GPA for HYS - how low is too low? Forum

[BillsFan9907]

Is it possible to delay graduation and do another year of undergrad to pad the GPA? If I am not mistaken, most schools give the option of obtaining a second bachelor's degree if you get x amount of credits over 120 or something like that.

[jbagelboy]

Is it possible to delay graduation and do another year of undergrad to pad the GPA? If I am not mistaken, most schools give the option of obtaining a second bachelor's degree if you get x amount of credits over 120 or something like that.

won't matter - once you've completed the required credits for your first degree, your LSAC GPA is set.

an incoming senior would have to specifically omit required coursework and prevent their own completion. Just staying on for extra classes or choosing not to walk with your year won't be sufficient.

[180kickflip]

Damn..I thought LSAC included any classes until you actually received your 1st degree...not only until you completed the credits for 1 degree. So if someone completed the credits to get their 1st degree by like their sophomore year, but didn't get awarded any degree until after their 4th year, only the 1st two years classes would count?

It was unclear to me because the lsac site says grades are included up until the first degree is "received"

[gnomgnomuch]

I know people at HLS who have gotten in with under 3.6.

You need a median or above LSAT, the higher the better. You also need a compelling story. Even if you 180, 3.65/180/k-jd could get dinged. So work your ass off for the LSAT and get a job.


Or, ya know, settle for CCN which has pretty similar job outlooks, if a step below.

Well i have a fair amount of WE, working since 9th grade in some form of another, and the past 3 semesters I've worked 3 jobs at once.
Jobs arent flashy though, supervisor in a non for profit, volleyball coach, fitness trainer, internships at a legal firm.

Im guessing those are all pretty run of the mill, and maybe even below average for HLS.

My thing is that im on the east coast right now, and i cant stomach another 3 years in the NYC, obviously if i get a C or N, and nowhere else comparable ill take it, but ideally i'd love the west coast, so for me that would be S (highllllly unlikely, or B, which is still a bit unlikely because of my GPA). Plus im debt averse- no more than 150k, and really that would depend on the school, but id be willing to pay sticker for either H or S or Y.... but H is a pipe dream and SY are so far off that its just hilarious.

You do realize that debt at those schools is the exact same debt as that taken out for any other law school, right? The US Treasury doesn't just waive your loan payment obligations because your diploma says a certain school name. You clearly aren't debt averse if you will "pay sticker" for law school. Why would you pay sticker for one school over scholarship at another - you aren't debt averse at all, you just looked at the US News survey and said oh, that one looks prestigious!

If you really want to make a calculated debt averse choice to give the best options for your career, target MVPDNC with scholarship.

When i said 150k, i meant 150k after interest, living expenses and everything else was factored in, and that would be a maximum, and i would only consider going over that for HYS (if im lucky enough to get in) Also, i do live in NYC, so unless im going to be living at home with my parents for another year or two i wouldnt be able to afford it, and i've got a situation that makes me loathe the idea of living another couple years with them.

I still realize that 150k is an insane amount of money, but its a lot less than the ~300k people have, and that amount actually does seem to offer a way to pay it off, or at the very least down to a more manageable level, if i ever make it too big-law.

I'm not an idiot and i realize that HYS doesn't magically make debt disappear, but HYS DOES make opportunities appear, just on the basis of networks alone. I'm also in no way a prestige whore, i turned down great schools for college, so i could graduate without any debt, prestige is one thing, prestige with 200k in debt as a 21 year is another.

Ideally, i would be able to get a nice scholarship at one of the lower t-14's, to minimize debt and maximize opportunities.

Either way, i'm grateful to everyone whose commented, your insight is invaluable (especially those who have given me anecdotes about sub 3.7 GPA's and their acceptances.

[malleus discentium]

Damn..I thought LSAC included any classes until you actually received your 1st degree...not only until you completed the credits for 1 degree. So if someone completed the credits to get their 1st degree by like their sophomore year, but didn't get awarded any degree until after their 4th year, only the 1st two years classes would count?

It was unclear to me because the lsac site says grades are included up until the first degree is "received"

This was my impression as well, and this page just says "after the first undergraduate degree was received," which seems to agree with our interpretation. I find it hard to believe that the LSAC would inspect your transcript to determine when exactly degree requirements were met.

[DiniMae]

Is it possible to delay graduation and do another year of undergrad to pad the GPA? If I am not mistaken, most schools give the option of obtaining a second bachelor's degree if you get x amount of credits over 120 or something like that.

won't matter - once you've completed the required credits for your first degree, your LSAC GPA is set.

an incoming senior would have to specifically omit required coursework and prevent their own completion. Just staying on for extra classes or choosing not to walk with your year won't be sufficient.

This is incorrect. If you achieved the minimum number of required courses and credits at your school, but they did not graduate you, any additional courses will appear on your LSAC academic summary and will figure into your GPA calculation.

Re: OP ~ Study for your LSAT (but I'm sure you've already been doing that by now since it's August. Good luck.

[yot11]

+1

Your GPA is locked once your degree is CONFERRED. Even if you "earned" your degree by having the credit requirements completed, if your first bachelor's is not conferred, your classes will still count towards your LSAC GPA.

Is it possible to delay graduation and do another year of undergrad to pad the GPA? If I am not mistaken, most schools give the option of obtaining a second bachelor's degree if you get x amount of credits over 120 or something like that.

won't matter - once you've completed the required credits for your first degree, your LSAC GPA is set.

an incoming senior would have to specifically omit required coursework and prevent their own completion. Just staying on for extra classes or choosing not to walk with your year won't be sufficient.

This is incorrect. If you achieved the minimum number of required courses and credits at your school, but they did not graduate you, any additional courses will appear on your LSAC academic summary and will figure into your GPA calculation.

Re: OP ~ Study for your LSAT (but I'm sure you've already been doing that by now since it's August. Good luck.

[crazycanuck]

I have a friend who got in a few years ago with just under a 3.6 and a 180 LSAT.