Graduate Degree GPA Forum

[stack89]

I have a fairly high graduate GPA(3.7) in clinical social work but a fairly low undergraduate GPA(2.. To what degree will this disparity hurt me? And, are there law schools that take graduate degrees into account more than others? I've read both sides of the argument: that grad degrees are important, or, that they are completely irrelevant. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

[kalvano]

It's a nice little soft, but it won't really mean much in terms of admissions. Your undergrad GPA is what counts.

[smov_operator]

The degree itself can be a nice soft. But a high graduate gpa is all be irrelevant due to the high level of grade inflation that goes on in graduate school. I don't think graduate gpa is even calculated by LSAC.

[februaryftw]

It'll help to distance you a little from your undergrad GPA, especially if you nail the LSAT (which will be the most recent number they have to go on), but that is all. One way to increase the boost is if the 3.7 is very high for your graduate program--I know programs where a 3.7 would be near bottom of the class, and adcomms usually won't know what the average GPA is for your grad program--then you should find a way to incorporate your class rank or standing into your application, such as asking a letter writer to mention that you excelled in the program, or highlighting your standing in your resume in an appropriate way. But, generally speaking, your undergraduate GPA is what will count for your cycle, and the MA will help you break ties with a numbers twin (a nice "soft" as it were).

[vespertiliovir]

It'll help to distance you a little from your undergrad GPA

if i were you, i'd write an addendum highlight this. talk about how you skipped class/worked full-time/did crack/whatever in undergraduate, but now you're really taking your studies seriously. while everyone is right that the undergraduate gpa is the only one schools evaluate/have to report, it'd be a shame for you not to try to emphasize a redeeming quality.