Undergraduate performance is generally an important indicator of how someone is likely to do in law school. Accordingly, most law schools look closely at college grades when considering individual applications. In addition to the GPA itself, many schools consider undergraduate performance trends. Thus, admission committees may discount an undergraduate's slow start, if the student has a good finish. If you have done better in your courses over time, make sure you note the increase in your personal statement or an addendum.

Avoid taking too many pass/fail courses. An A, B, or C will say more about your academic performance than the P in a Pass/Fail course. In addition, pass grades are not computed in the GPA (see Credential Assembly Service paragraph below). Because they must select from among a group of highly qualified people, law schools gather as much information as they can about your abilities. Grades matter.

Be aware that the Credential Assembly Service, a nationwide clearinghouse, evaluates your academic record and reports your GPA along with your transcripts and LSAT score to the law schools. In an attempt to make GPAs uniform (between schools who have a 4.0 scale and 5.0 scale, for example), Credential Assembly Service recomputes your GPA. Thus, the GPA the Credential Assembly Service reports to law schools might not be the exact GPA that appears on your transcript. For a description of how Credential Assembly Service converts a GPA, consult The Official Guide to U.S. Law Schools or the registration booklet for the LSAT.