Although the majority of law school applicants are coming straight from college, there are many that are just coming out of graduate school or have a graduate degree in addition to their Bachelor’s. For those students, their grad school degree and grad school grades can sometimes be a source of discomfiture. How are these grades considered? Are they included in your GPA calculation? Can they make a not-so-great undergraduate GPA better? Do they give you an edge in admissions?
Evaluation
Let’s take a look at how law schools evaluate graduate work. Perhaps the most important thing to keep in mind is that it’s not included in LSAC’s GPA computations. You still have to send your graduate or professional school transcripts to LSAC. Much like how you have to send your undergraduate transcript or transcripts. However, they do not undergo the same evaluation and summarization process that your undergrad grades do.
From the LSAC website:
Although LSAC does not summarize graduate or professional school work, it does list these transcripts on the law school report and send copies of them to law schools. […] Law schools receive a copy of graduate school transcripts with the law school report, but do not calculate an overall grade-point average combining undergraduate and graduate school performance.
What Does This Mean?
- When it comes to the primary GPA that law schools look at, it’s your undergrad GPA. A grad GPA is nice, but it doesn’t replace or get combined with the UGPA.
- A low UGPA will not be bolstered by a high grad GPA. On the other hand, a low grad GPA won’t bring down a high UGPA.
Now, although generally speaking a high grad school or professional school GPA will not really bolster a low UGPA, I do believe that it can soften the blow a bit (in some cases). Let’s take this example into consideration. You graduated from college 7 years ago with a 3.0 GPA, then waited five years before attending grad school. There, you performed at a 4.0 level and are now applying to law school directly from grad school. In this case, you could make a compelling argument to law schools that you have honed your academic skills. You could claim that your prior UGPA is not as representative of your potential as your grad GPA. A high graduate school GPA can show law schools that you can handle work at the graduate level, even if you didn’t perform so well in college.
It won’t do this for everyone , but it will certainly work for some. I believe that a lot of how a graduate degree can serve your law school application matters on where you got your degree, what it’s in, and how you performed.
Does Having a Graduate/Professional Degree Give You an Edge?
Now, on to more important things, do you have an edge in the law school application process? Now that’s a question worth analyzing.
Here’s my take. As I mentioned above, I believe that, unlike your undergraduate GPA, it does matter where you got your graduate degree. It also matters how you performed in it. Graduate schools are often considered to be lenient graders, meaning everyone does at least somewhat well. So, if you’ve got a smattering of Cs, Ds, or Fs, it will look even worse than it normally would. Another important factor is what your degree is in. The more prestigious the university (and the better regarded the graduate program is within that university), the better. Those with graduate degrees from lesser-known or less well-regarded institutions may not really reap the benefits they’re looking for during the law school admissions process.
The moral of the story, if you’re looking for a grad degree to help you out later on, is “aim high.”
As a side note: Engaging in graduate work is also especially useful for applicants who have been out of college for a while. It lets you establish rapport with your professors and obtain academic letters of recommendation that may not have otherwise been feasible. Can you really go back to your college professors 5+ years after graduation and expect them to really remember you?
Let me reiterate that you still need to submit your grad or professional transcripts to LSAC for processing. Although they won’t get summarized, they will still be included in your law school report. It’s imperative that law schools have the whole picture when evaluating your profile and making a decision–if nothing else so that they can make an informed one. And, if you’re planning on using your graduate grades and degree to try to ameliorate any shortcomings in your undergraduate performance, don’t forget to include an addendum.
Katie says
Hi,
I went to grad school (outside of USA) but my grad school gpa is 2.9/4.0 The grad school program only has A B and C grades (no – or +) and A grades are awarded to only five percent of the class, and some classes only have Pass or Fail and even with a Pass, it factors in as a B. Should I explain this to an addenum ? This was a while back (Over 6 years ago) but I am worried this will bring down my overall application, as my undergrad gpa is not that high either (around 3.5).
PowerScore Test Prep says
Hi Katie,
Thanks for the post! The general good news for you is that since grad GPA isn’t reported to the ABA as measurable, law schools are less concerned about grad GPA vs undergrad GPA.
With that said, a low graduate GPA will most likely raise red flags and have adcomms concerned that it could be a predictor of poor law school performance. So, I would highly recommend writing an addendum here to explain matter-of-factly your school’s strict grading curve. (See this blog post for some tips on writing addenda: https://blog.powerscore.com/lsat/whats-the-deal-with-addenda/)
In addition, I would recommend focusing on your LSAT to make sure it is as high as possible to help offset any undergrad or grad GPA concerns.
One of the tools we use when assessing admission chances is LSAC’s UGPA/LSAT Search: https://officialguide.lsac.org/Release/OfficialGuide_Default.aspx. When you input your undergraduate GPA and LSAT (or target LSAT) score, it produces a statistical admission chance at various schools.
Thanks!
Diana says
Hi!
I am a current MBA student (in my first year of a two year program) specializing in Music Business at the University of North Texas. I got my undergraduate degree from James Madison University (class of 2021) in Communication Studies with a minor in Music, and I plan to (hopefully) attend law school in the fall of 2023 once I graduate with my master’s degree in May of 2023. I had a 4.0 in high school, but then college was a slightly different story (I ended with a 3.369). I want to study music law, and the programs I am looking at (UCLA, Berkley, U of Miami) are so competitive that part of me thinks there’s no shot and it would be a waste to apply. I have a 3.9 GPA in my MBA program, but I am learning that law schools don’t really look at this, so I am stuck with them analyzing my unimpressive 3.3 GPA from college. I’m not sure how discouraged I should be at applying to places like UCLA, so I wanted a professional opinion. Thank you so much for you help!
PowerScore Test Prep says
Hi Diana,
Thanks for the post! The major factor we’re missing here is your LSAT Score. 🙂
One of the tools we use when assessing admission chances is LSAC’s UGPA/LSAT Search: https://officialguide.lsac.org/Release/OfficialGuide_Default.aspx. When you input your GPA and LSAT score, it produces a statistical admission chance at various schools. Your uGPA is below UCLA’s median, but a stellar LSAT score could help offset your GPA.
In addition, I would make sure your “softs” are as strong as possible: your letters of recommendation, your personal statement, your resume, etc. Lastly, if you do have a compelling reason for why your uGPA may have been lower (medical issues, life circumstances, one low semester, etc.), you may want to consider writing an addendum to explain the situation: https://blog.powerscore.com/lsat/whats-the-deal-with-addenda/.
Thanks!
Jason Cong says
Hi
This information is excellent and helpful. Thanks so much!
I graduated from a university not in the U.S. with a 3.2 GPA. I completed my Master’s program and will finish (in 1 year) my Ph.D. in U.S. universities. For both degrees, I have 4.0 GPAs. I plan to apply for a J.D. program in 2 or 3 years (explore other career opportunities). My goal is t30-t50. For my situation, will the grad GPAs help a lot in my J.D. application?
Jon Denning says
Hi Jason – thanks so much for posting! Undergrad vs grad/post-grad GPA situations cause a lot of confusion for applicants, so I’m glad for the chance to address this.
I’m less glad, however, about the answer: law schools rely heavily on undergrad GPAs while largely (sometimes entirely) ignoring GPAs from other programs such a Master’s, Ph.D.s, and the like. I know that’s not what you’re hoping to hear, but it’s pretty standard/universal these days.
There are a few reasons behind this approach. The most critical is that undergrad GPAs are the only academic credentials that virtually all applicants will have in common and thus a reliable point of comparison, whereas few applicants will have post-grad GPAs (and those who do typically come from such different backgrounds/programs that the numbers don’t offer much insight, if any). Another factor is that law school rankings use undergrad GPAs as a key component, but non post-grad grades.
So when schools can’t use those numbers for useful comparisons, nor for a rankings boost, they simply don’t give them any real weight.
That all said, a stellar post-grad academic track record still speaks to your abilities, and a pair of 4.0s never hurt anyone!, so while they might not give you the bump you were hoping for they do still reflect favorably on you. And that’s always a good thing 🙂
I hope that helps!
David says
This information is great, thanks so much! I’ve gotten disappointing results in this admissions cycle, mostly due to my low uGPA (2.9). I have 7 years of good public service-oriented work experience and a very high last (177), but with the increased competitiveness of admissions this year my GPA has excluded me from the t30. I’m planning on trying again in a year or two, and I’m trying to figure out how to best use my time (and money) to strengthen my application. I’m thinking about getting another undergrad degree, which would take a year and could raise my GPA to around a 3.2 or pursuing a graduate degree, probably online while gaining law-related work experience. Do you have an opinion on which would be more valuable?
Dave Killoran says
Hi David,
Thanks for the message! I believe you need to check with LSAC on this to confirm, but my understanding is that a second undergrad degree would not change your overall uGPA in LSAC’s eyes. they would instead report just your results from the first degree. This is rare, so I can’t be 100% sure how law schools would look at it, but I don’t believe they would view a second undergrad degree favorably because they want to see a valuable use of your time.
With the grad degree, you should be aware that grad GPAs carry very little wight in admissions for several reasons: only some people have them so it’s not a universal comparison point like uGPA; grad GPA doesn’t affect your uGPa and also isn’t reported to the ABA as a measurable, so they don’t impact rankings; and there is a widespread belief among adcomms that grad GPAs are inflated. So, a grad degree is a plus, but not the kind of plus that you’d expect. In answer to your direct questions: Of your two options, this would be my choice since it offers some positive.
Of course, results can vary at school, so I might call your top 2-3 target schools, explain your situation, and ask them what you could do to change your standing in their eyes for a re-application in a year or two. you might make a great connection along the way!
Thanks!
Tally says
Hello!
Thanks for the information! It’s extremely helpful. I was wondering if you have any information, experience or advice for a student who was not issued grades as an undergrad. I attended Evergreen State College in WA where there are no majors and no grades (*gasp*). Instead, all credits are pass/fail and the faculty write one page written evaluations for each student at the conclusion of each 16 credit course. If you’ve done well (which I have) the transcript amounts to a stack of letters of recommendation. That being said, it can cause a lot of confusion on the part of an admission committee. I’m concerned that this will be a problem in the application process.
To bolster my case a bit, I have a 3.7 grad school GPA from a research/theory bases MFA program. I have also since developed and taught both undergraduate and graduate classes as an adjunct professor.
Jury is still out on the LSAT, I’m enrolled in a course now, but generally I’m not a great test taker. I’m worried that if I score below 170 I’ll be out of luck for the T15 schools I’m looking at, especially given the nontraditional nature of my undergraduate transcripts.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on this! Thanks!
Dave Killoran says
Hi Tally,
Thanks for the message! This is an unusual situation for a US grad. I looked up LSAC’s guide on Evergreen grading, and it’s maybe the most interesting one out there: mostly empty. With no GPA to report, schools will, as you fear, fall back heavily onto your LSAT score (this happens with international students too, so law schools aren’t entirely unused to this situation). So, do what you can there to make that as high as possible, and if we can help, let us know!
As far as your grad GPA, as we’ve talked about in our webinars and podcast, this will largely be discounted. Not everyone has a grad GPA so it’s not universal, and there is also the widespread perception that grad GPAs are inflated. So, it is a plus that you have that on your resume and have done well, but it will not be decisive. the same goes for the teaching–great to have, but not by itself a game-changer.
The silver lining and possible game-changer here is that your lack of a GPA is accompanied by written evaluations from every teacher. This is unusual and is like having dozens of LORs, especially if they are strong and go into some depth. If that’s the case, then if you can pair that with a solid LSAT score then I believe you’ll be okay. Different can be good, too 🙂
Please let me know if that helps. Thanks!
Sara says
I am currently a grad student studying journalism at Boston University, and will graduate in January 2021. I applied to law schools in October and included, along with my undergrad transcript, my current transcript for BU, which obviously does not include my final semester grades for this fall or that my graduate degree has been conferred. When I do finish the program and my grad transcript is finalized, should I have the transcript sent to LSAC to update my law school reports? I’ve already been accepted to a few schools and I’m unclear if the other schools who are still reviewing my application would need/want this additional info. Thank you!
PowerScore Test Prep says
Hi Sara,
Thank you for your comment. Yes, Per LSAC, “If you are in the process of completing your degree, you should arrange for a transcript of all available grades to be sent to LSAC. When you have completed your degree, you will have to arrange for the final transcript to be sent to LSAC.”
Thank you!
Stephanie says
Would it hurt my chances to not get a reference from a grad school professor?
Here’s more info:
I got my undergrad degree 6 years ago (3.4 gpa) and my grad degree 2 years ago (3.9 gpa). For my reference letters I would really just like to use my direct supervisors at my job and don’t particularly want to reach out to grad school professors. I had good relationships with them but I haven’t been in contact with them since graduation so I feel it’ll be awkward. My direct supervisors are a lawyer and the other is the CFO of where I work so I think they’ll be better representatives of my current skills and can attest to my potential to be a good lawyer.
Dave Killoran says
Hi Stephanie,
You’ll be ok here. While an academic reference would be nice, it’s not entirely necessary. Having high-quality references is the real key, and so it’s better to go this route than stretch for a grad professor.
Thanks and good luck!
Scott says
Will a low grad gpa at an Ivy League school (Columbia) hinder law school chances? My program really wasn’t the right fit for me and I’m struggling. My undergrad GPA was significantly higher. I thought a master’s degree would help my chances but it looks as if I’m only hurting myself.
Dave Killoran says
Hi Scott,
It’s not a good look for law schools, so it will require an explanation. The reason for the concern is that they will be thinking you were an adult who should’ve known what would be a good fit and what wouldn’t be. So, you’ll need an addendum that addresses what happened in a way that allows the adcomms to “check the box” on their concern over this. If you can successfully explain what occurred, at that point it becomes moot since they don’t have to use or report your grad GPA 🙂 Nail that and you’ll be okay.
Thanks and good luck!
Jake says
Hi Dave,
I did a research based masters, with only 5 courses. I got a national research award and my work was published in one of my fields most reputable journals. However, I did poorly in 1 of the 5 courses. My UGPA is 4.0 (LSAT: 172) and without this course my grad GPA would have been 3.8, however it lowered it to a 3.6. The transcript isn’t summarized by CAS to a GPA on the 4.0 scale, it’s all in percent grades with a letter key on the back, which the law schools will receive a copy of.
Is something like this worth mentioning in an addendum? I’d really prefer not to mention anything about it, especially if its a non issue.
Overall, will this masters hurt or help my chances?
Dave Killoran says
Hi Jake,
This won’t be a problem–law schools don’t much care about your grad GPA as long as it was decent, which yours was. I wouldn’t write a separate addendum on it, either.
Thanks!
Todd Jankowski says
Hello,
First of all: this is a great site with a lot of helpful information. So, thanks for putting it together. Now, on to my question. I am wondering how much, if any, my Master’s degree will help me with admission. First, a little backgrround: I have any undergraduate in psychology, and a Master’s degree is social work. I am also licensed by the state of Ohio to practice. The particular program I came from is ranked 3rd nationally, and the entire university is considered one of America’s best(Case Western Reserve University). If you are wondering why someone with a Master’s in social work, and a state license is considering going to law school, let’s just say I haven’t reaped the benefits of the school I went to. Now, my undergraduate GPA was 3.3. It would have been higher if not for that stupid African politics class I had to take, and being sick a lot my last semester. My graduate GPA is 3.36. So, I was just wondering if the graduate degree will help me at all? How about the license? Thanks for your insight.
PowerScore Test Prep says
Hi Todd,
Please note that the most important components to your law school application will be your undergraduate GPA and LSAT score. A graduate GPA is nice, but it doesn’t replace or get combined with the undergrad GPA. Additionally, your undergrad GPA will not be strengthened by a higher grad GPA. However, some good news is that a high graduate school GPA/ graduate degree will show law schools that you can handle work at the graduate level, which will reflect positive on you as an applicant. Also worth noting, we believe that, unlike your undergraduate GPA, it does matter where you got your graduate degree. The more prestigious the university (and the better regarded the graduate program is within that university), the better.
Thank you!
Osborn says
Hello hope all is well.
I didn’t do well at the beginning of my undergrad years I was in a difficult major, Information Technology, while being a college athlete. I changed my minor Psychology to my major and did well with the course work but the damage from bad grades in IT didn’t help. I ended up graduating with an undergraduate gpa of 2.7. But I will be graduating with a masters degree in Applied Behavior Analysis at the end of the month and will most likely be ending with a 3.75 gpa. I know a master’s degree doesn’t replace my ugpa but will high lsat score in the 170’s soften the blow a little? I’m hoping to get into a T-14 law school.
Please advise,
Osborn
PowerScore Test Prep says
Hi Osborn,
Thank you for your comment! Please note that you are what is called a “splitter.” A splitter is a person with a high LSAT and low GPA. When it comes to being admitted into a T14 with your numbers, your chances are unfortunately very low. In the rankings game, GPA matters, and taking a 2.7 is typically seen as too much of a downside. A school like Harvard gets enough 173/3.7 applicants that it can take one of those applicants instead, and not bear the penalty of the lower GPA on their numbers. Sorry–we don’t mean to sound discouraging here! We’re just trying to state the facts the way they are, and in this case, the GPA is really too much of a problem to overcome.
Feel free to utilize one of our favorite resources for researching data on nearly all of the ABA-approved schools in North America: LSAC’s LSAT/GPA Calculator. This tool allows you to input your undergraduate GPA and your highest LSAT score and get feedback on where each stands relative to attendees at individual schools. We also have an article discussing splitter friendly law schools here that you may find helpful.
Thank you!
Erin says
In your article you mention that it is important what your degree is in and the prestige of the university- I am wondering if there are certain fields of study that are more “desirable” or if a focus in a seemingly unrelated field could actually be detrimental?
I majored in neuroscience in undergrad and then received my PhD in biomedical science from the graduate school of a highly respected and world renowned hospital. After completing my PhD last year I transitioned into a postdoc position working in technology transfer at that same institution, passed the patent bar, and am now hoping to continue on to becoming a patent attorney (applying this fall). While I recognize that there are plenty of STEM students that go into law, is there any concern about admitting a student that is so heavily trained in science? Could this type of background help to bolster my application that has nearly perfect grades for both degrees but a somewhat less than stellar LSAT? Despite my best efforts to use my personal statement as a way to explain my desire to transition from science to law, I am concerned that my strong focus on science for so many years could raise a red flag. Thank you!!
PowerScore Test Prep says
Hi Erin,
Thank you for your comment. There’s a lot of talk about what constitutes a “good” major if you’re planning on going to law school. We’re of the opinion that any major that is reading-, research-, and writing-intensive is good, even if it’s not in the realm of the “traditional” law school majors (PoliSci, Econ, English, etc.). People with notoriously difficult majors (Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Math, Engineering, etc) will also receive a little more leniency if their grades aren’t stellar. Not only have professors in these disciplines been found to be tough graders, the subjects are also tough in and of themselves. Please note that law school applicants with degrees in STEM are not so rare these days and having a strong focus on STEM should not raise a red flag. Above all, law schools want to see that you can handle the rigor of law school classes, and that you are ready for the academic intensity that they will entail.
Also worth mentioning is that if you have a high GPA with a low LSAT score, you will be something called a “reverse splitter.” More on splitters and splitter friendly law schools may found here: https://blog.powerscore.com/lsat/what-are-law-school-splitters-reverse-splitters-super-splitters/. Splitters are very common in the law school admissions process, and if you fall into the category of one, you shouldn’t be overly concerned.
Thank you!
Jordan Z says
What about the opposite? I am a law graduate and have passed a state bar. Along the way, I really got into government services work and lobbying. I am looking into a master’s degree in public policy or an MBA. My undergrad grades were amazing. In law school I was struggling with depression and some personal issues and I am not particularly proud of my grades. As mentioned I passed the bar (Indiana) and I have a wonderful job working as a lobbyist, but I am wondering if I apply for a master’s if my undergrad success will be weighed down significantly by my law school struggles. I know it is not conventional for a licensed attorney to seek out other degrees besides maybe an LLM and because of that, I am not finding a good answer anywhere. Please let me know if you have any insight! Thanks!
Dave Killoran says
Hi Jordan,
Thanks for the message! The one reason that undergrad GPAs tend to be weighted more heavily by most programs is that they are a universal comparison point: everyone has one whereas not everyone has a masters GPA. So undergrad tends to be the first and most important GPA.
That said, in my experience, grad programs in general will review other grad GPAs and a lower performance can raise questions (but isn’t a dealbreaker). Law school is a special, often narrower case because GPA results are reported to the ABA, and there are strict rules for what they report (undergrad GPA being the reportable number), and hence a major emphasis on that undergrad GPA.
It’s going to depend a bit on the school, but if you can explain that grad GPA successfully, it is likely something you can get past as far as apps. Good luck!