LSAC Punitive GPA Calculator
Your university might forgive a failed class, but the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) does not. See the exact damage to your law school GPA.
Your Official University Transcript
The GPA printed on your transcript.
Retaken / Forgiven Classes
Add any classes where you originally received a poor grade, but your university allowed you to retake it and "forgave" or "excluded" the original grade from your Official GPA.
Your True LSAC GPA
3.76
Based on 123 total attempts
University GPA3.85
Punitive Damage-0.09 GPA
The Harsh Reality
LSAC considers your university's grade forgiveness policy to be an "artificial" inflation. They penalize you by counting the F as a permanent 0.0 on your record, permanently dragging down your A.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does LSAC count retaken failed classes?
Yes. Even if your undergraduate university has a 'grade forgiveness' or 'academic renewal' policy where they delete your original 'F' from your transcript after you retake the class, LSAC will still count BOTH the original 'F' and the new grade when calculating your cumulative LSAC GPA.
How much does a punitive F hurt my LSAC GPA?
It can be devastating. If you have a 3.85 GPA across 120 credits, but you had one 3-credit class that you failed (F) and retook for an (A), your university sees it as a 3.85. LSAC will add the 3 credits of 'F' (0.0 points) back into the math, dragging your law school GPA down to a ~3.75.
What happens to my LSAC GPA if my university forgave my failed grade?
LSAC ignores your university's forgiveness policy. As long as the original grade appears anywhere on the transcript (even if it has a line through it or a 'forgiven' notation), LSAC's algorithms will extract it and penalize your GPA.
How does LSAC calculate GPA differently from universities?
LSAC standardizes all transcripts across the country. They count ALL attempts at a course, they count dual-enrollment classes you took in high school, and they count community college courses. They also award a 4.33 for an A+, meaning a student can technically have an LSAC GPA above a 4.0.