<p>It’s total GPA, so they can get ** as long as they even it out with some A+s (which LSAC grades at a 4.33). As to connections, it depends again on what kind of work you want to do. If you’re interested in PD/DA work, you can try to intern at those places. I have several friends who did that. You can also look into local firms doing particular kinds of work if you know you have specific areas of interest. Another good way to spend a summer is doing something that will give you a nice story to tell. That won’t help you much for law school admission, but it may very well help when it comes to the job search.</p>