way high on the LSAT and you put some years between you and a low GPA, they (with possible exception of YHS) will disregard it. The schools have to report medians so if you are .1 in GPA below the median that is the same as having a 2.0 as far as reporting to USNews. I have also been told that by the law school coaches across the board. But everyone said high LSAT is like 177-180, not 171.

I had one coach tell me that you never know with YHS. They have such prestigious profiles that they can take any low numbers they want if it is an interesting applicant. They can make up the deficit with the rest of the pool because so many applicants have such high numbers.

sophie74

@cam Thank you so much for this suggestion! I've never heard of law school numbers before, but it looks like a great resource.

Sprinkles

@"Chipster Study" said:
I had one coach tell me that you never know with YHS. They have such prestigious profiles that they can take any low numbers they want if it is an interesting applicant. They can make up the deficit with the rest of the pool because so many applicants have such high numbers.

I too have heard this. Sometimes, you never know.