Determining an applicant’s academic performance for law school admission involves a specific computation of undergraduate grades, weighted and averaged according to a standardized formula established by the Law School Admission Council (LSAC). For example, a student’s grades are converted to a numerical scale, with A+ typically equivalent to 4.33, A to 4.00, A- to 3.67, and so forth. These numerical values are then averaged across all attempted coursework to produce the final metric.
This standardized assessment provides law schools with a consistent method for comparing applicants from diverse academic backgrounds and institutions. This metric plays a vital role in law school admissions decisions, often alongside LSAT scores, letters of recommendation, and personal statements. Historically, this process has evolved to provide a more holistic and equitable evaluation of candidates, moving beyond simple GPA calculations to incorporate factors like course difficulty and academic trends.
