Top-Law-Schools.comTLS
Home
Law School
Admissions
Law
Schools
Law
Students
TLS
Forums
 
Forum Index     Latest Posts     Forum Search     Mobile (on/off)     Forum Archives     See Also: Rankings/Profiles   Interviews   LSAT Prep   TLS Stats

TLS would like to remind its users that it is unlawful to share or distribute copies of copyrighted materials. Click here for copyright infringement notification information.


All times are UTC - 5 hours [ DST ]





Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 97 posts ]  Go to page Previous  1, 2, 3, 4
Author Message
 Post subject: Re: Frequently Asked Questions
PostPosted: Sun Dec 12, 2010 5:33 am 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Thu Dec 03, 2009 3:54 pm
Posts: 154
The last possibility is that you have Ws (Withdrawals) on your record which LSAC counts as punitive, meaning that these classes count as an F in your LSAC GPA. It is possible to remedy this problem if you convince your university to change these to non-punitive Ws, but I think the process for doing this at most universities is somewhat cumbersome.

is this real life?


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Frequently Asked Questions
PostPosted: Sun Dec 04, 2011 6:25 pm 
Offline

Joined: Mon Nov 14, 2011 7:22 pm
Posts: 42
I've got a question about applying before you get your LSAT back.

I took the LSAT in October and made a 158, since then I've been taking practice tests and all that and have been scoring between 166 and 170 and I feel 100x better about the official test I just took yesterday.

That said, I have most of my application materials ready, so would I be better off...

1. Applying now and checking the "future LSAT score pending" or whatever box or...
2. Waiting until I get my score back and possibly including an addendum regarding the potentially significant difference in my LSAT scores?

If I do the first one can I send in the addendum later? One of the schools I'm looking at (Loyola Los Angeles) averages LSAT scores but will consider only your highest if you attach an addendum explaining the difference, so it could end up making a pretty big difference. Any help would be appreciated.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Frequently Asked Questions
PostPosted: Thu Feb 16, 2012 9:23 am 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Mon Jun 06, 2011 6:59 pm
Posts: 2269
tjos wrote:
I've got a question about applying before you get your LSAT back.

I took the LSAT in October and made a 158, since then I've been taking practice tests and all that and have been scoring between 166 and 170 and I feel 100x better about the official test I just took yesterday.

That said, I have most of my application materials ready, so would I be better off...

1. Applying now and checking the "future LSAT score pending" or whatever box or...
2. Waiting until I get my score back and possibly including an addendum regarding the potentially significant difference in my LSAT scores?

If I do the first one can I send in the addendum later? One of the schools I'm looking at (Loyola Los Angeles) averages LSAT scores but will consider only your highest if you attach an addendum explaining the difference, so it could end up making a pretty big difference. Any help would be appreciated.


I don't think a school will process/review your application if you tell them you've got a score pending, so doing #1 isn't really a timesaver over #2.

As far as addenda go, I don't know if "I didn't study the first time around, but for this test I did every practice test ever" is a worthy enough reason. If you were deathly ill when you took in October, that might be worth mentioned. YMMV.

No matter what, good luck.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Frequently Asked Questions
PostPosted: Sun Mar 18, 2012 3:08 pm 
Offline

Joined: Sun Mar 18, 2012 2:39 pm
Posts: 50
I go to a state school that has a 4.0 grading scale, but for whatever reason they don't hand out A+s (I don't know whether it's my school or if it's my professors I've had, but multiple times I've had 97-100% and still gotten a straight A.). Will my LSDAS GPA be hurt by this or will it be adjusted for this fact.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Frequently Asked Questions
PostPosted: Sun Mar 18, 2012 3:15 pm 
Offline

Joined: Mon May 09, 2011 11:34 pm
Posts: 1932
ams212 wrote:
I go to a state school that has a 4.0 grading scale, but for whatever reason they don't hand out A+s (I don't know whether it's my school or if it's my professors I've had, but multiple times I've had 97-100% and still gotten a straight A.). Will my LSDAS GPA be hurt by this or will it be adjusted for this fact.


If the highest score your school gives out is A, then each A will be correlated with a 4.0 on the LSDAS scale. LSDAS awards 4.3 for A+, but if your school doesn't give them out, then you cannot get the 4.3 from LSDAS, even if an A at your school is essentially equivalent to an A+ anywhere else. So, I guess you could say that it would "hurt" you.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Frequently Asked Questions
PostPosted: Sun Mar 18, 2012 3:19 pm 
Offline

Joined: Sun Mar 18, 2012 2:39 pm
Posts: 50
kaiser wrote:
ams212 wrote:
I go to a state school that has a 4.0 grading scale, but for whatever reason they don't hand out A+s (I don't know whether it's my school or if it's my professors I've had, but multiple times I've had 97-100% and still gotten a straight A.). Will my LSDAS GPA be hurt by this or will it be adjusted for this fact.


If the highest score your school gives out is A, then each A will be correlated with a 4.0 on the LSDAS scale. LSDAS awards 4.3 for A+, but if your school doesn't give them out, then you cannot get the 4.3 from LSDAS, even if an A at your school is essentially equivalent to an A+ anywhere else. So, I guess you could say that it would "hurt" you.


Thanks I appreciate that. That is awfully lame though.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Frequently Asked Questions
PostPosted: Sun Apr 08, 2012 6:33 pm 
Offline

Joined: Sat Apr 07, 2012 9:31 pm
Posts: 20
Rhetorical: So it would be more expedient to attend a school that has A+ as their highest grade rather than an A?

The UG I'm planning to attend next year has A as the highest grade. I'm planning to transfer out; does anyone know any schools that give A+?

In junior year of HS I took 3 APs and am taking 1 this year. I got a 4, 4, 5 on the ones in junior year and 80, 80, 85 in each class respectively (school is grade deflated + gives number grades). This year, I'll probably get a 1 on my AP (senioritis :roll: ) and a 90 in the class. Will this all be counted in my LSDAS GPA?

Since you declare your major during your second year, doesn't that mean you can declare engineering and take only one year of it without it dragging down your GPA too much and get a decent shot at IP law? It's basically a one year deal since you get accepted into law school early senior year. It seems that engineering is only a four year program at some schools.


Last edited by JimmyHuang on Sun Apr 08, 2012 6:50 pm, edited 2 times in total.

Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Frequently Asked Questions
PostPosted: Sun Apr 08, 2012 6:41 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Sun Mar 14, 2010 7:06 pm
Posts: 20144
JimmyHuang wrote:
So it would be more expedient to attend a school that has A+ as their highest grade rather than an A?

The UG I'm planning to attend next year has A as the highest grade. I'm planning to transfer out; does anyone know any schools that give A+?

Also, in junior year of HS I took 3 APs and am taking 1 this year. I got a 4, 4, 5 on the ones in junior year and 80, 80, 85 in each class respectively (school is grade deflated + gives number grades). This year, I'll probably get a 1 on my AP (senioritis :roll: ) and a 90 in the class. Will this all be counted in my LSDAS GPA?

Don't pick your UG based on law school. Who knows if you'll still want to go to law school 4 years from now.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Frequently Asked Questions
PostPosted: Sun Apr 08, 2012 6:49 pm 
Offline

Joined: Sat Apr 07, 2012 9:31 pm
Posts: 20
bk187 wrote:
Don't pick your UG based on law school. Who knows if you'll still want to go to law school 4 years from now.

I'm not picking my UG solely on law school. I can say with 99% certainty I want to go to law school if my stats hold up for T-14. I always planning on transferring and I'm just looking to give more consideration to schools that give A+.

To add to my list of questions: Since you declare your major during your second year, doesn't that mean you can declare engineering and take only one year of it without it dragging down your GPA too much and get a decent shot at IP law? It's basically a one year deal since you get accepted into law school early senior year. It seems that engineering is only a four year program at some schools.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Frequently Asked Questions
PostPosted: Sun Apr 08, 2012 6:58 pm 
Offline

Joined: Fri Jul 15, 2011 3:04 pm
Posts: 23
It is not a good idea to pick the school based on if they give A+'s because you have such a small chance of getting them in most classes anyway and I doubt there is a correlation between them offering A+'s and how easy their classes are.
For example a college could offer A+'s but still be considerably more difficult to get an A than another college that doesn't. So even if your only goal with UG is to get into a good law school, whether or not they offer A+'s should be very low on your list of priorities in choosing a college.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Frequently Asked Questions
PostPosted: Fri Jul 06, 2012 10:18 am 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Fri Nov 19, 2010 8:57 pm
Posts: 65
bluedvl wrote:
It is not a good idea to pick the school based on if they give A+'s because you have such a small chance of getting them in most classes anyway and I doubt there is a correlation between them offering A+'s and how easy their classes are.
For example a college could offer A+'s but still be considerably more difficult to get an A than another college that doesn't. So even if your only goal with UG is to get into a good law school, whether or not they offer A+'s should be very low on your list of priorities in choosing a college.


Right. This whole "A+" versus "A" thing is fairly close to nonsense.

Listen, 0Ls...Your UGPA is looked at holistically, and I can assure you that your LSAT score matters a whole heck of a lot more. I know from personal experience. I was a history major in UG and I crushed every class. I graduated cum laude, whole shot. My UGPA was abysmally low because I went to a fly-by-night art school as a young lad and left mid-semester and racked up 4 "F"s (yes, those non-transferrable credits still count). I still got into my first choice school with a partial ride. So basically, this whole .3 gpa difference is an insanely small detail to worry about. It isn't as hard to get into law school as they make it out to be. If you are a good student and a hard worker, it will show and you will be fine.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Frequently Asked Questions
PostPosted: Tue Jul 10, 2012 1:58 am 
Offline

Joined: Tue Jul 10, 2012 12:00 am
Posts: 8
Question: because they are both above the 75th percentiles for all schools, is there really a difference between a 4.1 and a 4.0?


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Frequently Asked Questions
PostPosted: Thu Jul 12, 2012 9:09 am 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Fri Nov 19, 2010 8:57 pm
Posts: 65
cardstrong5 wrote:
Question: because they are both above the 75th percentiles for all schools, is there really a difference between a 4.1 and a 4.0?


No.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: What are my chances?/
PostPosted: Sat Aug 04, 2012 9:30 pm 
Offline

Joined: Sat Aug 04, 2012 9:18 pm
Posts: 11
Hey everyone,

I go to Michigan State University and am studying finance. I have a 3.74 GPA and my grade trend from first semester Freshman year is as follows:3.0; 3.6; 3.9; 3.7; 3.9; 4.0.

I didn't do as well I had hoped on my LSAT and got a 164.

I was in quite a bit of legal trouble between age 13 and 18- all Minor in Possession of Alcohol charges (5) and one possession of m.j. Now, my personal is going to be about how you really can turn your life around after being involved in all these negative activities.

I really want to attend t-14 and am planning a semi-blanket. Outside t-14, Vandy, U Texas, Notre Dame, Wisconsin and Minnesota spark my interest.

Basically, I am wondering where I should do early decision. I am debating between Michigan, UPenn, Duke or Notre Dame. I think I can get into Notre Dame in regular admission but am unsure. Do you think I should "reach" for U of M or the others, hoping either to get in to those (unlikely) and fall back on ND or the others. Or should I just send my ED to Notre Dame because I am not as competitive as I like to imagine?

Advice?

Thanks so much


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Frequently Asked Questions
PostPosted: Sat Aug 04, 2012 9:35 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Sun Apr 15, 2012 8:55 pm
Posts: 4127
TheGreatWhiteHorse wrote:
cardstrong5 wrote:
Question: because they are both above the 75th percentiles for all schools, is there really a difference between a 4.1 and a 4.0?


No.


That is debatable. I would lean toward yes, slighly.

http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 5&t=188935


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: What are my chances?/
PostPosted: Sat Aug 04, 2012 9:37 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Sun Apr 15, 2012 8:55 pm
Posts: 4127
Bryce wrote:
I didn't do as well I had hoped on my LSAT and got a 164.


Retake in October if you want T14/Vandy/UT/UMN


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: What are my chances?/
PostPosted: Wed Jan 16, 2013 11:11 pm 
Offline

Joined: Thu Nov 01, 2012 10:05 pm
Posts: 312
Bryce wrote:
Hey everyone,

I go to Michigan State University and am studying finance. I have a 3.74 GPA and my grade trend from first semester Freshman year is as follows:3.0; 3.6; 3.9; 3.7; 3.9; 4.0.

I didn't do as well I had hoped on my LSAT and got a 164.

I was in quite a bit of legal trouble between age 13 and 18- all Minor in Possession of Alcohol charges (5) and one possession of m.j. Now, my personal is going to be about how you really can turn your life around after being involved in all these negative activities.

I really want to attend t-14 and am planning a semi-blanket. Outside t-14, Vandy, U Texas, Notre Dame, Wisconsin and Minnesota spark my interest.

Basically, I am wondering where I should do early decision. I am debating between Michigan, UPenn, Duke or Notre Dame. I think I can get into Notre Dame in regular admission but am unsure. Do you think I should "reach" for U of M or the others, hoping either to get in to those (unlikely) and fall back on ND or the others. Or should I just send my ED to Notre Dame because I am not as competitive as I like to imagine?

Advice?

Thanks so much

3 more points should get you some decent money from UMN so you should retake. A 170 would probably get your some good money from Vandy and a extra money at UMN.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Frequently Asked Questions
PostPosted: Mon Jan 21, 2013 8:31 pm 
Offline

Joined: Tue Jan 08, 2013 2:41 pm
Posts: 14
Hey, everyone.

I recently got accepted to a university on early decision with an inent to receive a scholarship. The scholarship awards will be announced in March, however. If I do not get one, I will probably spend 2013 honing my LSAT and aiming for a better university. My question: Am I legally allowed to refuse attending that university in Fall of 2013 despite the early decision option? And if yes, will that somehow negatively reflect on my future applications? All help is appreciated!


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Frequently Asked Questions
PostPosted: Wed Jan 23, 2013 3:09 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Mon Nov 12, 2012 1:28 am
Posts: 123
How hard is it to earn a scholarship after first year of you are in the top 10-15% of your class? Will they give scholarships/grants to these people at all if they don't already have them?


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Frequently Asked Questions
PostPosted: Mon Jan 28, 2013 3:40 pm 
Offline

Joined: Mon Jan 28, 2013 3:21 pm
Posts: 2
Hi Everyone,

I'm torn when it comes to including an addendum. Some people/websites advise against sending them and others say it's a good idea to send one just in case. I know it works case-by-case, so here's my info:

I took the LSAT in June 2012 and canceled because I was pretty sick and I didn't feel my score would be an accurate representation of my abilities. I then took the LSAT in October 2012 and received a 153. I go to Ohio State and they just switched over from quarters to semesters and I didn't know what to expect for the semester. I took 6 classes, had meetings and volunteered for my pre law fraternity each week, and held a job as well. I didn't realize I wouldn't have much time to prepare for the LSAT and I didn't think my score of 153 was showing my full potential. So I'm taking the LSAT again in February.

I know 3 times doesn't look the greatest, but I'd rather try and do better than sit back and accept an unsatisfactory score. I'm just not sure which, or if either, of those situations needs an addendum. I don't want to seem like I'm making up excuses.

Also, some schools (specifically UCLA and USC) ask you if you think your LSAT score accurately represents your future promise. I feel like I should include a statement to explain that even if under typical circumstances it's not beneficial to include an addendum.

As you can see I'm very conflicted on what to do and any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks to anyone who is willing help me out!


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Frequently Asked Questions
PostPosted: Sat Mar 30, 2013 4:23 am 
Offline

Joined: Thu Mar 14, 2013 7:59 pm
Posts: 3
Don't know where to post!

Does playing a D1 sport in college count as a decent soft or anything?


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Frequently Asked Questions
PostPosted: Tue Apr 02, 2013 5:12 am 
Offline

Joined: Fri Jun 10, 2011 8:52 pm
Posts: 145
brandoman wrote:
Don't know where to post!

Does playing a D1 sport in college count as a decent soft or anything?


Yes


Top
 Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 97 posts ]  Go to page Previous  1, 2, 3, 4

All times are UTC - 5 hours [ DST ]


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: scifiguy and 7 guests



Princeton Review LSAT

Search for:
Jump to:  
Login     Contact     Copyright Notice

copyright 2003-2013 top-law-schools.com • all rights reserved • powered by phpBB