How can I overcome my TERRIBLE GPA? Forum

[alexb]

It's a PERSONAL statement. If poker, some how, influenced your decision to go to law school and you have no other, better reasons, write about it. That said, to overcome your GPA, increase your LSAT.

If I was racist and wanted to see the institution of slavery returned and thus decided because of that to go to law school, I should write about my racism?

No, of course not. The point of a personal statement is to get you in to law school, therefore from a utilitarian point of view you should write what will best help your chances. Poker is rarely, if ever, one of the things that will help your chances.

Wow. Straw man fallacy at its finest. The two situations are not morally equivalent, unless perhaps if you're an anti-gambling crusader from 1920s.

I stand by my assertion.

[bk1]

It's a PERSONAL statement. If poker, some how, influenced your decision to go to law school and you have no other, better reasons, write about it. That said, to overcome your GPA, increase your LSAT.

If I was racist and wanted to see the institution of slavery returned and thus decided because of that to go to law school, I should write about my racism?

No, of course not. The point of a personal statement is to get you in to law school, therefore from a utilitarian point of view you should write what will best help your chances. Poker is rarely, if ever, one of the things that will help your chances.

Wow. Straw man fallacy at its finest. The two situations are not morally equivalent, unless perhaps if you're an anti-gambling crusader from 1920s.

I stand by my assertion.

It was a straw man and extremely hyperbolic, but I was illustrating a point.

Your PS should be written so as to maximize your chances. Sometimes being completely honest is something that does not maximize your chances. In that instance you shouldn't lie, but you should write about something else. I don't see how anybody could argue against a utilitarian view of the personal statement as maximizing one's chances at acceptance unless they somehow lived in la-la land.

I'll actually go back and say that in general poker isn't something to write about because you don't want to take that risk. However, I could see a reason for an addendum explaining it as a gap in employment history rather than just leaving 2 years on a resume blank.

[dr123]

It's a PERSONAL statement. If poker, some how, influenced your decision to go to law school and you have no other, better reasons, write about it. That said, to overcome your GPA, increase your LSAT.

If I was racist and wanted to see the institution of slavery returned and thus decided because of that to go to law school, I should write about my racism?

No, of course not. The point of a personal statement is to get you in to law school, therefore from a utilitarian point of view you should write what will best help your chances. Poker is rarely, if ever, one of the things that will help your chances.

Wow. Straw man fallacy at its finest. The two situations are not morally equivalent, unless perhaps if you're an anti-gambling crusader from 1920s.

I stand by my assertion.

not a straw man

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reductio_ad_absurdum

[Pirates13]

My GPA is horrible as well and I received a 155 (64th percentile) score on my LSAT. I also have 5 years in the National Guard including a tour to Iraq and have been accepted to one non-tier 1 school and wait-listed at another. I submitted an Addendum talking about my military schools, deployment, funeral details, ect. that had an impact on my grades and so far I haven't gotten any rejection letters.

[DubPoker]

My GPA is horrible as well and I received a 155 (64th percentile) score on my LSAT. I also have 5 years in the National Guard including a tour to Iraq and have been accepted to one non-tier 1 school and wait-listed at another. I submitted an Addendum talking about my military schools, deployment, funeral details, ect. that had an impact on my grades and so far I haven't gotten any rejection letters.

Does non T1 mean T2?

I understand that just means not Top 50, but when it comes to low GPA's and LSAT's T1 might not even be an option. You shoot for T2 or maybe even TTT. If the schools you are talking about are TTTT, I hate to say it's not a very "hope" filled comment.

EDIT: TLS is a very harsh place when it comes to non T1 Schools. You will basically be advised to not attend law school here if you don't get into a good T1 or have a great scholarship lined up. Even attending a TTT or TTTT with a medium scholarship will be looked up as a huge gamble with very little odds in your favor.

[Pirates13]

My GPA is horrible as well and I received a 155 (64th percentile) score on my LSAT. I also have 5 years in the National Guard including a tour to Iraq and have been accepted to one non-tier 1 school and wait-listed at another. I submitted an Addendum talking about my military schools, deployment, funeral details, ect. that had an impact on my grades and so far I haven't gotten any rejection letters.

Does non T1 mean T2?

I understand that just means not Top 50, but when it comes to low GPA's and LSAT's T1 might not even be an option. You shoot for T2 or maybe even TTT. If the schools you are talking about are TTTT, I hate to say it's not a very "hope" filled comment.

EDIT: TLS is a very harsh place when it comes to non T1 Schools. You will basically be advised to not attend law school here if you don't get into a good T1 or have a great scholarship lined up. Even attending a TTT or TTTT with a medium scholarship will be looked up as a huge gamble with very little odds in your favor.

More likely T3, if I only get into some T4 saftey schools Ill have to do some serious thinking. I do have some pretty decent connections after graduation with various places, and Im not expecting to make 6 figures or anything like that. Worst case is if I dont get into a school I really want to attend, Ill go for a Master Degree and prove I can handle advanced courses, get a respectable GPA there and try again in a few years.

[DubPoker]

More likely T3, if I only get into some T4 saftey schools Ill have to do some serious thinking. I do have some pretty decent connections after graduation with various places, and Im not expecting to make 6 figures or anything like that. Worst case is if I dont get into a school I really want to attend, Ill go for a Master Degree and prove I can handle advanced courses, get a respectable GPA there and try again in a few years.

When TLS advises not to go to law schools we are making generalizations. If you have great connections and feel like finding a job wont be hard, then by all means you are a special case and go to whatever law school.

When it comes to these forums the vibe I get about a Master's Degree is that its just a soft. Law schools (and LSAC for that matter) don't include your Master's GPA in your GPA average. I hear they do this because of inflated degree GPA's for Masters and PHD (B's are the new C's in those.) I'm not even sure if a Master's degree is that amazing of a soft to schools. Basically if you want to maximize your chances, retake the LSAT. Instead of going through a masters program, study LSAT books and take PTs for the next 3-6 months and take the LSAT and apply next cycle.

Thats what I did... went from 149 to 159 to 167 lol

[Pirates13]

Thanks for the info about Master Degree's, I didnt know that. Hopefully this all will help the OP as well. Good luck in your pursuits.

[retake]

How can I overcome my TERRIBLE GPA LSAT?

FTFY.

[DeeCee]

Retake, your 'tar and name embody all that is TLS, lol