About the Law School Admissions Calculator
Law school admissions in the United States rely heavily on two numbers: the LSAT score and the undergraduate GPA. Every accredited school publishes the 25th percentile, median and 75th percentile of both for its most recent entering class, in an annual ABA Standard 509 Information Report. Comparing your numbers with those figures is the standard first step in building a list of schools.
This law school admissions calculator places your LSAT and GPA against a school's percentiles, tells you which band each falls in, and classifies the school as likely, target, possible or reach, or identifies you as a splitter or reverse splitter.
How to Use the Law School Admissions Calculator
Enter your LSAT and GPA.
Enter the school's LSAT and GPA 25th percentile, median and 75th percentile from its 509 report.
How the Categories Work
each score is placed in a band:
above the 75th percentile
between the median and 75th percentile
between the 25th percentile and median
below the 25th percentile
likely both scores at or above the 75th percentile
target both scores above the median
splitter LSAT above the median, GPA below the 25th percentile
reverse GPA above the median, LSAT below the 25th percentile
possible around the medians
reach both scores below the medianStep-by-Step Example
LSAT 168 and GPA 3.60 at a school with LSAT 163/167/170 and GPA 3.55/3.80/3.92.
LSAT 168 is between the median (167) and 75th percentile (170): +1
GPA 3.60 is between the 25th percentile (3.55) and median (3.80): −0.20
result possible: around the mediansReading the Percentiles
Half of the admitted class scored above the median and half below. A quarter scored below the 25th percentile, so being below it does not rule you out, but each further point lower makes admission less likely. Being above the 75th percentile on both puts you among the strongest numbers in the class, though top schools still reject many such applicants.
Splitters and Reverse Splitters
A splitter has a high LSAT and a low GPA; a reverse splitter the opposite. Schools treat these applicants differently. Many value a strong LSAT highly because it affects rankings and predicts first-year performance, so splitters sometimes do better than reverse splitters. Reverse splitters can often improve their chances by retaking the LSAT.
Beyond the Numbers
Numbers decide many applications, especially those far above or below the medians. For applicants near the medians, the rest of the file matters: the personal statement, letters of recommendation, résumé, work experience, any addenda, diversity statements and when you apply. Applying early in the cycle helps, because schools have more seats and scholarship money available.
Scholarships
The same percentiles help predict scholarship offers. Applicants above a school's medians are much more likely to receive merit scholarships, sometimes large ones. Applying to schools where your numbers are strong can lower the cost of law school significantly.
How Medians Drive Law School Admissions
Law schools publish the 25th, 50th and 75th percentile LSAT scores and undergraduate GPAs of each entering class, and those figures feed directly into rankings. Because of that, admissions offices care a great deal about applicants who raise or protect their medians. An applicant above both medians helps the school on both measures, which is why being above the 75th percentile on both numbers so often leads to an offer and sometimes a scholarship.
Applicants with a score above the median on one measure and below on the other are judged more on the rest of the file. The calculator labels these as splitters or reverse splitters. A high LSAT with a lower GPA is a splitter, and many schools are comfortable with that profile because the LSAT is weighted heavily. A high GPA with a lower LSAT is a reverse splitter and is usually harder to admit at selective schools.
Building a Balanced School List
A good list mixes categories. Many advisers suggest a few likely schools where you are above both 75th percentiles, a solid group of target schools near the medians, and several reach schools where you are below one or both 25th percentiles. Applying only to reaches risks no offers, while applying only to likely schools can leave scholarship money unclaimed.
Scholarship negotiation also depends on where you sit. Schools often offer the largest merit awards to applicants who raise their medians, so a likely school can become an affordable choice. Keep the published data for each school current, because medians shift every cycle.
What Else Shapes the Decision
Numbers are not the whole file. Personal statements, letters of recommendation, work experience, a strong upward grade trend and the timing of the application all matter. Applying early in the cycle, when more seats remain, tends to help candidates near the medians. Addenda can explain a weak semester or a gap in study. Treat the category as a guide to how competitive the numbers are, then let the rest of your application carry the case.
Where to Find the Percentile Data
Every ABA-approved law school publishes a Standard 509 Information Report each year, listing the 25th, 50th and 75th percentile LSAT scores and GPAs for the entering class. Use the most recent report for each school you consider, and enter the figures for full-time students if the school reports part-time separately. Third party sites summarise the same data, but check the original report when a number looks out of date.
If you have taken the LSAT more than once, most schools now focus on your highest score, so enter that one. Your GPA should be the figure calculated by the credential assembly service, which can differ from your transcript because it includes every undergraduate grade, including repeated courses.
Understanding Your Result
The headline gives the category.
The assessment line explains it.
The LSAT and GPA lines show each score's band and difference from the median.
When Should You Use This Calculator?
Use it to build a balanced list of law schools.
Use it to see whether retaking the LSAT would change your category.
Use it to identify schools where scholarships are likely.
Common Mistakes
Using old 509 data. Medians change yearly.
Using your transcript GPA. Schools use the LSAC GPA.
Applying only to reaches. Balance your list.
Ignoring the rest of the file. It matters near the medians.