Undergrad grades Forum

[jtoppe2]

So, I'm sure this question has been asked plenty of times, so stay with me. during my first two years of undergrad, I didn't really care about school and got mostly B's (plus 2 Cs, 2 Ds and 2 Fs when i was pledging my fraternity). But during junior and senior year i got all A's except for about 5 Bs. will the schools i'm applying to notice this trend, or will they just see the lsdas gpa? also, should i attach an addendum to my apps? thanks in advance.

[reverendt]

They'll probably notice the trend, but depending on how bad it hurt your GPA, you might consider an addendum to draw attention to the trend so they don't just circular file your application without looking at the trend.
Good luck!

[s0ph1e2007]

the 'i was pledging my fraternity'-addendum, in all honesty, is just going to make you look bad.

Don't send an addendum, and yes they'll notice the trend on their own.

[Mr. Pablo]

the 'i was pledging my fraternity'-addendum, in all honesty, is just going to make you look bad.

Don't send an addendum, and yes they'll notice the trend on their own.

I second this motion.
Move to add that your cumulative LSAC GPA is all they will really care about, upward trend or no. It may help you a bit where your GPA is slightly below or at median, but I doubt they care that much.

[im_blue]

the 'i was pledging my fraternity'-addendum, in all honesty, is just going to make you look bad.

Don't send an addendum, and yes they'll notice the trend on their own.

+1. What's the point of an addendum unless you really have a good reason (death in the family, illness, disability, etc)? Even a weaker reason like switching majors from premed/engineering to liberal arts looks better than pledging a frat.

[flounder]

New member here.

I went to school in 1990-1992 and ended up with a 2.2. I never went back until 2006. I finished the second half of my degree at a better school and I got a 4.0. That is a cummulative of 3.1. Do you think they will look at a 3.1 or a 4.0?

[im_blue]

New member here.

I went to school in 1990-1992 and ended up with a 2.2. I never went back until 2006. I finished the second half of my degree at a better school and I got a 4.0. That is a cummulative of 3.1. Do you think they will look at a 3.1 or a 4.0?

3.1

[autarkh]

New member here.

I went to school in 1990-1992 and ended up with a 2.2. I never went back until 2006. I finished the second half of my degree at a better school and I got a 4.0. That is a cummulative of 3.1. Do you think they will look at a 3.1 or a 4.0?

Kind of in the same boat. You're a GPA splitter.

If you have good GPA addendum and work experience it will lessen the blow of the mediocre cumulative, but that's what they'll be looking at.

[flounder]

New member here.

I went to school in 1990-1992 and ended up with a 2.2. I never went back until 2006. I finished the second half of my degree at a better school and I got a 4.0. That is a cummulative of 3.1. Do you think they will look at a 3.1 or a 4.0?

Kind of in the same boat. You're a GPA splitter.

If you have good GPA addendum and work experience it will lessen the blow of the mediocre cumulative, but that's what they'll be looking at.

How does the GPA addendum work? I just send another letter stating "Hey, I dont suck as much as that number says I do!"

[autarkh]

New member here.

I went to school in 1990-1992 and ended up with a 2.2. I never went back until 2006. I finished the second half of my degree at a better school and I got a 4.0. That is a cummulative of 3.1. Do you think they will look at a 3.1 or a 4.0?

Kind of in the same boat. You're a GPA splitter.

If you have good GPA addendum and work experience it will lessen the blow of the mediocre cumulative, but that's what they'll be looking at.

How does the GPA addendum work? I just send another letter stating "Hey, I dont suck as much as that number says I do!"

In a nutshell, yes.

You provide an insight (and maybe justification) that helps the adcomm interpret your low number. Look at the guides elsewhere on this site on how to write an effective addendum. In your case, you also have a record of achievement (the 4.0 and your work experience/job success) you can point to in order to bolster your argument.

Your strong upward trend after returning to school more than a decade later will show personal growth and hard work. It will be a positive "soft" factor. Numbers-wise, though, you're a 3.1. Ace the LSAT.

[crazycanuck]

New member here.

I went to school in 1990-1992 and ended up with a 2.2. I never went back until 2006. I finished the second half of my degree at a better school and I got a 4.0. That is a cummulative of 3.1. Do you think they will look at a 3.1 or a 4.0?

I sure as hell hope the schools only look at the 4.0. It's bullshit that LSAC requires grades from a decade ago, as if that has any indication of the kind of student you currently are. In Canada, if you are 5 years out of school, you apply through a special mature student category where GPA isn't really considered. Apply to schools as if you have that 4.0 and see what happens.

[im_blue]

New member here.

I went to school in 1990-1992 and ended up with a 2.2. I never went back until 2006. I finished the second half of my degree at a better school and I got a 4.0. That is a cummulative of 3.1. Do you think they will look at a 3.1 or a 4.0?

I sure as hell hope the schools only look at the 4.0. It's bullshit that LSAC requires grades from a decade ago, as if that has any indication of the kind of student you currently are. In Canada, if you are 5 years out of school, you apply through a special mature student category where GPA isn't really considered. Apply to schools as if you have that 4.0 and see what happens.

They won't, because LSAC GPAs are reported as ABA data, which is reported by US News.

[crazycanuck]

New member here.

I went to school in 1990-1992 and ended up with a 2.2. I never went back until 2006. I finished the second half of my degree at a better school and I got a 4.0. That is a cummulative of 3.1. Do you think they will look at a 3.1 or a 4.0?

I sure as hell hope the schools only look at the 4.0. It's bullshit that LSAC requires grades from a decade ago, as if that has any indication of the kind of student you currently are. In Canada, if you are 5 years out of school, you apply through a special mature student category where GPA isn't really considered. Apply to schools as if you have that 4.0 and see what happens.

They won't, because LSAC GPAs are reported as ABA data, which is reported by US News.

Which is why the law school admissions process is such fail down there. A cheap magazine decides who gets into law school and who doesn't.

[autarkh]

New member here.

I went to school in 1990-1992 and ended up with a 2.2. I never went back until 2006. I finished the second half of my degree at a better school and I got a 4.0. That is a cummulative of 3.1. Do you think they will look at a 3.1 or a 4.0?

I sure as hell hope the schools only look at the 4.0. It's bullshit that LSAC requires grades from a decade ago, as if that has any indication of the kind of student you currently are. In Canada, if you are 5 years out of school, you apply through a special mature student category where GPA isn't really considered. Apply to schools as if you have that 4.0 and see what happens.

They won't, because LSAC GPAs are reported as ABA data, which is reported by US News.

Which is why the law school admissions process is such fail down there. A cheap magazine decides who gets into law school and who doesn't.

LSAC's methodology for computing the UGPA is not dictated by US News.

[crazycanuck]

I sure as hell hope the schools only look at the 4.0. It's bullshit that LSAC requires grades from a decade ago, as if that has any indication of the kind of student you currently are. In Canada, if you are 5 years out of school, you apply through a special mature student category where GPA isn't really considered. Apply to schools as if you have that 4.0 and see what happens.

They won't, because LSAC GPAs are reported as ABA data, which is reported by US News.

Which is why the law school admissions process is such fail down there. A cheap magazine decides who gets into law school and who doesn't.

LSAC's methodology for computing the UGPA is not dictated by US News.

No, but deciding whether that GPA is relevant or not apparently is (according to the popular opinions here on TLS)

[Nom Sawyer]

They won't, because LSAC GPAs are reported as ABA data, which is reported by US News.

Which is why the law school admissions process is such fail down there. A cheap magazine decides who gets into law school and who doesn't.

LSAC's methodology for computing the UGPA is not dictated by US News.

No, but deciding whether that GPA is relevant or not apparently is (according to the popular opinions here on TLS)

tbf, the fact that law schools weigh GPA heavily is probably one of the factors least influenced by the USNWR ranking system

[09042014]

Which is why the law school admissions process is such fail down there. A cheap magazine decides who gets into law school and who doesn't.

LSAC's methodology for computing the UGPA is not dictated by US News.

No, but deciding whether that GPA is relevant or not apparently is (according to the popular opinions here on TLS)

tbf, the fact that law schools weigh GPA heavily is probably one of the factors least influenced by the USNWR ranking system

The fact that schools only take into account LSAC is influenced by USNWR. Other wise the guy with the 4.0 and the 2.2 from 15 years ago, would be treated almost as good as a regular 4.0.

Who am I to bitch though. I'm only going to NU because of USNWR.

[Nom Sawyer]

The fact that schools only take into account LSAC is influenced by USNWR. Other wise the guy with the 4.0 and the 2.2 from 15 years ago, would be treated almost as good as a regular 4.0.

Who am I to bitch though. I'm only going to NU because of USNWR.

yeah those special cases are true... however for many Masters programs your GPA is even more important than for law school apps.


good thing there's USNWR for u DesertFox... http://www.top-masters-schools.com wouldn't even let u register probably

[09042014]

The fact that schools only take into account LSAC is influenced by USNWR. Other wise the guy with the 4.0 and the 2.2 from 15 years ago, would be treated almost as good as a regular 4.0.

Who am I to bitch though. I'm only going to NU because of USNWR.

yeah those special cases are true... however for many Masters programs your GPA is even more important than for law school apps.


good thing there's USNWR for u DesertFox... http://www.top-masters-schools.com wouldn't even let u register probably

No joke about top masters schools. I'm not sure if I could get into ANY reputable Phd in EE program. I could probably find some shitty MSEE program, but it would suck, and I'd have to put out.

The difference is if I went back and took courses, got A's, and did good research, I'd be able to get into a good program. They will factor in a trend.

Even med schools allow alternative transcripts.

[im_blue]

The fact that schools only take into account LSAC is influenced by USNWR. Other wise the guy with the 4.0 and the 2.2 from 15 years ago, would be treated almost as good as a regular 4.0.

Who am I to bitch though. I'm only going to NU because of USNWR.

yeah those special cases are true... however for many Masters programs your GPA is even more important than for law school apps.


good thing there's USNWR for u DesertFox... http://www.top-masters-schools.com wouldn't even let u register probably

No joke about top masters schools. I'm not sure if I could get into ANY reputable Phd in EE program. I could probably find some shitty MSEE program, but it would suck, and I'd have to put out.

The difference is if I went back and took courses, got A's, and did good research, I'd be able to get into a good program. They will factor in a trend.

Even med schools allow alternative transcripts.

Yeah almost all MS/PhD programs require a 3.0 just to apply.

[flounder]

Well...
I did my LSAC GPA and it is even worse. I have a 2.95.

[im_blue]

Well...
I did my LSAC GPA and it is even worse. I have a 2.95.

Not good, a lot of schools have a 3.0 cutoff, and you'd need a super high LSAT to offset that. However, there are people who get into T14's with sub-3.0's and 170+.

[flounder]

I dont consider myself having a 2.95. I consider my 18-19 years, screw up time and my 35-36 years the real me.