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Hey everyone,

170 LSAT
~3.4 GPA (not sure of LSAC GPA just yet but I rounded down from my personal calculation of 3.43)
Within my department (Politics) my GPA still qualified as Cum Laude.
Non-URM
LGBT and will be writing a diversity statement when allowed

Have spent 4 years working in state government for a state representative (one of my recommenders) - on the staff of a legislative committee working directly on policy research and legislation and gained a deep knowledge of the subject area. I'm basing all my admissions and scholarship apps around a strong and continued commitment to public service and public policy.

I also have a specific question. I graduated in 2013 from Princeton, shortly before the school ended its official policy of grade deflation. Do I do anything about this in my application? Is this worthy of mention in an addendum? Yes, I had a few poor grades. But deflation could potentially mitigate a trend of mediocre grades. I excelled at independent work which was not graded on a curve but was included in my GPA.

My list:
UC Berkeley
Georgetown
NYU
Columbia
U Chicago
Harvard
Stanford
Penn
BC
BU

Also applying to MPP/MPA programs at these schools to pursue joint degrees. This has no bearing on admission to any of their law schools though.

Thanks!

Unless LSAC factors in grade deflation, I don't see your GPA getting mitigated here.

Also, just because you mentioned an interest in policy and doing a joint MPP: what do you plan to do with your JD?

I wouldn't mention it.

FWIW I'm also P (Politics) & graduated during grade deflation. My GPA was a little better -- magna -- but I was still below lots of 25th percentiles and I think almost all medians for the T14.

I had more than a few mediocre grades, which I think must mean you do too... this combined with the facts that (1) your transcript should have the grade deflation policy on it [mine does], (2) we weren't in Engineering or Chem or majors that are similarly widely known for being GPA killers regardless of where you went to college, (3) it's been a few years since the policy ended and I don't think it was really on anyone's minds except for the first 2-3 years... likely mean that discussing the policy in an addendum will give the reader a bad impression. Your GPA is what it is; trying to explain it away at this point will probably come off badly.

The good news is that given some distance, the right background, and a convincing PS, it needn't hold you back much. I did just fine -- I think (it's been a while now) that I got into 10 out of the T14, some with considerable money. I'd work on the things that are within your control right now.

I wouldn't mention it. All the adcoms you listed should be familiar with P's grading. How they treat it is unlikely to be influenced by you bringing it to their attention.

ittm500 wrote:Hey everyone,

170 LSAT
~3.4 GPA (not sure of LSAC GPA just yet but I rounded down from my personal calculation of 3.43)
Within my department (Politics) my GPA still qualified as Cum Laude.
Non-URM
LGBT and will be writing a diversity statement when allowed

Have spent 4 years working in state government for a state representative (one of my recommenders) - on the staff of a legislative committee working directly on policy research and legislation and gained a deep knowledge of the subject area. I'm basing all my admissions and scholarship apps around a strong and continued commitment to public service and public policy.

I also have a specific question. I graduated in 2013 from Princeton, shortly before the school ended its official policy of grade deflation. Do I do anything about this in my application? Is this worthy of mention in an addendum? Yes, I had a few poor grades. But deflation could potentially mitigate a trend of mediocre grades. I excelled at independent work which was not graded on a curve but was included in my GPA.

My list:
UC Berkeley
Georgetown
NYU
Columbia
U Chicago
Harvard
Stanford
Penn
BC
BU

Also applying to MPP/MPA programs at these schools to pursue joint degrees. This has no bearing on admission to any of their law schools though.

Thanks!

I had a similar grade (0.1 higher from a lower ivy that is not as elite as P), and I am 1-2 points higher on the LSAT than you are. I got into all the aforementioned schools, except Harvard, Stanford and Uchicago. So I think you are in pretty good shape -- I wouldn't sound whiny by adding in an addendum about your school's grading, which is hardly a circumstance that hinders your performance like chronic illness, family emergency, etc.

cavalier1138 wrote:Unless LSAC factors in grade deflation, I don't see your GPA getting mitigated here.

Also, just because you mentioned an interest in policy and doing a joint MPP: what do you plan to do with your JD?

I'm open to going down a different path, but at the moment I expect I'd return to state government in a policy-oriented position. Having the JD opens many more doors where positions as General Counsel require the degree regardless of whether the degree is actually necessary to do the job.

This was all super helpful everyone. Thanks!