Why is everyone's GPA so high?

[Jennaye]

I had an adcom connection at a top 25 ls tell me that my LSAT score is ok to get in, but my GPA is a little too low for them. I have yet to receive a decision from the school.

Stats?

I like to know everyone's business 

[BoscoBreaux]

I don't buy this.  Here's my story:  I have a buddy who has taken numerous classes with me.  His numbers were 3.75/160 and mine are 3.4/170.  Obviously in the classes we took together, he usually did as well or better than i did.  But, I've gotten into WAY better schools than he has, even though it is likely that if we went to the same law school and took the same classes, he would still do better than me.  So the result is a 4 hour test overrides 4 years of hard work, and inferior candidates (like me) are admitted to superior schools. 

Law Schools count the LSAT, on average, as being 3 times more predictive of future law schools sucess than one's GPA. Hence, a 3.4 175 will have a higher index than a 3.75 160.  It does make sense in one respect. Since the LSAT is supposed to test raw ability, and the GPA is more an indicator of how much hard work you're willing to expend for studies, the GPA is more misleading in that it is assumed that those who slacked off in undergraduate school will apply themselves equally as hard as those who did so during undergraduate.  So, you very well may do better than he, assuming you both apply yourselves equally.

[Fernando]

I've been saying that for months... (that I should have spent more time studying for the LSAT and less time trying to get a high GPA) - I realized it too late though...

I was thinking the same thing Franz.

Yeah, but a high LSAT only gets you so far. You need to have both to be really competitive.

Indeed! Given the present evidence virtually all law programs make use of formulae to compute a candidates LSAT score and undergraduate GPA. Those numbers yield the life-enhancing-or-life-diminishing index used to determine admission. One can’t do much to explain-away a low UGPA. One can, however, do something about a low LSAT score. You can retest, etc. Caveats: 1. Make sure you don’t exceed the retesting criterion set forth by the LSAC. 2. Multiple LSAT scores per candidate are averaged, unless your second score is a “quantum leap” of significant improvement, whereupon an adcomm might disregard the first improvised LSAT score and solely factor the second--note: parameters are indeterminate, contact the school for details. 3. Retaking the LSAT might result in an equal or lower score; if that’s the case, it provides more grist for adcomm mills to conclude that your aptitude has been consistently gauged by a pair of LSATs--confirmation! (Aptitude testing is suppose to be some means to empirically gauge a sector of intelligence! The assumption being that that sector is darn close enough to determine whether or not a candidate is ripe for admission to a given program.)

[Guy Incognito]

My experience this cycle so far is that schools will look past the GPA (3.25 in chemical engineering from 1994) for admission. 

Getting screwed on scholarship money though. 

Seems like they want both numbers over the school's median for good money. 

[DunkinsFan]

No one wants to admit they come from a grade inflated school, but seriously not every school is GTech, CalTech, MIT, or Amherst. 

Amherst?  I'm curious as to why you put that school in there.  I've heard it specifically referred to as a grade-inflating school.

[GMULAW]

I think the reason everyone's GPA on this board is so high is the same reason everyone on this board is blond haired, blue eyed, 18o LSAT, yatta yatta yatta, catching my drift.  While there are probably people on this board telling the truth, I am sure there are just as many that are lying.

So.....just be confident with you abilities, don't worry about gpa and all that BS, b/c I promise you (as a 2L) the second you walk in those doors your LSAT and GPA are out the window, and it is your brain, time managment, and A LOT OF LUCK coming into play

[DannyJunior]

- Worked 35 hours a week during undergrad

- Partied hard

- Studied hard

- Had a 3.8 for the last 3 years.

It's not that tough to do. Just don't concede that it's impossible. You can get great grades, even at tough schools, if you're willing to dive in and do quality work. It just depends on what's important to you and what you are happy with - or willing to settle for.

[beano]

No one wants to admit they come from a grade inflated school, but seriously not every school is GTech, CalTech, MIT, or Amherst. 

Amherst?  I'm curious as to why you put that school in there.  I've heard it specifically referred to as a grade-inflating school.

Yeah, me too ... Also, somebody mentioned Swarthmore as having more grade inflation than Rutgers, but I always thought Swarthmore was supposed to have minimal grade inflation (though I know nothing about Rutgers).  Anyway, it seems like we don't have an objective measure of grade-inflated-ness here.

[jessesamuel]

Grading is so arbitrary. I don't think it's reasonable to compare GPAs from school to school. And I think adcomms' attempts to correct for grade inflation are worse than useless.

By the way, someone mentioned in this thread that people might be lying about their numbers on here and on LSN. Why would anyone do that? And I AM blonde with blue eyes.

[Bahamut]

I think the reason everyone's GPA on this board is so high is the same reason everyone on this board is blond haired, blue eyed, 18o LSAT, yatta yatta yatta, catching my drift.  While there are probably people on this board telling the truth, I am sure there are just as many that are lying.

So.....just be confident with you abilities, don't worry about gpa and all that BS, b/c I promise you (as a 2L) the second you walk in those doors your LSAT and GPA are out the window, and it is your brain, time managment, and A LOT OF LUCK coming into play

Not only are there liars, but people who had bullsh1t majors...