Law School Acceptance Rates by LSAT Score and GPA

The Two Numbers That Define Your Odds

Law school admissions is, at its core, a two-variable equation. Your LSAT score and your GPA account for the vast majority of admission decisions at most schools. Everything else — personal statement, letters of recommendation, work experience, diversity factors — operates at the margins. The numbers open (or close) the door.

What follows is a frank assessment of what different LSAT and GPA combinations actually produce across the 252 ABA-accredited law schools in our database. This is not speculation. It is based on published ABA 509 disclosure data from the 2023–2025 admission cycles.

High LSAT (170+), High GPA (3.8+)

This is the combination that opens every door. Applicants with a 170+ LSAT and a 3.8+ GPA are competitive at every law school in the country, including Yale, Stanford, and Harvard. At T-14 schools, this profile typically falls at or above the 75th percentile — meaning you are statistically stronger than at least three-quarters of admitted students.

At schools ranked 15–50, this combination makes you a strong Safety candidate, often with significant scholarship offers. Schools outside the T-50 will actively recruit you.

Realistic acceptance rate range: 60–90% at T-14, 85–99% at T-50.

High LSAT (170+), Moderate GPA (3.3–3.7)

The LSAT carries 60% of the weight in law school admissions, so a strong LSAT can compensate for a GPA that is not at the very top. A 172 with a 3.5 is a different application than a 165 with a 3.5 — the LSAT pushes you past the median at most T-14 schools even with a GPA that sits slightly below.

You are still competitive at the T-14 as a Target applicant, and a strong Safety at T-25 through T-50 schools. Scholarship money is likely at schools ranked 20 and below.

Realistic acceptance rate range: 30–55% at T-14, 70–90% at T-25.

Strong LSAT (165–169), High GPA (3.8+)

This combination keeps you in the conversation at most T-14 schools, though you are typically a Reach rather than a Target at the very top (Yale, Stanford, Harvard). At schools ranked 5–14, you are solidly in the Target range. At T-25 through T-50, you are a strong Safety.

The high GPA helps here because it signals academic consistency. Schools like Northwestern, Georgetown, and Michigan value GPA more than some applicants expect.

Realistic acceptance rate range: 20–40% at T-6, 50–75% at T-14, 80–95% at T-50.

Strong LSAT (165–169), Moderate GPA (3.3–3.7)

This is the profile of a very large number of competitive law school applicants. You are solidly in the Target range at schools ranked 15–30, and a Safety at many schools ranked 30–75. At the T-14, you are a Reach — not impossible, but the numbers alone are not enough. Other application factors need to carry weight.

Realistic acceptance rate range: 10–25% at T-14, 40–65% at T-25, 70–85% at T-50.

Moderate LSAT (160–164), High GPA (3.8+)

A high GPA with a moderate LSAT creates an uneven profile. Law schools weight the LSAT more heavily, so a 161 with a 3.9 is not as strong as a 167 with a 3.5. That said, the high GPA keeps doors open at schools ranked 25–75, where you are typically a Target or Safety candidate.

Consider retaking the LSAT. A four-to-six point improvement would dramatically change your options.

Realistic acceptance rate range: 5–15% at T-14, 30–50% at T-25, 60–80% at T-50.

Moderate LSAT (160–164), Moderate GPA (3.3–3.7)

This combination is competitive at schools ranked 30–100 and realistic at some T-25 schools as a Reach. You have genuine options, but the T-14 is a significant long shot without exceptional soft factors or URM status.

Realistic acceptance rate range: 25–50% at schools ranked 30–50, 50–75% at schools ranked 50–100.

Below-Median LSAT (155–159)

With a 155–159 LSAT, your competitive range narrows to schools ranked 50 and below — and even then, GPA matters. A 157 with a 3.7 is meaningfully different from a 157 with a 3.2. Focus on schools where your LSAT sits at or above the median. Do not waste application fees on schools where you are below the 25th percentile.

Realistic acceptance rate range: 40–70% at schools ranked 50–100, highly variable below that.

What These Numbers Do Not Tell You

Acceptance rates vary by cycle, yield expectations, and institutional priorities. URM applicants often see meaningfully better outcomes at the same numbers. Strong work experience (especially 3+ years) can shift borderline decisions. And some schools have explicit "GPA addendum" policies that account for upward trends or difficult circumstances.

Use these ranges as a starting framework, then refine with school-specific data.