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Why do so many people have a lower LSDAS GPA?

Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2009 6:52 pm
by Canadian
My LSDAS GPA is higher than my regular one, but I get the impression that it's lower for many people. If I understand correctly, the only way that could happen is if someone failed a course and then retook it. Is that the case for a lot of people?

Re: Why do so many people have a lower LSDAS GPA?

Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2009 7:01 pm
by PrayingforHYS
just out of curiosity, how was your LSDAS gpa higher?

Most people have a lower GPA b/c, as you stated, if you fail a course and then re-take it, your university may only count that 2nd grade, but LSDAS factors both in.

additionally, if you took a college-level course in high school (and obviously received a grade), some schools will just give you the credit for the course and not count the grade, but--and i could be wrong here, so please someone correct me if i am--i believe that LSDAS factors that grade into your gpa as well

there are a few other factors that contribute to a lower lsdas gpa, and i'm sure others here can let you know how/why there's were lowered...but i am still curious as to under what circumstances the lsdas gpa rises

Re: Why do so many people have a lower LSDAS GPA?

Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2009 7:06 pm
by monkey85
My LSDAS GPA rose.

I can't say for sure why this happened. I think they (unnecessarily) favored my school. I'm not complaining.

Re: Why do so many people have a lower LSDAS GPA?

Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2009 7:07 pm
by lawduder
My LSDAS GPA will rise as well because I have more "B+'s" than "A-'s."

Re: Why do so many people have a lower LSDAS GPA?

Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2009 7:08 pm
by puppleberry finn
PrayingforHYS wrote:but i am still curious as to under what circumstances the lsdas gpa rises
People whose schools give out A+s, but count them as 4.0, get a boost. Also, if your school calculates +s and -s differently than LSAC, it could result in an increase or decrease in your GPA.

Re: Why do so many people have a lower LSDAS GPA?

Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2009 7:10 pm
by jackalope11
Actually, even if you retake a class you didn't fail, they factor both GPA's to come up with your LSDAS GPA. Grade replacement may work for your school, but not for LSAC apparently. (If it helps, my school(s) did not show +'s or -'s on their GPA reporting...)

I went to school 15 years ago and did terribly. Came back in 2002 and started completely over. I worked full-time, went to school full-time, and managed a 3.9 GPA... yet my LSDAS GPA still shows a 3.1 even with a 10 year break in between classes...

I know my story isn't unique, but does illustrate that there is little forgiveness on the LSDAS calculation... And no, I didn't fail every class I was trying to replace, though I did fail a few.

I know it's not great news, but I hope it helps explain the discrepancy!

Re: Why do so many people have a lower LSDAS GPA?

Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2009 7:11 pm
by OperaSoprano
3.63 ----> 3.37. Transfer credits, including Ws (I was in the hospital my junior year) recorded as Fs.

I strongly dislike LSAC.

Re: Why do so many people have a lower LSDAS GPA?

Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2009 7:17 pm
by Tanicius
lawduder wrote:My LSDAS GPA will rise as well because I have more "B+'s" than "A-'s."
Elaborate. B+'s don't do anything to change my GPA.

Re: Why do so many people have a lower LSDAS GPA?

Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2009 7:23 pm
by vanwinkle
My GPA at my graduating institution was a 3.14. I had grades from two other schools factored in; the first I attended for a year with a 2.0 average, the second I attended for a year and a half with a 3.9 average. All of those factored together combined to give me a 3.0 LSDAS GPA.

If you took any classes anywhere other than where you graduated, they'll be factored into your LSDAS GPA even if your graduating institution didn't factor them into your GPA there.

Re: Why do so many people have a lower LSDAS GPA?

Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2009 7:24 pm
by Tangerine Gleam
My LSDAS is higher than my UG GPA because the LSAC is counting the grades from my semester abroad. My UG gave me credit, but didn't put those grades towards my cumulative GPA.

I think a lot of people have the same experience. Same goes for anyone who took any college courses outside the scope of their UG experience (summer classes, community college, etc.). All of this stuff generally gets counted towards LSDAS GPA.

Re: Why do so many people have a lower LSDAS GPA?

Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2009 7:24 pm
by Canadian
PrayingforHYS wrote:just out of curiosity, how was your LSDAS gpa higher?
Well, I haven't seen my official one, but I used http://www.lawpad.com/gpa_calculator/ to calculate it myself.

I have A+s, which raised my mark, and I don't have any transfer credits/failed courses/any weird stuff like that, so I assume my LSDAS GPA is higher than my regular one.

Re: Why do so many people have a lower LSDAS GPA?

Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2009 7:28 pm
by jackalope11
OperaSoprano wrote:I strongly dislike LSAC.
+1

Preach on... I hear ya loud and clear.

Re: Why do so many people have a lower LSDAS GPA?

Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2009 7:30 pm
by redsox8105
My GPA went from 3.31 to 3.32. I don't have any A+'s or anything unusual on my transcript. I don't really get it, but I don't really think it mattered.

Re: Why do so many people have a lower LSDAS GPA?

Posted: Mon May 10, 2010 3:14 am
by TexasDemocrat
OperaSoprano wrote:3.63 ----> 3.37. Transfer credits, including Ws (I was in the hospital my junior year) recorded as Fs.

I strongly dislike LSAC.
Where these just regular withdrawals or withdrawal/fail?

I hope these weren't nonpunative W's. If so, I'm in trouble.

Re: Why do so many people have a lower LSDAS GPA?

Posted: Mon May 10, 2010 3:26 am
by Na_Swatch
Non punitive W's don't count so your good to go

Re: Why do so many people have a lower LSDAS GPA?

Posted: Mon May 10, 2010 9:19 am
by goodolgil
Went from 3.83 to 3.85 because of a few A+'s that my school just counted as 4.0 instead of 4.33 as LSAC does. Very minor difference, but 3.85 has a nice look to it.

Re: Why do so many people have a lower LSDAS GPA?

Posted: Mon May 10, 2010 9:29 am
by motiontodismiss
Tanicius wrote:
lawduder wrote:My LSDAS GPA will rise as well because I have more "B+'s" than "A-'s."
Elaborate. B+'s don't do anything to change my GPA.
B+=3.33 by LSAC, 3.3 by most colleges
A-=3.67 by LSAC, 3.7 by most colleges

While this doesn't change much, if you have a significant number of B+s (or (anything)+) it bumps up your GPA a little.

3.44 to 3.47 with some precollege credits. Basically negligible difference.

Re: Why do so many people have a lower LSDAS GPA?

Posted: Mon May 10, 2010 9:42 am
by Doodsmack
It seems to me like an unfair advantage that some schools give A+s and LSAC counts them as 4.33. It's like in high school now people are coming out with 5.0s and shit because of AP classes and whatever other grade inflaters the schools have.

Re: Why do so many people have a lower LSDAS GPA?

Posted: Mon May 10, 2010 9:45 am
by OnWisconsin
jackalope11 wrote:
OperaSoprano wrote:I strongly dislike LSAC.
+1

Preach on... I hear ya loud and clear.

Comments aside


Avatar WIN.

"Go on Boers, chop his head off."

Re: Why do so many people have a lower LSDAS GPA?

Posted: Mon May 10, 2010 10:29 am
by gingerginger
So if I have a significant amount of A-'s (21) and a low amount of B+'s (9), am I screwed?

Re: Why do so many people have a lower LSDAS GPA?

Posted: Mon May 10, 2010 10:30 am
by MC Southstar
cuz I failed a pass/fail.

LAWL.

Re: Why do so many people have a lower LSDAS GPA?

Posted: Mon May 10, 2010 10:49 am
by 09042014
MC Southstar wrote:cuz I failed a pass/fail.

LAWL.
Hahaha I failed a pass fail class worth zero hours.

Some orientation to the college of engineering. I didn't even realize I failed it til I was about to graduate, and it came back that I needed to take the class. I was worried I was about to be bureaucracy pwned but the dean let me skip it.

Re: Why do so many people have a lower LSDAS GPA?

Posted: Mon May 10, 2010 11:04 am
by jackalope11
OnWisconsin wrote:
jackalope11 wrote:
OperaSoprano wrote:I strongly dislike LSAC.
+1

Preach on... I hear ya loud and clear.

Comments aside


Avatar WIN.

"Go on Boers, chop his head off."
:lol: "Some would call me.... Tim?"

Re: Why do so many people have a lower LSDAS GPA?

Posted: Mon May 10, 2010 11:19 am
by Slimpee
Mine rose .02 points based a one-month study-abroad class. It also pushed me past a nice gpa number, kinda like the tiny difference between 169 and 170 that looks sooooooooo much better

:D

Re: Why do so many people have a lower LSDAS GPA?

Posted: Tue May 11, 2010 6:23 am
by lt0826
For me I had a term where my dad died and I stopped going to classes and had an 'X' which is described as no basis for grade. That counted as a punitive withdrawal on LSAC even though the school I was at did not factor it in to GPA. This was a decade ago and had I known how it would be impacting me in the law school admissions process I would have petitioned to have the 'x' removed, instead I had 5 effective F's with LSAC.