Which GPA/LSAT Combo is better?

[What combination do law schools prefer?]

What combination do law schools prefer?

3.9/160

 7 (9.2%)

3.5/165

 26 (34.2%)

3.0/170

 43 (56.6%)

Total Members Voted: 54

[Farmers Tan]

I would take the 3.9/160. 

[Farmers Tan]

Please write why you prefer one combo over the others.  I like the 3.9/160 because that is an amazing GPA and it shows that you know how to study and have focus.  And, 160 is a very good lsat score.

[Typhoon Longwang]

They're all pretty similar.  Under some index systems one is better than the other while under others it changes.  Personally, I would take the 3.9/160 because you could retake the LSAT but there's no convenient way to bring up your GPA.

LSAT   GPA   Utah Index   BYU Index
160   3.9   184.6025   234.1
165   3.5   185.5315   231.5
170   3   185.144      227

[Slow Blues]

I'd argue the opposite. There are many external factors that can affect GPA positively or negatively.

Does a 3.9 in Art indicate the same aptitude for legal study as a 3.9 in Nuclear Engineering?

Is the 3.9 achieved while working 3 days a week the same as the 3.9 achieved while doing nothing but studying?

What of the 3.9 at Oxford versus the 3.9 at county college?

The LSAT, for all its faults, strips out these other factors and [sort of] puts everyone on a level playing field.

And a 160 is certainly a nice score, but in general not good enough to get you into the highest echelon of law schools.

In any case, this argument is academic. We can't choose our GPA/LSAT and every university will look at these two numbers in its own way.

[Belisarius]

Wow, I'm really surprised to see 3.0, 170 winning...

I suppose the 3.9, 160 gives you a lower ceiling... but you have more certainty about the schools in your range.

with the 3.0, 170, it's a c***shoot.

If I end up 3.0, 173, I'd trade 6 or 7 LSAT points for .5 of GPA I think, it'd kill my "chances" of T-14, but I'd be in better shape for the 20-40 ranked types.

[Steve Butabi]

dude, the higher LSAT of course. you have to go for the top, lsat is the only thing that will get you into t14. of course, my goals may be diff. than other peoples.if i was dead-set on going to unc or boalt, i'd take the first or maybe 2nd option.

[RocketBot]

Nope.  The middle option, definitely.

A 3.5/165 gives you a shot at Cornell, Duke, UCLA, USC...

Even USC didn't accept anyone on LSN with 3.0/170, and the ones they did accept with high GPA and sub-160 LSAT were likely URMs.

Easily the 3.5/165.

[jhare]

I agree. Middle is best.

[spud1987]

I voted for the 170 option, it seems like the lsat carries much more weight than the GPA which doesn't make much sense to me.

[RocketBot]

I voted for the 170 option, it seems like the lsat carries much more weight than the GPA which doesn't make much sense to me.

Yeah but a 170 just isn't enough to outweigh a 3.0.  Most T20s won't touch anything below a 3.3 unless you have 172+, and even then it's pretty rare.