3.25/173 upward trend Forum

[zipehtzin]

1.0 gpa first semester freshman year,
~3.3 gpa soph year
~3.3 gpa junior year
4.0 senior year (extra courses and relatively difficult courses if it matters)

3.25 gpa
173 LSAT

Chances at T14?

Does this trend mean anything?

I appreciate your feedback

[Mike12188]

Upward trend prob won't matter, if anything it shows you got more serious I guess. I do know one person who had a downward grade trend and had 175+ and around that GPA and seriously underperformed numbers. But than again that was one person and a downward grade trend as opposed to even.

You have a shot of Penn down - UVA, Penn will def. need ED. You should look at LSN or just wait here for someone to give you a better response . You should get Cornell/GULC RD. Not really sure about Mich/Duke. If no W/E NU is prob. out.

[ahnhub]

The trend absolutely means something, but it doesn't solve your GPA problems--even if it is obvious from your transcript you are a genius who could easily have pulled all A's in the toughest classes, a school still has to report you as a 3.25. But the stellar senior year probably will take care of any reservations they might have about your work ethic/ability to succeed in school.

You should play around with LSN. If you have an appealing app and make good use of your ED, I think you have a strong shot of getting into a T-14. UVA and NU are the best candidates, but you seem to be a K-JD so NU may be out--I give you pretty good odds at getting into UVA ED.

I'm not sure Cornell will take splitters this extreme, but yes GULC you have a good shot.

[Mike12188]

The trend absolutely means something, but it doesn't solve your GPA problems--even if it is obvious from your transcript you are a genius who could easily have pulled all A's in the toughest classes, a school still has to report you as a 3.25. But the stellar senior year probably will take care of any reservations they might have about your work ethic/ability to succeed in school.

You should play around with LSN. If you have an appealing app and make good use of your ED, I think you have a strong shot of getting into a T-14. UVA and NU are the best candidates, but you seem to be a K-JD so NU may be out--I give you pretty good odds at getting into UVA ED.

I'm not sure Cornell will take splitters this extreme, but yes GULC you have a good shot.

I got both with 171/3.3 (upward trend). Two cycles ago, quite a few did. I ED'd to Penn and they ended up taking a lot of reverse splitter that year, I was WL. But yes LSN is TCR. And ED to UVA is your best shot.

[bceagles182]

Most applicants have an upward trend, but this is a pretty extreme one. It's clear that 1 semester really killed your GPA. I often advise against it but in your case, you should absolutely write an addendum if you can explain how you managed a 1.0 without sounding like you're making excuses. Try to sound like you know you screwed up and you're taking responsibility for it.

[2014]

YHSCC - Out
NYU - Very slight chance with ED probably out
MVP - Good chance ED, Probable WL RD
BD - Out, GPA whores
NW - In with WE, Out w/o
Cornell - Probably in
Georgetown - In, perhaps with a slight scholarship

Trend only matters in that it gives you self confidence in life, law schools don't care.

GL next year!

[Wart]

I agree with Mike in that the upward trend doesn't mean much, especially since it's just one year. Most law students have an upward trend their final year because they realize their GPA needs to rise.

With that said, all hope is not lost. I think you'll have an outside shot at the bottom of T14. I suggest ED'ing to Northwestern. Their GPA medians are much lower than the rest of the T14 and are splitter friendly. Plus, their ED applicants got massive scholarships last year.