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Yes, a 3.6 GPA is good. On the 4.0 scale it sits between a B+ and A- average, well above a straight-B 3.0. Whether a 3.6 is competitive for law school depends on each school's median: it meets many ABA schools' medians but trails the most selective. each school's median GPA (see its 509 report).
By Ali Unar, JD candidate at Georgetown Law and founder of Lovare Institut. Last updated August 2026. Figures on this page were verified in August 2026 or point readers to the current source.
A 3.6 GPA is a strong academic record in most settings, representing roughly a B+ to A- average on the standard 4.0 scale. It sits well above a straight-B 3.0 and signals consistent achievement across your coursework. Whether it is good enough for a particular goal, such as a specific law school, depends on the standard you are measured against.
On an unweighted 4.0 scale, a 3.6 means your grades averaged between B+ and A- values, since a B+ converts to about 3.33 and an A- to about 3.67. It reflects mostly A- and B+ work rather than a record dragged down by low grades. For law school, LSAC would recalculate this figure on its own standard scale, which can shift it slightly.
A 3.6 GPA is competitive at a wide range of ABA-approved law schools, meeting or exceeding the median at many while falling below the medians at the most selective. Each school reports its 25th, 50th, and 75th percentile GPAs, so compare your 3.6 to those figures for your target schools. about 196 ABA-approved law schools.
With a 3.6 GPA, the highest-leverage move is a strong LSAT, ideally at or above your target schools' 75th percentile, because admissions weighs the two numbers together. A compelling personal statement, strong recommendations, and relevant experience add further weight. A 3.6 rarely needs a GPA addendum, since it is already a solid number.
A pass/fail course usually does not change your GPA, because a Pass carries no grade points. So taking an elective pass/fail would not lower a 3.6. The course still appears on your transcript, and LSAC applies its own rules for law school, generally excluding a plain Pass from the recalculated GPA.
LSAC recalculates your undergraduate GPA through the Credential Assembly Service, converting all graded courses to a standard 4.0 scale and counting failed and repeated classes. Your LSAC GPA can therefore differ from a 3.6 on your transcript, and it is the figure law schools actually compare to their medians.
There is no fixed minimum; competitiveness depends on each school's medians. A 3.6 meets or beats the median at many ABA-approved schools but sits below the most selective, whose medians run near the top of the 4.0 scale. Pair your GPA with a strong LSAT to widen your options.
Verified August 2026.
August 21, 2026
August 21, 2026