LSAC GPA Converter
When you apply to law school, the official LSAC Credential Assembly Service recalculates every applicant's GPA using a standardized scale — meaning the GPA on your transcript is not what law schools see.
Use this tool to see your GPA as LSAC and admissions committees will see it, so you can plan your application with accurate data.
LSAC only counts undergraduate coursework toward your LSAC GPA.
Enter your GPA between 0.00 and 4.00. LSAC passes this through directly and may adjust based on full transcript review.
LSAC GPA Conversion Chart — What Your GPA Means for Law School
The chart below maps institutional GPA ranges to their LSAC equivalents and shows how competitive each range is across different tiers of law school. Use it alongside our LSAC GPA calculator for a full picture of your standing.
| Institutional GPA | LSAC GPA Equivalent | Law School Tier | Competitiveness | Top Schools in Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.90–4.00 | 3.90–4.00 | T14 Elite | Exceptional | Harvard, Yale, Columbia |
| 3.75–3.89 | 3.75–3.89 | Top 14 | Highly Competitive | NYU, Georgetown, UCLA |
| 3.50–3.74 | 3.50–3.74 | Top 25 | Competitive | Vanderbilt, Emory, Notre Dame |
| 3.25–3.49 | 3.25–3.49 | Top 50 | Moderately Competitive | Regional Strong Schools |
| 3.00–3.24 | 3.00–3.24 | Top 100 | Below Average | Consider Retaking Courses |
| Below 3.00 | Below 3.00 | Lower Ranked | Challenging | Strengthen Other Areas |
How LSAC Calculates Your GPA — What You Need to Know
LSAC does not use the GPA printed on your transcript. Instead, it recalculates your GPA from scratch using every undergraduate course you have ever attempted at every institution you attended, converting all grades to its own standardized scale. This means a student with a 3.8 on their transcript could have a higher or lower LSAC GPA depending on which courses they took and where. Understanding this distinction is the first step in accurately assessing your law school competitiveness. Our cumulative GPA calculator can help you estimate your overall average across all terms.
LSAC includes repeated courses differently than most universities. When you retake a course, LSAC counts both the original grade and the repeated grade in its calculation. Most universities replace the lower grade with the higher one for transcript GPA purposes — LSAC does not. If you repeated several courses after a difficult semester, your LSAC GPA may be meaningfully lower than what your institution reports.
Withdrawals are treated differently depending on whether a grade was assigned. Courses marked as W (withdrawal without a grade) are not included in LSAC's calculation and do not affect your LSAC GPA. However, courses marked with a grade at the time of withdrawal — sometimes noted as WF (withdrawal failing) or a similar notation — are included and will impact your GPA. Check your transcript carefully for any graded withdrawals.
International applicants must have their grades converted by a credential evaluation service. LSAC converts international grades to its scale using country-specific conversion guides. If you completed coursework outside the United States or Canada, LSAC will require you to submit transcripts through an approved credential evaluation service before it can calculate your GPA. Understanding how your grades translate is especially important if you are applying from a country with a different grading system. The GPA scale guide explains how major systems compare.
LSAC GPA is one of two primary numerical factors in law school admissions. Most law schools place significant weight on both your LSAC GPA and your LSAT score, and many publish their 25th to 75th percentile ranges for both metrics in their entering class profiles. You should research the specific ranges at your target schools and use a target GPA calculator to understand what you would need to bring your GPA to a competitive level.
LSAC GPA vs Your Transcript GPA — Key Differences
| Factor | LSAC GPA | Transcript GPA |
|---|---|---|
| What is included | All undergraduate coursework from every institution attended | Courses taken at that specific institution only |
| Repeated courses | Both original and repeated grade counted | Often replaces lower grade with higher grade |
| Withdrawals | Graded withdrawals (WF, etc.) are included; ungraded W are excluded | Varies by institution; many exclude all withdrawals |
| Who calculates it | LSAC, using its standardized Credential Assembly Service | Your college or university registrar |
| When it is used | Law school admissions exclusively | Most academic and employment contexts |
| Typical impact on applicants | Often slightly lower than transcript GPA for students who repeated courses | May overstate performance if grade replacement was applied |
Median LSAC GPA at Top Law Schools
These are approximate median GPA and LSAT figures based on recent admissions data. Applicants should verify current figures directly with each school, as they change year to year.
| Law School | Median LSAC GPA | Median LSAT | Admissions Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yale Law School | 3.93 | 174 | Exceptional |
| Harvard Law School | 3.92 | 174 | Exceptional |
| Stanford Law School | 3.90 | 174 | Exceptional |
| Columbia Law School | 3.89 | 174 | Exceptional |
| University of Chicago Law | 3.92 | 174 | Exceptional |
| NYU School of Law | 3.85 | 173 | Very High |
| University of Pennsylvania | 3.91 | 172 | Very High |
| University of Michigan | 3.82 | 171 | Very High |
| Duke University School of Law | 3.85 | 171 | Very High |
| Georgetown University Law | 3.78 | 169 | High |
| UCLA School of Law | 3.78 | 170 | High |
| University of Texas at Austin | 3.73 | 169 | High |
LSAC GPA and LSAT scores are both important, but schools also consider personal statements, letters of recommendation, work experience, and diversity factors. A strong application with a slightly below-median GPA can still be successful. Consider using our AMCAS GPA calculator if you are also applying to medical school, as that system has different calculation rules.
Frequently Asked Questions About LSAC GPA
Planning tip
Many law school applicants are surprised to find their LSAC GPA is lower than their transcript GPA due to repeated courses and multi-institution attendance. Use this converter early in your planning process, then use our weighted to unweighted GPA converter and letter grade to GPA tool to build the most accurate picture of your academic record before submitting applications.