LSDAS GPA much lower than actual GPA Forum

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xochitl07

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LSDAS GPA much lower than actual GPA

Post by xochitl07 » Tue Dec 29, 2009 5:36 pm

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Last edited by xochitl07 on Fri Feb 05, 2010 10:00 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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DoubleChecks

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Re: LSDAS Cumulative GPA is much lower than my acutal GPA

Post by DoubleChecks » Tue Dec 29, 2009 5:39 pm

xochitl07 wrote:My brother died in a house fire during my first semester in college. It was a very hard time in my life, which is most certainly reflected in my transcript with subsequent withdrawals from classes and low grades. As time passed, my grades got progressively better.

My actual GPA at graduation was a 3.3. LSDAS summarized my transcript and reports a 3.0. I was a bit surprised by this, but understand how it happened.

My questions are:
1. Should I try to explain this? If so, where? Should I mention this in my personal statement?

2. Do schools actually look at the original transcript or merely the summarized report?

2. Should I report my actual GPA on my resume?

Thanks for any information!
1. Yes you should mention it somewhere. If the incident molded you as the person you are today (and I imagine it has in some way) AND you want to talk about it, it can be in your personal statement, but I wouldnt start talking about how it affected your grades in the PS. Instead, I'd leave that in a short addendum, similar to your post here (sans the questions).

2. Schools look at the original transcript as well

2. again lol. Eh, I personally wouldnt because it isnt a high enough GPA that you'd want to remind adcomms. You can though if you feel it is helpful -- ill defer this question to others who are more knowledgeable

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angiej

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Re: LSDAS Cumulative GPA is much lower than my acutal GPA

Post by angiej » Fri Feb 05, 2010 9:58 pm

IMHO:

1. Write an addendum about your GPA, I think you have a very good reason why you may have started out your college career with less than stellar grades. But it is also important that you can show a steady incline in your grades.

2. They will look at your original transcript but my understanding is that schools have 1,000 plus some transcripts to look at, so your lucky if your transcript gets more than a two-second glance over.

3. I have seen resumes where undergrads listed their major gpa and their undergrad gpa. They did not list their LSDAS gpa as that is provided otherwise in your info.

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dextermorgan

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Re: LSDAS Cumulative GPA is much lower than my acutal GPA

Post by dextermorgan » Fri Feb 05, 2010 10:01 pm

Generally when you write an addendum the schools will look more closely at your transcripts.

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CoaltoNewCastle

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Re: LSDAS GPA much lower than actual GPA

Post by CoaltoNewCastle » Sat Feb 06, 2010 12:23 am

That's definitely a good reason to write an addendum. That would be a separate file that you attach to your applications when applying on the LSAC website, about a paragraph or two long. I would indeed list my degree GPA on my resume if I were you. My LSAC GPA is a little lower than my degree GPA and the second is what I listed on my resume.

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BigA

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Re: LSDAS GPA much lower than actual GPA

Post by BigA » Sat Feb 06, 2010 1:16 am

Boy this thread gave me a scare. I also have 5 Ws on my transcript from one semester. It never occurred to me that my LSAC GPA would be any different than the GPA on my transcript. So I just checked my LSAC file, and it's the same as I expected. I wonder why your GPAs would be affected while mine isn't.

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Nom Sawyer

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Re: LSDAS GPA much lower than actual GPA

Post by Nom Sawyer » Sat Feb 06, 2010 1:22 am

BigA wrote:Boy this thread gave me a scare. I also have 5 Ws on my transcript from one semester. It never occurred to me that my LSAC GPA would be any different than the GPA on my transcript. So I just checked my LSAC file, and it's the same as I expected. I wonder why your GPAs would be affected while mine isn't.
Withdraw/ Passing doesn't count towards your LSAC GPA.

Withdraw/ Failing counts as an F.... very big difference in your LSAC GPA.

lawman335

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Re: LSDAS GPA much lower than actual GPA

Post by lawman335 » Sun Feb 07, 2010 3:34 am

Generally when you write an addendum to the schools will look more closely at your transcripts.so i better i suggest you to correct it........

EzraStiles

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Re: LSDAS GPA much lower than actual GPA

Post by EzraStiles » Sun Feb 07, 2010 3:37 am

If you're applying to law school, your 'actual gpa' is your LSDAS GPA. You need only make the distinction otherwise outside of the law school admissions game.

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