The Law School Admission Council (LSAC) computes a standardized grade point average (GPA) for all law school applicants. This calculation is based on the applicant’s undergraduate transcripts and any other transcripts from institutions where credit was earned. All grades received are converted to a numeric scale, weighted by credit hours, and then averaged to produce a single GPA figure. For example, an ‘A’ grade in a three-credit course would contribute more points to the GPA than a ‘B’ grade in a one-credit course.
This standardized GPA offers law schools a consistent metric for comparing applicants from various undergraduate institutions with diverse grading systems. Its use helps ensure a more equitable evaluation process by mitigating discrepancies in grading rigor across different universities and colleges. Historically, individual law schools had to manually re-calculate GPAs, leading to inconsistencies and increased administrative burden. The standardized GPA streamlines the admissions process and allows schools to focus on other aspects of the applicant’s profile.
