What is the LSAC CAS GPA?
Quick answer:The LSAC CAS (Credential Assembly Service) GPA is a standardized GPA calculated by the Law School Admission Council from every undergraduate transcript you submit. It uses a 4.33 scale and counts every course you ever took — including failed grades and retakes. This is the GPA every US law school actually uses in admissions; your school's reported GPA is not.
The LSAC 4.33 grade scale
| Letter | LSAC Points | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| A+ | 4.33 | Only counted if your school awards A+ |
| 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 | 1.00 | |
| F | 0.00 |
How LSAC differs from your undergrad GPA
- Retakes count both times. Most undergrad schools replace the original grade when you retake a course. LSAC averages both attempts into the CAS GPA. A C and a later A become 3.0 in your CAS — not 4.0.
- A+ = 4.33. If your school awards A+ as 4.0, LSAC will count those grades as 4.33. This can move your CAS GPA slightly above your school GPA.
- No AP credit. AP courses you tested out of are excluded. Only courses you took for a letter grade are counted.
- Pass/fail courses excluded from GPA.A "P" doesn't add to your CAS GPA. The course shows up but doesn't pull the average up or down.
- W (withdrawal) doesn't count.Withdrawals appear on your transcript but don't factor into the CAS GPA.
- Foreign or community college transcripts. Every transcript you ever earned credit on must be submitted. The CAS GPA aggregates all of them.
LSAC GPA by law school tier
| School Tier | 25th-75th CAS GPA | Typical LSAT |
|---|---|---|
| T14 (Yale, Harvard, Stanford, etc.) | 3.78 - 3.95 | 170 - 174 |
| Top 20 (Vanderbilt, USC, UCLA, etc.) | 3.65 - 3.85 | 165 - 170 |
| Top 50 | 3.4 - 3.7 | 158 - 165 |
| Top 100 | 3.1 - 3.5 | 152 - 158 |
| All other ABA-accredited | 2.8 - 3.3 | 145 - 152 |
How to calculate your LSAC GPA with this tool
- Set the weighting preset to Standard 4.0. LSAC does NOT use weighted GPA — no AP or Honors bonus.
- Enter every course from every undergrad transcript. Including community college and study abroad.
- For retaken courses, enter both attempts as separate entries.
- Mark A+ grades as A+ if your school awards A+ (worth 4.33 in LSAC). Otherwise treat as A (4.0).
- Exclude pass/fail courses and withdrawals — they don't affect the CAS GPA.
- Read the cumulative GPA above. That's your approximate LSAC CAS GPA.
Tools for related applications
Applying to other professional schools? The same "every grade counts including retakes" principle applies to medical school applications via AMCAS GPA and to physician assistant programs via CASPA GPA. The Cumulative GPA Calculator is also useful for tracking your live cumulative average semester by semester.