Law school admissions come down to two numbers first: your LSAT and your GPA. Enter both below and this calculator sorts a spread of ABA law schools into Reach, Target, and Likely for your profile — comparing you to each school's median LSAT and median GPA the same way admissions committees do in the initial screen.
Set your LSAT and LSAC GPA below. The table updates instantly, sorting each school by how competitive your profile is. Not sure of your LSAC GPA? It counts every graded attempt on the 4.33 scale — use the Law School GPA Calculator to compute it.
Move a Reach into a Target
Your LSAT is the fastest lever in a law-school application. Build a personalized prep plan around full-length, timed practice tests and targeted review.
Every ABA law school publishes the median LSAT and median GPA of its most recent entering class in its official 509 report. Those two medians are the backbone of admissions: schools guard them closely because they drive rankings. The calculator compares your LSAT and GPA to each school's medians and weights the LSAT slightly more, mirroring how most schools build the index they use to triage applications.
When both of your numbers sit at or above a school's medians, you are competitive there. When one is above and one below, you are a splitter — still very much in the mix at many schools. When both are below the medians, the school becomes a Reach. The result is a realistic map of where your current numbers land you across the tiers.
The three categories describe how your numbers compare to a school's admitted class, not a fixed probability. A balanced application list usually includes a mix of all three.
| Category | What It Means | How to Use It |
|---|---|---|
| Likely | Both your LSAT and GPA are comfortably above the school's medians. | Strong scholarship candidates. Include a few to anchor your list and generate merit-aid leverage. |
| Target | Your numbers are near or at the school's medians (roughly a coin flip). | The core of your list. Apply to several — this is where most of your acceptances will come from. |
| Reach | Both numbers are below the medians, but within range. | Worth an application or two if the school is a priority; lean on the rest of your file to stand out. |
| Unlikely | Your numbers are well below the medians. | Long shots. Include only for dream schools, and widen your list to schools where you are a Target. |
A splitter has a high LSAT and a lower GPA relative to a school's medians; a reverse splitter has the opposite. Both are admitted every cycle, but they fare best at different schools. Splitters do well where the LSAT is weighted heavily — often schools protecting a ranking-sensitive LSAT median — because a high LSAT can offset a GPA a few tenths below median. Reverse splitters do better where GPA is emphasized.
The calculator flags splitter and reverse-splitter profiles in the results table so you can spot the schools where your particular imbalance is an advantage. If you are a splitter, the standard advice to aim 2–3 points above a school's median LSAT applies with extra force: your test score has to carry the application. Read more on the splitter strategy guide.
Once you have applied to college, your GPA is largely fixed — which makes the LSAT the main lever you still control. Because most schools weight the LSAT heavily and use it to protect their medians, even a two- or three-point gain can move several schools from Reach to Target and unlock meaningful scholarship money along the way.
Rerun the calculator with a higher LSAT to see the effect: a 165 becomes a very different application at a 168 or 170. The most reliable way to get there is structured practice with real, timed sections and targeted review of your weakest question types. See median LSAT scores for top law schools to set your target, then build a plan to reach it.
Ready to raise the number that matters most?
A few LSAT points can reshape your entire school list — and your scholarship offers. Start with a full-length diagnostic and a study plan built around your weak spots.
Median LSAT and GPA figures are approximate for recent admissions cycles and are provided for planning purposes only. Test Ninjas is not affiliated with any law school, LSAC, or the LSAT®. Always confirm a school's current 509 disclosure before applying.