Calculate LSAC GPA
Professional tool to simulate your Law School Admission Council (LSAC) CAS report GPA.
Includes A+ weighting (4.33) and standard credit conversions.
0.00
Based on CAS Weighting System
Grade Distribution
Breakdown by Grade Tier
| Grade Tier | Count | Credits | Weight |
|---|
What is Calculate LSAC GPA?
To calculate LSAC GPA is to determine your academic standing according to the standardized formula used by the Law School Admission Council (LSAC). Unlike your university transcript GPA, which follows your school’s specific grading policy, the LSAC GPA (often called the CAS GPA) normalizes grades across all applicants to ensure fairness.
This metric is critical for law school admissions because it is the number that admissions officers see on your Credential Assembly Service (CAS) report. It often differs from your degree GPA because LSAC counts punitive failures, treats retaken courses differently, and weighs A+ grades as 4.33 rather than the standard 4.0.
Students often misunderstand this calculation, assuming their transcript GPA is final. However, knowing how to calculate LSAC GPA allows you to accurately predict your chances of admission to top law schools.
Calculate LSAC GPA Formula and Mathematical Explanation
The math used to calculate LSAC GPA is a weighted average calculation. It multiplies the credit hours of each course by the LSAC-assigned quality point weight, sums these values, and divides by the total number of graded credit hours.
Formula:
LSAC Grade Weights Table:
| Grade | LSAC Weight | Typical Transcript Weight |
|---|---|---|
| A+ | 4.33 | 4.00 |
| A | 4.00 | 4.00 |
| A- | 3.67 | 3.70 or 3.67 |
| B+ | 3.33 | 3.30 or 3.33 |
| B | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| B- | 2.67 | 2.70 or 2.67 |
| C+ | 2.33 | 2.30 or 2.33 |
| C | 2.00 | 2.00 |
| D/D+ | 1.00/1.33 | 1.00/1.33 |
| F (Punitive) | 0.00 | 0.00 (Often excluded in retakes on transcript) |
Practical Examples (Real-World Use Cases)
Example 1: The “A+” Advantage
Student A attends a university that awards A+ grades but caps the GPA at 4.0.
- Course 1: 3 Credits, A+ (Transcript weight 4.0)
- Course 2: 3 Credits, A (Transcript weight 4.0)
- Course 3: 3 Credits, A- (Transcript weight 3.7)
Transcript GPA: (12 + 12 + 11.1) / 9 = 3.90
Calculate LSAC GPA:
- Course 1: 3 × 4.33 = 12.99
- Course 2: 3 × 4.00 = 12.00
- Course 3: 3 × 3.67 = 11.01
- Total Quality Points: 36.00
- Total Credits: 9
- LSAC GPA: 4.00
Interpretation: The student gains a significant boost because LSAC rewards the A+ with 4.33 points, offsetting the A-.
Example 2: The Retake Pitfall
Student B failed a 4-credit Calculus class (F) but retook it and got an A. Their university has a “grade replacement” policy.
- Transcript GPA: Only the ‘A’ counts. GPA = 4.0.
- Calculate LSAC GPA: Both grades count.
- Attempt 1: 4 credits × 0.00 = 0 points
- Attempt 2: 4 credits × 4.00 = 16 points
- Total: 16 points / 8 credits = 2.00 LSAC GPA
Interpretation: This massive drop illustrates why it is vital to calculate LSAC GPA early to manage expectations.
How to Use This LSAC GPA Calculator
- Gather Transcripts: Have all transcripts from every undergraduate institution attended ready.
- Enter Credits: Input the credit hours for each graded course. Do not include Pass/Fail courses unless the failure was punitive.
- Select Grades: Choose the letter grade that appears on your transcript. If your school uses a 0-100 scale, convert it to the closest letter grade based on your school’s key.
- Add Rows: Use the “Add More Classes” button if you have more courses than the default slots.
- Calculate: Click “Calculate LSAC GPA” to see your standardized score.
- Analyze: Check the “Breakdown by Grade Tier” to see which grades are impacting your average the most.
Key Factors That Affect Calculate LSAC GPA Results
- Punitive vs. Non-Punitive Grades: If you withdrew from a class and received a “W” that had no GPA impact, LSAC excludes it. However, “WF” (Withdraw Fail) usually counts as a 0.00 in the calculate LSAC GPA formula.
- Repeated Courses: As shown in the examples, LSAC counts every attempt at a course. Grade forgiveness policies at your home institution do not apply to the CAS report.
- A+ Availability: Not all schools award A+ grades. If your school does not, the maximum GPA you can achieve is 4.0. If your school does, you can theoretically achieve up to a 4.33.
- Graduate Coursework: Grades earned in master’s or PhD programs are included in the CAS report but are not included in the cumulative undergraduate GPA calculation.
- College Courses Taken in High School: Dual-enrollment courses count toward your LSAC GPA, even if they don’t count toward your degree GPA at your graduating institution.
- Study Abroad: If you studied abroad for less than a year and the grades are reported on your home transcript, they count. If the program was sponsored by a foreign institution, they might be excluded from the calculation but still appear on the report.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Does LSAC round up GPA?
No. When you calculate LSAC GPA, the result is truncated to the hundredths place. A 3.659 becomes a 3.65, not a 3.66.
How do I calculate LSAC GPA with quarter units?
LSAC converts quarter units to semester hours usually by multiplying by 0.67, or they simply calculate the GPA based on total quality points earned divided by total units attempted, provided all units are on the same scale.
Do “Pass/Fail” classes affect my LSAC GPA?
Generally, “Pass” grades are excluded from the calculation. However, “Fail” grades count as a 0.00 (F) if the institution considers them punitive.
What is a “punitive” withdrawal?
A punitive withdrawal signifies that the student withdrew failing and receives credit points of zero, drastically lowering the GPA. Non-punitive withdrawals are ignored.
Can I remove a bad grade from my LSAC GPA?
No. Even if your university removed it from your transcript GPA due to a retake or petition, LSAC requires all original grades to be reported and factored into the calculation.
Does the difficulty of the major matter?
The math to calculate LSAC GPA is blind to major difficulty. An A in Advanced Physics counts the same as an A in Intro to Bowling, assuming equal credit hours.
What if my school uses a 100-point scale?
You must use your school’s official conversion key to map the numerical grade to a letter grade before inputting it into the calculator.
Why is my LSAC GPA lower than my degree GPA?
This is most commonly due to the inclusion of repeated course grades that your university forgave, or the lack of A+ weighting if you have high grades but no 4.33 scale.
Related Tools and Internal Resources
- LSAT Score Predictor – Estimate your LSAT score based on practice tests to pair with your GPA.
- Law School Chance Calculator – Combine your LSAC GPA and LSAT to see admission probabilities.
- Weighted GPA Calculator – Compare your high school or undergrad weighted stats against the LSAC standard.
- Grade Conversion Chart – Detailed tables for converting 100-point or 4.0 scales to LSAC weights.
- CAS Report Guide – Comprehensive guide on how the Credential Assembly Service compiles your data.
- Retake Impact Calculator – Specifically analyze how retaking a course changes your final numbers.