Page 1 of 1

Transcript Question (high school!) correspondence credit?

Posted: Mon Jan 25, 2010 4:26 am
by Applicant123
OK this post raises an issue I'm concerned with about whether or not a class taught by a highschool teacher within the walls of my high school should factor into my LSAC GPA.

Now here is the scenario:

At my high school, after one passed the language regents exam after 3 years of study beginning in the eigth grade, one could choose 3 options:

1) Take the language on the AP level and take the AP exam 2) Take the language at the general level and recieve 2 semesters of college credit for the year of taking a high school spanish class 3) Discontinue the language study

I chose option #2. On my academic summary report those were worst grades ever from any institution. Sure it was only six credits, but its a 2.5 and I graduated with a 3.5. Its dinging my LSAC GPA.

Shouldn't these grades be nothing more than pass/fail? That is the case with AP tests, correct? And if you fail the AP test you do not receive a failing college grade, right?

I feel that these credits should go under the category of unconverted hours earned.

Do you think I have a case? Should I speak with the registrar at the local community college? I have never seen the inside of a classroom there but need to inquire about my transcript.

Thanks

Re: Transcript Question (high school!) correspondence credit?

Posted: Mon Jan 25, 2010 4:33 am
by Genki
Unfortunately, it doesn't matter if they should count or not. The fact of the matter is that they do count.
This is LSAC's policy and any complaint you make will do nothing to change your LSAC GPA.
There are plenty of other people in the same situation that have to suffer a GPA hit.

It is a similar situation to those that complain that their UG institution gave out A-'s but not A+'s and are therefore at a GPA disadvantage.

It isn't fair, but unless a policy change is made by LSAC, that is how it is.

6 credits shouldn't affect your final GPA that much. Make the best of what you have and try to make up for the GPA hit with the other aspects of your application. Nail the LSAT and write a strong personal statement and you can still get into a good school.

Re: Transcript Question (high school!) correspondence credit?

Posted: Mon Jan 25, 2010 5:21 am
by im_blue
Genki wrote:Unfortunately, it doesn't matter if they should count or not. The fact of the matter is that they do count.
This is LSAC's policy and any complaint you make will do nothing to change your LSAC GPA.
There are plenty of other people in the same situation that have to suffer a GPA hit.

It is a similar situation to those that complain that their UG institution gave out A-'s but not A+'s and are therefore at a GPA disadvantage.

It isn't fair, but unless a policy change is made by LSAC, that is how it is.

6 credits shouldn't affect your final GPA that much. Make the best of what you have and try to make up for the GPA hit with the other aspects of your application. Nail the LSAT and write a strong personal statement and you can still get into a good school.
Exactly right. LSAC's policy is not negotiable. If you graduated with 120 credits of 3.5, then the 6 credits of 2.5 will give you an LSAC GPA of 3.45, which is a negligible change.