<p>Hypothetical: if a student from a lower-ranked college (say ranked in the 50s and 60s according to US News and World Report) had a 3.3-3.4 GPA, but had an LSAT score in the 170s, would they be accepted to any top tier law schools (top twenty)? </p>
<p>I guess what I'm asking is: would a strong LSAT score trump a not-exceptional GPA from a not-exceptional college?</p>
<p>Yes, that person would probably get some acceptances from the t14</p>
<p>Thanks for the reply, but which schools exactly in the T14? Do some have reputations for being more accepting of "splitters" (those whose GPA and LSAT do not correlate closely)?</p>
<p>Go to <a href="http://www.lsac.org%5B/url%5D">www.lsac.org</a>. and use the search function there.</p>
<p>there is some discussion on TLS (top law schools) and LSD (law school discussion) on splitters. I don't follow it that carefully, as my kid is not in that category.
I can say anecdotally by following the discussions this year on TLS and LSD that GPA's seem to matter a bit more than last year for those with 167-169 LSAT. Lots of Pending and Denials from Georgetown and Cornell with gpa's below 3.5.
my guess is, the HIGHER the LSAT the less your GPA matters. But there is a big difference in admission outcomes for those with a 170 LSAT vs. a 174.
ps- i think I read UVA is splitter friendly, but I'm not positive about that.<br>
as jonri suggested, check lsac and also read the other websites.</p>
<p>I know my LSAT score compensated for my mediocre GPA, but my GPA is a bit higher than yours (3.62). Like marny mentioned, I've heard people say that this cycle has been particularly bad for people with lower GPAs (<3.3ish), and if you look at the T14 graphs on LSN they confirm this. Law schools don't really care where you went to college; they're just concerned with your numbers. If you/hypothetical student haven't taken the LSAT yet, you're probably a junior (or a sophomore). Try to get your GPA up as much as possible if you're serious about going to a good law school. Relying on the LSAT isn't a safe bet, because most people don't score in the 170s. It's also dubious that someone with a 3.3/3.4 GPA is motivated enough to put in the effort to get a score that high.</p>
<p>lol. 3.44 and 172 here.</p>
<p>going to penn in the fall.</p>