Every school receives a match score from 0 to 100 calculated from three components. The weights shift based on your scholarship preference.
1 — Admission Fit
up to 40 pts
Your LSAT and GPA are each scored on a continuous curve against the school's published 25th, 50th, and 75th percentiles (ABA 509 disclosures). The score peaks when you're right at or just above the school's 75th percentile — the sweet spot where you're a strong admit without being over-qualified. Schools where your credentials significantly exceed the 75th percentile receive a reduced score to reflect that lower-ranked schools are a poor use of a high applicant's credentials.
The band label on each card shows your admissions category:
SafetyAbove both 75th percentiles
StrongAbove both medians
TargetAbove both 25th percentiles
ReachBelow the 25th in one metric
High ReachLSAT below the 25th percentile
2 — Career Alignment
up to 35 pts
Only applies when you select career priorities. Each school's relevant placement rate (e.g., BigLaw %, Federal Clerkship %) is normalized against the highest rate in the dataset, then scaled to points. If you select two priorities, scores are averaged.
Scholarship Weight "High" reduces this component to 20 pts max to make room for financial fit. "Low" expands it to 50 pts.
3 — Financial Fit
up to 25 pts
Uses the same algorithm as the Atlas Legis Scholarship Estimator. Your LSAT (weighted 60%) and GPA (weighted 40%) are each scored against the school's enrollment distribution to produce a combined strength score. That score is then interpolated across the school's P25, P50, and P75 grant amount anchors to produce a personalized estimated scholarship.
Financial Fit points = (estimated grant ÷ tuition) × 25, capped at 25.
Scholarship Weight "High" raises this to 40 pts max. "Off" sets it to 0 — financial aid is excluded entirely.
Scholarship estimates are statistical projections, not guarantees. Actual awards depend on class composition, demonstrated interest, competing offers, and institutional priorities. Use them as a planning baseline — real letters can vary significantly. Need-based schools (Yale, Harvard, Stanford) award aid primarily on financial need, not credentials.