<p>I was just looking at the 25-75th percentile for Harvard Law, just to gain a sense of what sort of GPA is considered top level for the most competitive law schools. A 3.95 was the 75th percentile... Does this mean that 25% of their incoming 1L class has a GPA higher than 3.95? Also, under the LSAC GPA system, it is possible to have higher than a 4.0 GPA, correct? These kinds of numbers are truly astonishing to me! Does anyone have any insight into GPA's and what's considered highly competitive, competitive, a reach, etc.? How would somewhere in the 3.85-3.9 fair?</p>
<p>A few years ago, Harvard Law said in a press release that over 12% of that year's entering class had an UG GPA over 4.0. So, yes, if the 75th percentile was 3.95, 25% of the class had a GPA higher than 3.95.</p>
<p>But the truth is that your LSAT is an equally important part of the equation. Nobody can tell you how someone in the 3.85-3.9 zone would fare without knowing (a)his/her LSAT score and (b) the median GPA of LSAT takers at that UG institution. </p>
<p>I've known kids with 3.6-3.7 UG GPAs who got into YHS. PSedrish was a former moderator of this site. His D went to Harvard UG and had a 3.25 GPA. She scored a 180 on the LSAT. Got into Harvard Law, but turned it down to go to UMichigan for free--she got a full merit scholarship. I cite this example just to show that trying to predict how someone with a 3.85-3.9 will fare in LS admissions without knowing his LSAT score is a wholly meaningless exercise.</p>
<p>The general philosophy is that if BOTH your GPA and LSAT are around a school's 75th percentile, you should feel somewhat safe. Higher LSATs can make up for lower GPAs, within limits.</p>
<p>I friend of mine had a 3.48 from UVA, white, no EC's, scored a 173, applied early and got into everywhere but HYS...</p>
<p>Don't forget that 25% of every class at every top law school were admitted with GPAs lower than the 25-75 numbers.</p>
<p>I am so thankful that I was completely oblivious to how competitive it was to get into law school. I did the best that I could in undergrad, took the LSAT (should have probably taken a prep course, but didn't--had a 162, I think) and just applied to where I wanted to go. Statistically, I fell below the 75% at the law school, but I got in. I made good grades, and I work at one of those firms that pay associates a lot of $$. </p>
<p>My advice: do your best, be prepared, apply where you want, and don't be afraid of reaching high enough that you risk rejections. Worse case scenario, they say no.</p>