Contrary to popular belief, law schools may require an applicant to submit high school transcripts in certain circumstances as part of the law school application. But not the way you think.
According to LSAC, law schools may require an applicant to submit transcripts from institutions from which they took college-level courses while in high school even though they were earned for high school credit.
But generally, you do not submit high school transcripts as part of a law school application because law schools generally do not look at them.
Instead, your undergraduate college GPA will show on the college transcript, even when taken while in high school. All grades will be automatically printed on the AP college transcript issued by the college which granted an undergraduate degree.
In other words, because law schools care about all college courses applicants took before applying for law school, they also care about whether applicants took courses from college while still in high school.
Are high school grades important for law school?
Generally, law schools do not look at high school grades, except for college-level courses. But that does not mean that high school grades are worthless and students can disregard high school GPA.
High school grades are significant as they set that first base from which students can apply to colleges of a certain level and rank.
The higher the high school GPA, the higher ranking undergraduate college may accept a high-school graduate.
In its turn, a good GPA from better ranking undergraduate college, combined with a good LSAT score, allows an applicant to apply for better-ranking law schools.
And graduation from high-ranking law school results in a job offer for law school grad and a better-paid entry-level position upon passing the bar exam.
Do you see now why you cannot skip such steps like high school grades? Because over multiple years, step-by-step, they can result in a better and more fulfilling legal career upon graduating from a more reputable law school.
This is the pedigree game that you should play.
Why are law schools asking for high school info?
The reason why you should enter your high school information like the name of high school on law school application is a result of various ABA ethics requirements.
In addition, it is part of the thorough background check that the law school admissions office must conduct when evaluating prospective applicants.
Because prospective applicants after law school graduation must go through a thorough background check by state bar before they are allowed to sit for the bar exam.
Providing complete information when applying to law school removes future surprises for students and law school and state bar. They do want to know who the applicant is and that applicant is who they say they are.
Therefore, do not be surprised when you must list high school on law school applications. However, it is just part of the background check process rather than checking your academic achievement in high school.
Said that there might be some slight bonus in the eyes of an admissions officer if the applicant went to some elite and known high school. Small things and achievements may matter, even if officially they are declared of no importance.
Do I need to obtain high school transcripts for law school?
I did not take college-level courses in high school, and I did not submit my high school transcripts to law school. So as far as I recall, I did not have to do it.
But if you want to be on the safe side, you can ask law school admissions if you need to request those transcripts from your high school.
While not necessary, if you have a good college GPA and high-school GPA, then maybe you can try to submit both to show your consistent academic excellence. I did not hear anyone do it for that reason, though. It is my guess.
On the opposite, if your high school grades are inferior, then I would avoid mentioning anything related to high school, except for the required information, like the name of the high school.
Now, have you been a rough person in high school? Did you have disciplinary problems with high school administration? Were you suspended often and fought with classmates?
Sometimes you may have to disclose that information. But you can cure that wild behavior with an exemplary undergraduate college academic and behavior record.
Showing off is a part of the law school application process because you need to present yourself in the best light possible. Small accomplishments may add extra weight to your law school application.
And high school transcripts, while usually unnecessary, maybe that additional document law admissions officer may take a brief look and see that you are a consistent performer.
What else to do with high school transcripts?
There is pretty much nothing else you should be with those. Undergraduate college GPA is one major law school admissions factor, next after LSAT score. The LSAT score is the king in the law school admissions process.
Therefore, undergraduate college GPA and good LSAT can quickly cure any high school GPA problem. So make sure to focus on both factors. And in the end, a high LSAT score can help to fix undergraduate GPA (or graduate) GPA. I have a whole article about this topic – see my blog.
On the other hand, did you have other accomplishments during high school? For example, were you on a footfall team? Graduated with honors? Have you participated in extracurricular activities?
Were you very active? Ran some excellent student clubs? Have you saved kittens or birds? Did you tutor other students?
If so, then that information may be worth putting in your law school personal statement. Briefly, of course, mentioning the most critical highlights of relevant high school experience.
Why my high school grades and transcripts are not important?
High school transcripts are not necessary for law school admissions because high school learning is different from the college academic approach.
The high school educational process in the USA is less competitive than in some other countries around the world.
And, frankly, sometimes are be less challenging. I can compare because I attended high school in the US and abroad. Math and physics abroad were on a pretty advanced level.
Law school, on the other hand, is a highly competitive advanced academic environment. Like college, but on prominent steroids.
College academic performance is a better representation of a student’s ability to succeed in law school because the learning approach is more similar. In college, you are really on your own, like in law school, and nobody is there to help you.
Professors are too busy working on their careers. It is even worse in law school – they could not care less about you, and you learn everything on your own or as part of the study group.
In high school, some of my teachers were more personally involved in helping us succeed and learn.
Can I still apply for law school if I have a horrible law school record?
I already answered this question. You can cure high school GPA quickly with a good college GPA. And partially fix bad undergraduate college GPA with high LSAT.
On the other hand, a high school transcript is a permanent record, like any additional transcript. But law school admission officers understand that people in high school often focus more on fun activities than academia.
Hence, the name – high school band. High school football. High school life. There is no transcript for those activities, by the way.
