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What is the best way to address a sub-par GPA?
Posted: Thu Jul 22, 2010 12:05 pm
by b2582
As long as I've been out of college I've worked full-time in order to afford and supplement my college education. When I was younger and more short-sighted, I often put work above school, and thus my GPA suffered. What is the best and most proper way to address this issue in an application?
Re: What is the best way to address a sub-par GPA?
Posted: Thu Jul 22, 2010 12:08 pm
by dramaticpaws
Did you work full time during undergrad? Perhaps an addendum about that would be appropriate, especially if you were raising a family at the same time or something like that. How low is this "sub-par" GPA?
Re: What is the best way to address a sub-par GPA?
Posted: Thu Jul 22, 2010 12:09 pm
by Sell Manilla
Studying your ass off for & rocking the LSAT.
Re: What is the best way to address a sub-par GPA?
Posted: Thu Jul 22, 2010 12:10 pm
by CanadianWolf
Tell, or show them, that you have matured & do well on the LSAT.
Re: What is the best way to address a sub-par GPA?
Posted: Thu Jul 22, 2010 12:11 pm
by Thomas Jefferson
Sell Manilla wrote:Studying your ass off for & rocking the LSAT.
Re: What is the best way to address a sub-par GPA?
Posted: Thu Jul 22, 2010 12:17 pm
by b2582
I have indeed been studying my ass off for the LSAT-- I'm planning on taking the October test, and I currently am hitting the mid 170's on all the official practice tests.
I worked full time throughout all my undergrad years-- GPA is a whopping 2.7
Is there anywhere to find a good example of an addendum? I'm also doing this with out the assistance of a pre-law advisor.
Re: What is the best way to address a sub-par GPA?
Posted: Thu Jul 22, 2010 12:21 pm
by Thomas Jefferson
1. Get mid 170s
2. ED to Northwestern
3. ????
4. Profit.
Re: What is the best way to address a sub-par GPA?
Posted: Thu Jul 22, 2010 12:27 pm
by Sell Manilla
Thomas Jefferson wrote:1. Get mid 170s
2. ED to Northwestern
Re: What is the best way to address a sub-par GPA?
Posted: Thu Jul 22, 2010 12:31 pm
by sumus romani
b2582 wrote:As long as I've been out of college I've worked full-time in order to afford and supplement my college education. When I was younger and more short-sighted, I often put work above school, and thus my GPA suffered. What is the best and most proper way to address this issue in an application?
There is no way to make up for having a bad GPA, unless you had cancer during your undergrad. Time helps a little, but not a lot. Mostly, your admissions cycle will be determined by your uGPA and your LSAT. Learn to accept this. If you do not accept this, you will have a worse admissions cycle than you otherwise might.
Re: What is the best way to address a sub-par GPA?
Posted: Thu Jul 22, 2010 12:50 pm
by b2582
I'm content with 2nd and 3rd tier schools to be honest...
Re: What is the best way to address a sub-par GPA?
Posted: Thu Jul 22, 2010 1:29 pm
by Hannibal
b2582 wrote:I'm content with 2nd and 3rd tier schools to be honest...
In that case getting a better LSAT will get you more money.
Either way, higher LSAT score is good.
Re: What is the best way to address a sub-par GPA?
Posted: Thu Jul 22, 2010 1:46 pm
by StupidQuestions
Thomas Jefferson wrote:1. Get mid 170s
2. ED to Northwestern
3. Graduate above median
4. Profit.
FTFY. OP, my GPA is worse than yours but I have already completed step one of this plan. I expect to execute step two on September 15th when my rejection from UVa ED comes in.
My addendum plan: honest and very very brief explanation of my GPA. I will treat it as though the committee is looking me in the eye and asking: what happened? Not too long, just the facts. But I have no idea if this is the credited response, I'm just a guy on the internet.
Re: What is the best way to address a sub-par GPA?
Posted: Thu Jul 22, 2010 1:55 pm
by bk1
It has been said that you should not write an addendum for GPA/LSAT unless there was a legitimate reason (severe sickness, death in the family, needing to work to pay bills, etc). Being young/immature, wanting to work instead of study, not trying hard enough, etc are not good reasons.
Re: What is the best way to address a sub-par GPA?
Posted: Thu Jul 22, 2010 1:56 pm
by 09042014
b2582 wrote:I'm content with 2nd and 3rd tier schools to be honest...
Well you shouldn't be. But some TTT's will give you a full ride if you rock the LSAT,
Re: What is the best way to address a sub-par GPA?
Posted: Thu Jul 22, 2010 1:59 pm
by crysmissmichelle
I'm worried about this myself. . .and need to improve my LSAT in October. GPA is a 3.29. . . was working full time and going to school at my University AND a community college and doing Paramedic clinical rotations, AND volunteering time at a rescue squad.
I applied one place this year as a test run and with my low LSAT (159, very little prep time because I'm extra stupid like that) the circumstances of my 3.29 didn't make a difference. I'm hoping, like you, and improved LSAT will fix the problem.
Re: What is the best way to address a sub-par GPA?
Posted: Thu Jul 22, 2010 2:01 pm
by StupidQuestions
I am influenced by this:
TLS: If an applicant has a period of sub-par grades on his or her transcript, does writing an addendum to explain these grades help?
Yes, you always want to eliminate questions in the file reader’s mind.
http://www.top-law-schools.com/jason-tr ... rview.html
But like I said, I'm applying to Virginia.
Re: What is the best way to address a sub-par GPA?
Posted: Thu Jul 22, 2010 2:03 pm
by bk1
That says "period," i.e. you had one bad semester due to some crisis.
I'd hardly say you can explain away an entire GPA as being a "period," but whatever you think is best. Personally, I do not think I will be writing an addendum for my sub-3.0.
Re: What is the best way to address a sub-par GPA?
Posted: Thu Jul 22, 2010 2:04 pm
by lawschooliseasy
Re: What is the best way to address a sub-par GPA?
Posted: Thu Jul 22, 2010 2:24 pm
by billyez
It's amazing how similar our situations are. I wrote an addendum explaining that I my sub-par GPA was due to how much I was working during my first few years of college. I can't say how useful that was, but I was accepted when I applied ED to UVA. Do note that I'm URM, so there is certainly a difference here. I'd reiterate that having a high LSAT will remedy that GPA more than an addendum.
Re: What is the best way to address a sub-par GPA?
Posted: Thu Jul 22, 2010 2:32 pm
by yhezel
b2582 wrote:I'm content with 2nd and 3rd tier schools to be honest...
But you don't have to.
If your LSAT practice score holds you should get into a tier 1 school. My GPA was as bad as yours, 170 LSAT and I am going to a T1 school next month. Cast a wide wide net. I was accepted to some t1 schools and waitlisted at almost every t2 I applied. (I'll discuss YP on a separate forum).
Don't sell yourself short, but remain cautiously optimitic. If you have the money for the apps. then the worst that will happen is you get a few "no" on the mail. You'll get over it.
I wrote and addendum for the GPA (rather than let the question up in the air) and kept it as short as possible and without giving excuses. The longer you make it the more it starts to sound like an excuse. Most of us don't have a real excuse for a low GPA, you have to be honest with yourself in answering this one. They get plenty of applicants with terrible stories and 4.0 GPAs.
The Anna Ivey book has a very good chapter on the low GPA addendum issue, and cheaper than an advisor.
Good luck with your apps!!
Re: What is the best way to address a sub-par GPA?
Posted: Thu Jul 22, 2010 2:42 pm
by sumus romani
yhezel wrote:b2582 wrote:I'm content with 2nd and 3rd tier schools to be honest...
But you don't have to.
If your LSAT practice score holds you should get into a tier 1 school. My GPA was as bad as yours, 170 LSAT and I am going to a T1 school next month. Cast a wide wide net. I was accepted to some t1 schools and waitlisted at almost every t2 I applied. (I'll discuss YP on a separate forum).
Don't sell yourself short, but remain cautiously optimitic. If you have the money for the apps. then the worst that will happen is you get a few "no" on the mail. You'll get over it.
I wrote and addendum for the GPA (rather than let the question up in the air) and kept it as short as possible and without giving excuses. The longer you make it the more it starts to sound like an excuse. Most of us don't have a real excuse for a low GPA, you have to be honest with yourself in answering this one. They get plenty of applicants with terrible stories and 4.0 GPAs.
The Anna Ivey book has a very good chapter on the low GPA addendum issue, and cheaper than an advisor.
Good luck with your apps!!
Your story does not imply that one can overcome a bad uGPA, except in cases of cancer, etc. You got something like 3 points above Berkeley's median LSAT, and yet you are going to school in th 30-50 range, I wouild guess. There is almost no overcoming the bad uGPA. The OP needs to undersand this in order to have the best admisions cycle possible, given her circumstances.
Re: What is the best way to address a sub-par GPA?
Posted: Thu Jul 22, 2010 2:43 pm
by Kohinoor
StupidQuestions wrote:Thomas Jefferson wrote:1. Get mid 170s
2. ED to Northwestern
3. Graduate above top quarter
4. Profit.
FTFY. OP, my GPA is worse than yours but I have already completed step one of this plan. I expect to execute step two on September 15th when my rejection from UVa ED comes in.
My addendum plan: honest and very very brief explanation of my GPA. I will treat it as though the committee is looking me in the eye and asking: what happened? Not too long, just the facts. But I have no idea if this is the credited response, I'm just a guy on the internet.
FTFY
Re: What is the best way to address a sub-par GPA?
Posted: Thu Jul 22, 2010 2:47 pm
by StupidQuestions
Kohinoor wrote:StupidQuestions wrote:Thomas Jefferson wrote:1. Get mid 170s
2. ED to Northwestern
3. Graduate Order of the Coif or declare bankruptcy
4. Profit.
FTFY
FTFY
FTFY
Re: What is the best way to address a sub-par GPA?
Posted: Thu Jul 22, 2010 3:02 pm
by b2582
Thanks for the tip yhezel. I can afford to apply to a good many schools-- it's a big decision and I have saved enough to spread it around the law school spectrum as far as all levels. Plus I intend to have a few reach schools on there (Northwestern, Boston U, maybe GW) and a few bottom 2nd tier/ 3rd tier (William Mitchell in MN, maybe Suffolk...)
I'm still researching and reading through all the info and literature...
BUT I certainly am not getting my hopes up too much as far as the reach schools go, and to be honest I'd be more surprised if I got in than if I didn't. But you never know...
But yes, my primary focus in life is the LSAT and I feel that if I do really well, I may be able to get a scholarship along the way-- That's what I'm really hoping for.