GPA – The Law School determined that statistically, there was little significant difference in cumulative GPAs that extend beyond one decimal point.  Therefore, a cumulative GPA reported to a third party by the Law School or a law student will be rounded from the hundredths place to the tenths place.  It is the rounded GPA that is used for rank purposes.

Examples of rounding: 

3.05 rounds to 3.1

3.04 rounds to 3.0

2.99 rounds to 3.0

Ranking – William & Mary law students are ranked initally at the conclusion of one full-year of legal study at William & Mary.  Thereafter, students are ranked only at the conclusion of the fall and spring semestrs.  Students attending summer school do not receive a new rank at the conclusion of those classes.

Class ranks are based on the rounded GPA defined above.  The majority of student ranks are determined in percentage terms rather than individual class ranks.  Because it is difficult to obtain meaningful percentage ranks above 3.6, students holding a GPA of 3.6 or higher will be given a numerical rank.  In either case, it is conceivable that multiple students will share the same rank.