Low GPA, High LSAT; Am Applying, What Should Be My Strategy Forum

[boyextraordinare]

I went to Boston University, did poorly there, graduating w/ a 2.0.

On practice LSAT tests, I invariably hit in the 170s; and since I don't get performance anxiety, I assume my score on the actual test will match up.

Graduating BU at 22, I did little in the way of being productive until age 25, whereupon I started a small import/export business which, while it did decently, did not satisfy me. I shut down the venture at 27 and commenced work as a SSAT/SAT instructor at a local tutoring agency.

Now, at 28, I regret not listening to everyone around me and pursuing Law upon graduating college. My head was elsewhere (women).

I'm bright and blatantly confident I'd make a good attorney.

I'd like to stay in the Boston area.

Where do I apply and how do I best increase my chances of getting in?

[jas1503]

Congrats on your 'comeback' story, bro. If you've matured since Boston University, then maybe you should try to re-ignite some of your Boston University connections.

You graduated there, so harass some of the administration to find out what your chances are of getting into the law school. Maybe there is a program for BU students that you didn't know about many years ago.

[dingbat]

I don't know if it'll help, but you could take a few classes at a community college to boost your GPA

[chill]

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[jas1503]

I don't know if it'll help, but you could take a few classes at a community college to boost your GPA

It won't if your B.A. has been issued. It sounds like the OP's has, so his LSAC GPA is cast.

So as long as you never file for graduation, you are free to keep working on your LSAC GPA indefinitely??

[chill]

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[realhero]

I don't know if it'll help, but you could take a few classes at a community college to boost your GPA

It won't if your B.A. has been issued. It sounds like the OP's has, so his LSAC GPA is cast.

ETA: For what it's worth, OP, I'm an extreme splitter (2.5/179) and got WL'ed at BC. I got into Northwestern, though. Would you be willing to move for three years?

That's really inspiring, congrats to you.

[boyextraordinare]

Thank you all for the quick replies.

I'm interested in staying in Boston, as my family and fiancee are in the city. She's presently a graduate student at Simmons (nursing), so she's anchored here.

Besides, Boston is bastion of education offering a slew of schools from which to choose.

I'm of course all over BU, at whose law school I've arranged to meet with admissions counselors next week.

My tentative plan is to ask them, as well as heads at other schools in the area, what courses - specifically - they want me to take. I'll take those courses, whether they're undergraduate, whether they're graduate, and do well in them, demonstrating my academic prowess.

Since it's been some time since I went to school, where I under-performed, I'd like to get recommendations from these new teachers as well employers for whom I've recently done impressive work.

My fear is that I'll fall through the cracks. On paper, owing largely to my GPA, I'm not impressive. I know I can turn out a good personal essay, etc., but so can a lot of people.

What sets me apart from other candidates is my real-life presence. Consequently, I want to _MEET_ people in charge of admissions/law school professors.

I tried to bulldoze my way into BU Law's admissions department, only to be turned down by a secretary, who said I'd have to wait, who gave me to the appointments aforementioned.

Once I get in, I know I'll be good. It's getting in that concerns me...

How do I dazzle these schools? My paper credentials won't cut it.

[boyextraordinare]

And, no, I can't manipulate my GPA at this point.

My aim is to enroll in classes law school heads suggest I take then ace those courses, presenting my new report card as an adjust to my app.

[2014]

I don't know if it'll help, but you could take a few classes at a community college to boost your GPA

It won't if your B.A. has been issued. It sounds like the OP's has, so his LSAC GPA is cast.

So as long as you never file for graduation, you are free to keep working on your LSAC GPA indefinitely??

I think it might just be until you've reached the number of credits necessary for your BA, and then they don't count things beyond that? I don't know.

Nope you can manipulate it indefinitely. At a certain point (conveniently about the time you hit enough credits to graduate) there are severely diminishing returns as a shitty GPA based on ~120 credits is not mitigated much by even full semesters of good performance. Not to mention the cost of doing so and the very real risk of not actually helping your GPA at all, thus wasting money and potential earnings.

[bobbyh1919]

You graduated with a 2.0 flat? If that's the case, this is sort of unprecedented. My initial thought was that another year of WE plus a monster LSAT score (176+) would let you ED to Northwestern, so I went to LSN. The lowest GPA admitted was a 2.58, and that kid had a 179 LSAT. Other than that, only one student applied with a sub 2.4, and they were denied.

BU only let in one student with a sub 3.1 GPA, and it was basically the same at BC. So my advice to you is to send out an unprecedented amount of applications and hope someone bites on a high LSAT/inspiring comeback story type deal.

[chill]

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[MrAnon]

Fantastic flame. I give it a 7 out of 10

[Repartee16]

I'm in the same boat, my UGPA is 2.2 from a decent engineering school. Although my LSAT practice scores aren't as great (highest is a 168) I've crunched all the numbers and it seems that the only T-14 that you'd have a shot at would be Northwestern. You'd definitely need to hit 172+ for them to even take a look at you.

The only schools that would throw money at you (I'm not sure you mentioned anything about debt) would be Minnesota, WUSTL, Illinois, Alabama, SMU, etc. As a splitter with a 165+ LSAT, you need to keep your targets in the T1 - high T2 range. Most of the T2s cannot afford a hit on their UGPA since they are usually pretty low as it is, and being so many points above their LSAT 75th won't do them much. Just knock the LSAT out of the park and take it from there. Good luck man.