Ghosts of Bad GPA Past. Forum

[Jessecitrus]

Ten years ago when I was young and dumb I attended an art school. After a year and a half of being a ignorant douche I left school with a miserable 1.7 GPA. I joined the Army, learned some responsibility and began taking classes again two years ago. I now have a 3.98 GPA (not including the art school) and am a very serious student. I did not transfer any of the credits from art school towards my current degree. Will LSDAS factor those grades into my GPA? If they do, will I be hurt? I have read that upswings are looked upon favorably, however, this is an extreme difference.

[keg411]

Ten years ago when I was young and dumb I attended an art school. After a year and a half of being a ignorant douche I left school with a miserable 1.7 GPA. I joined the Army, learned some responsibility and began taking classes again two years ago. I now have a 3.98 GPA (not including the art school) and am a very serious student. I did not transfer any of the credits from art school towards my current degree. Will LSDAS factor those grades into my GPA? If they do, will I be hurt? I have read that upswings are looked upon favorably, however, this is an extreme difference.

Yes, they will and yes they will hurt you. I say this as someone whose entire cycle was haunted by the ghost of my past GPA.

[BenJ]

The only way they wouldn't hurt you would be if the art school wasn't accredited. (Some aren't.)

Otherwise, LSAC will require you to submit your transcript, and it will hurt your GPA. Some law schools will be willing to look past it a little bit, especially the top schools, but you'll still be hurt badly.

[lt0826]

Ten years ago when I was young and dumb I attended an art school. After a year and a half of being a ignorant douche I left school with a miserable 1.7 GPA. I joined the Army, learned some responsibility and began taking classes again two years ago. I now have a 3.98 GPA (not including the art school) and am a very serious student. I did not transfer any of the credits from art school towards my current degree. Will LSDAS factor those grades into my GPA? If they do, will I be hurt? I have read that upswings are looked upon favorably, however, this is an extreme difference.

Yes, they will and yes they will hurt you. I say this as someone whose entire cycle was haunted by the ghost of my past GPA.

Ditto. Definitely had an effect on scholarship offers from certain schools, I was told as much. I suspect it impacted some of my decisions but not as sure there.

[Kohinoor]

The only way they wouldn't hurt you would be if the art school wasn't accredited. (Some aren't.)

Otherwise, LSAC will require you to submit your transcript, and it will hurt your GPA. Some law schools will be willing to look past it a little bit, [strike]especially the top schools[/strike], but you'll still be hurt badly.

[Jessecitrus]

Also.. I am confused about A+s. Neither of the Universities I attended gave A+, A was the highest grade I could achieve. Does LSAC transform those A's to A+???

[LateNight]

Also.. I am confused about A+s. Neither of the Universities I attended gave A+, A was the highest grade I could achieve. Does LSAC transform those A's to A+???

No, this is my BIGGEST gripe with the LSAC. Many schools do not award - or +. I had 100% in several classes and the school counted those as A's just as my 94%. This hurts me TONS.

If you are planning on law school, I would honestly recommend making sure you attend a college that awards plus and minus. This is the best way to get your GPA up fast.

[BriaTharen]

Also.. I am confused about A+s. Neither of the Universities I attended gave A+, A was the highest grade I could achieve. Does LSAC transform those A's to A+???

No, this is my BIGGEST gripe with the LSAC. Many schools do not award - or +. I had 100% in several classes and the school counted those as A's just as my 94%. This hurts me TONS.

If you are planning on law school, I would honestly recommend making sure you attend a college that awards plus and minus. This is the best way to get your GPA up fast.

Pissed me off too. All I could get were A's- and now my university is thinking about starting the plus minus system the year after I graduate.

[r6_philly]

Also.. I am confused about A+s. Neither of the Universities I attended gave A+, A was the highest grade I could achieve. Does LSAC transform those A's to A+???

No, this is my BIGGEST gripe with the LSAC. Many schools do not award - or +. I had 100% in several classes and the school counted those as A's just as my 94%. This hurts me TONS.

If you are planning on law school, I would honestly recommend making sure you attend a college that awards plus and minus. This is the best way to get your GPA up fast.

I had 100% or more in most of my classes and I can't offset the few B's I got 13 years ago, so it hurts because I would be able to see the other side of 4 if they gave out A+. It is what it is though.

To OP: depend on the art school. If it was a vocational school you probably wouldn't have to submit transcripts. You can call LSAC and ask about if transcripts are required from your school. I know some vocational schools are not actually considered formal post secondary schools.

[mah2012]

What about dual enrollment classes at junior college senior year of high school? Even if they're not transferred to UG, I would assume these must count toward LSAC as well? If so, bummer.

[pany1985]

Also.. I am confused about A+s. Neither of the Universities I attended gave A+, A was the highest grade I could achieve. Does LSAC transform those A's to A+???

No, this is my BIGGEST gripe with the LSAC. Many schools do not award - or +. I had 100% in several classes and the school counted those as A's just as my 94%. This hurts me TONS.

If you are planning on law school, I would honestly recommend making sure you attend a college that awards plus and minus. This is the best way to get your GPA up fast.

Pissed me off too. All I could get were A's- and now my university is thinking about starting the plus minus system the year after I graduate.

But wouldn't not having pluses or minuses pretty much even itself out over time? If every A- or A+ counts as an A (and every B- or B+ counts as a B, etc.) I would think the impact wouldn't be all that huge, assuming that you don't get exclusively B+ or A+ grades.

[Jessecitrus]

Also.. I am confused about A+s. Neither of the Universities I attended gave A+, A was the highest grade I could achieve. Does LSAC transform those A's to A+???

No, this is my BIGGEST gripe with the LSAC. Many schools do not award - or +. I had 100% in several classes and the school counted those as A's just as my 94%. This hurts me TONS.

If you are planning on law school, I would honestly recommend making sure you attend a college that awards plus and minus. This is the best way to get your GPA up fast.

Pissed me off too. All I could get were A's- and now my university is thinking about starting the plus minus system the year after I graduate.

But wouldn't not having pluses or minuses pretty much even itself out over time? If every A- or A+ counts as an A (and every B- or B+ counts as a B, etc.) I would think the impact wouldn't be all that huge, assuming that you don't get exclusively B+ or A+ grades.

The grading scale my UG used look like this: 95-100=A, 90-94=A-, 85-89=B+ and so on.. So I could get an A- but an A+ was not possible.

[bk1]

Also.. I am confused about A+s. Neither of the Universities I attended gave A+, A was the highest grade I could achieve. Does LSAC transform those A's to A+???

No, this is my BIGGEST gripe with the LSAC. Many schools do not award - or +. I had 100% in several classes and the school counted those as A's just as my 94%. This hurts me TONS.

If you are planning on law school, I would honestly recommend making sure you attend a college that awards plus and minus. This is the best way to get your GPA up fast.

Pissed me off too. All I could get were A's- and now my university is thinking about starting the plus minus system the year after I graduate.

But wouldn't not having pluses or minuses pretty much even itself out over time? If every A- or A+ counts as an A (and every B- or B+ counts as a B, etc.) I would think the impact wouldn't be all that huge, assuming that you don't get exclusively B+ or A+ grades.

I don't think you can assume the last part (I would think exclusively minuses is more likely than pluses). At my high school we did not have - or + and thus I aimed for 90% (or possibly 80%) because the extra 1-10% does not affect your grade at all.

Also, my UG does the same as above.

[DoubleChecks]

The grading scale my UG used look like this: 95-100=A, 90-94=A-, 85-89=B+ and so on.. So I could get an A- but an A+ was not possible.

hey! just like my school. sucks. i wouldnt mind a +/- system that actually awarded A+'s...some students were griping about it and had hoped for an honorary A+ on transcripts if you got 98-100 (though it would not factor into UGPA). obviously i supported this since it would have meant it counted toward LSAC GPA haha...alas, they didnt even accept that 'compromise' so we're stuck w/ the A+'less +/- system