Law School Admission Council GPA Calculator

Are you planning to apply to law school and wondering what your actual GPA will be in the eyes of admissions committees? Your undergraduate transcript GPA might not tell the whole story. The Law School Admission Council (LSAC) recalculates your GPA using their own standardized system, creating what’s known as your CAS (Credential Assembly Service) GPA. This recalculated GPA is what law schools will actually see when evaluating your application.

Understanding the LSAC GPA System

The LSAC doesn’t simply accept your undergraduate GPA at face value. Instead, they recalculate your GPA using a standardized 4.0 scale to create a uniform basis for comparing applicants from different institutions with varying grading systems.

How LSAC Calculates Your GPA

LSAC’s calculation process considers every undergraduate course you’ve taken toward your first bachelor’s degree. This comprehensive approach means that courses you might have forgotten about or hoped law schools wouldn’t see will factor into your final GPA.

The LSAC uses a weighted system where each course’s impact on your GPA depends on the number of credit hours it carries. A 4-credit course with an A grade will have more positive impact than a 2-credit course with the same grade.

LSAC’s Grading Scale and Conversion Rules

LSAC converts grades from various institutional grading systems to their standard 4.0 scale. Here’s how common grades translate:

• A+: 4.33
• A: 4.00
• A-: 3.67
• B+: 3.33
• B: 3.00
• B-: 2.67
• C+: 2.33
• C: 2.00
• C-: 1.67
• D+: 1.33
• D: 1.00
• D-: 0.67
• F: 0.00

For percentage-based grading systems, LSAC converts grades as follows: 98-100% equals 4.33, 93-97% equals 4.00, 90-92% equals 3.67, and so on down the scale.

What Grades Are Included vs. Excluded

Included in LSAC GPA calculation:

• All undergraduate courses taken toward your first bachelor’s degree
• Retaken courses (both original and retake grades count)
• Study abroad courses taken for credit
• Summer courses, even if taken at different institutions
• Courses taken at community colleges while in high school, if they counted toward your degree
• Transfer credits from all institutions attended

Excluded from LSAC GPA calculation:

• Graduate or professional coursework taken after your first bachelor’s degree
• Pass/fail courses (passes don’t count, but fails do)
• Non-punitive withdrawals and incompletes
• Courses taken for audit or no credit
• Remedial courses clearly marked as such on transcripts
• Courses taken after your first bachelor’s degree was conferred

Key Factors in LSAC GPA Calculation

Retaken Courses: The Double-Counting Rule

One of the most important aspects of LSAC’s system is how they handle retaken courses. Unlike many undergraduate institutions that may replace an original grade with a retake grade, LSAC includes both grades in their calculation.

For example, if you originally received a D in Statistics (3 credits) and later retook it for a B, LSAC counts both the D and the B in your GPA calculation. This means 3 credits at 1.0 (D) and 3 credits at 3.0 (B) both factor into your cumulative GPA.

Pass/Fail Courses: Understanding the Asymmetry

LSAC treats pass/fail courses asymmetrically. Passing grades in pass/fail courses don’t contribute to your GPA calculation, but failing grades do count as 0.00. This policy can significantly impact students who failed pass/fail courses, as these failures will lower their LSAC GPA even though passes don’t raise it.

Quarter vs. Semester Credits: The Conversion Formula

If you attended a school that used quarter credits instead of semester credits, LSAC converts these using a standard formula: quarter credits are multiplied by 0.67 to convert them to semester credit equivalents. This ensures fair comparison across different academic calendar systems.

Courses After Graduation: The Cutoff Rule

LSAC only considers courses taken toward your first bachelor’s degree. Any undergraduate courses taken after receiving your first bachelor’s degree even if taken at the undergraduate level are excluded from the GPA calculation.

Step-by-Step Guide to Using Our Free LSAC GPA Calculator

Finding a Reliable Calculator

Our free LSAC GPA calculator for 2025 incorporates all current LSAC policies and grading conversions. It supports multiple grading scales and handles complex scenarios like retaken courses and mixed credit systems.

Gathering Your Transcripts

Before using the calculator, collect official transcripts from every undergraduate institution you’ve attended. This includes:

• Your primary degree-granting institution
• Any colleges where you took courses as a dual-enrollment high school student
• Transfer schools
• Study abroad programs
• Summer session institutions

Inputting Course Information

Our calculator features separate sections for different grading systems:

Multiple Grading Scales Support: Enter courses based on whether they used letter grades (A-F), percentage grades (0-100%), or alternative scales.

Retake Handling: The calculator automatically accounts for retaken courses when you input both the original and retake grades.

Credit Weighting: Input the credit hours for each course, and the calculator will properly weight each grade’s impact on your overall GPA.

Understanding the Results

The calculator provides your estimated LSAC GPA along with a breakdown showing how many credits you’ve entered and your grade distribution. Remember that this is an estimate your official LSAC GPA may vary slightly based on transcript interpretation.

Real-World Examples of LSAC GPA Calculations

Scenario 1: Multiple Institution Student

Sarah attended community college for two years, then transferred to a four-year university. Her community college courses included:

• English Composition (3 credits): A
• College Algebra (4 credits): B+
• Psychology 101 (3 credits): A-

Her university courses included:

• Advanced Psychology (3 credits): A
• Research Methods (4 credits): B
• Senior Thesis (3 credits): A-

LSAC combines all these courses into a single GPA calculation, weighing each course by its credit hours regardless of which institution awarded the credits.

Scenario 2: Retaken Course Impact

Michael originally received a D in Organic Chemistry (4 credits) but retook it and earned a B. His LSAC GPA calculation includes:

• Original attempt: 4 credits × 1.0 = 4.0 grade points
• Retake attempt: 4 credits × 3.0 = 12.0 grade points
• Total: 8 credits with 16.0 grade points (2.0 GPA for these courses combined)

Scenario 3: International Coursework

Elena studied abroad in Spain for one semester, earning percentage grades that convert to LSAC’s scale:

• Spanish Literature (3 credits): 92% = A- (3.67)
• European History (4 credits): 88% = B+ (3.33)
• International Business (3 credits): 95% = A (4.00)

These grades integrate with her domestic coursework in the LSAC calculation.

Scenario 4: Pass/Fail Complications

David took two pass/fail courses:

• Physical Education (1 credit): Pass (not counted in GPA)
• Advanced Seminar (3 credits): Fail (counted as 0.00)

The pass doesn’t help his GPA, but the fail hurts it significantly.

Scenario 5: Withdrawal Scenarios

Lisa had to withdraw from courses due to medical issues:

• Medical withdrawal from Biology (3 credits): W (not counted if non-punitive)
• Withdraw/Fail from Chemistry (4 credits): WF (counted as 0.00 if punitive)

The impact depends on how her institution classified these withdrawals.

Scenario 6: Quarter to Semester Conversion

Robert attended a quarter system school where he earned:

• History (5 quarter credits): A
• Mathematics (5 quarter credits): B+

For LSAC calculation: 5 × 0.67 = 3.33 semester credits for each course.

Maximizing Your LSAC GPA

Strategies for Current Students

If you’re still completing your undergraduate degree, consider these approaches:

Course Selection: Choose courses wisely, considering both your interests and your ability to excel. A strong performance in a slightly easier course may serve you better than a mediocre performance in an extremely challenging one.

Retake Considerations: Since LSAC counts both grades, only retake courses if you’re confident you can achieve a significantly higher grade. A marginal improvement may not justify the time and effort.

Credit Load Management: Taking fewer credits per semester might allow you to focus more intensively on each course, potentially improving your grades.

Addressing GPA Weaknesses

If your LSAC GPA is lower than you’d like, consider these strategies:

Addenda: Write a brief addendum explaining circumstances that affected your academic performance, such as illness, family issues, or financial hardship.

Upward Trend: Highlight improvement in your grades over time, demonstrating growth and maturity.

LSAT Performance: A strong LSAT score can help offset a lower GPA, as law schools consider both metrics in their admissions decisions.

Why Use Our Free LSAC GPA Calculator?

Our calculator offers several advantages over competitor tools:

Comprehensive Grading Scale Support: Unlike basic calculators, ours handles U.S. letter grades, Canadian percentage systems, and unique institutional grading scales.

Accurate Retake Handling: The calculator properly accounts for LSAC’s policy of including both original and retake grades, giving you a realistic GPA estimate.

Clear Exclusion Rules: Built-in guidance helps you understand which courses to include or exclude from your calculation.

Multiple Transcript Support: Easily combine courses from different institutions to get your comprehensive LSAC GPA.

User-Friendly Interface: Clean, intuitive design makes it easy to input your courses and understand your results.

Calculate Your LSAC GPA Now

Understanding your LSAC GPA is essential for making informed decisions about your law school applications. Our free calculator provides the accuracy and comprehensive features you need to get a realistic estimate of how law schools will view your academic performance.