Understanding T14 LSAT Medians
The 'T14' refers to the 14 law schools that have consistently ranked in the top tier of U.S. News & World Report rankings: Yale, Harvard, Stanford, Columbia, University of Chicago, NYU, Penn, Virginia, Duke, Northwestern (Pritzker), Cornell, Georgetown, UCLA, and Michigan (Michigan fluctuates between 12-15). These schools collectively represent the top of the prestige hierarchy that primarily drives big-law employment placement and federal clerkship pathways. Admissions data is reported as 25th/50th/75th percentile ranges — the 50th percentile (median) is the most meaningful benchmark. Yale Law (the most selective): median LSAT 174, median GPA 3.94. Harvard: median LSAT 174, median GPA 3.92. Stanford: median LSAT 174, median GPA 3.90. Columbia: median LSAT 174, median GPA 3.91. NYU: median LSAT 173, median GPA 3.88. The median represents the exact middle of admitted students — roughly half the class scored above and half below. Being below both medians (below both LSAT and GPA) at a T14 school is a significant statistical disadvantage but not an automatic rejection: 25% of admitted students are below both medians at any school, admitted on the strength of other application components (personal statement, diverse background, exceptional work experience). Being at or above both medians makes you statistically competitive but does not guarantee admission — holistic review factors (writing quality, intellectual distinction, character) still matter significantly at the top of the range.