Question about UGPA schools report to USNews Forum

[ScrabbleChamp]

Which GPA is reported, 3.33 or 3.50...

If, at time of application (before senior year courses have been completed), UGPA is 3.33, and at graduation UGPA is 3.50, which GPA is reported for purposes of USNews and calulating 25th/75th and medians?

[kalvano]

Your LSAC cumulative GPA is what's reported. Have you only taken college classes at this one school ever?

[ScrabbleChamp]

Your LSAC cumulative GPA is what's reported. Have you only taken college classes at this one school ever?

Yes, I only went to one school, and it was quite a while ago. I was asking this question more as a general "I'm curious and want to know" question. I know a guy who has a 3.33 right now and, if all goes as planned (according to him), he is going to get straight A's the fall and spring semesters this upcoming year, which will propel him to a 3.50. Assuming he applies ED to a school, they'll accept (or deny) him based on a 3.33. Because of this, I wasn't sure if the reported numbers for medians, percentiles, etc... would be the 3.33 (because he was admitted based on this number) or the 3.50.

[GettingReady2010]

Which GPA is reported, 3.33 or 3.50...

If, at time of application (before senior year courses have been completed), UGPA is 3.33, and at graduation UGPA is 3.50, which GPA is reported for purposes of USNews and calulating 25th/75th and medians?

This is actually a very good question that I've never thought about before. I can't speak for US News, but I know a lot of schools have on their website what the median undergraduate GPA is. I assume that means all of undergrad.

[Teoeo]

I dont actually know this for sure, but I cant imagine they would use anything but your complete transcript.

[GettingReady2010]

I dont actually know this for sure, but I cant imagine they would use anything but your complete transcript.

This then begs the question whether or not the GPA's people apply with are higher or lower than their GPA when they graduate.

[MrKappus]

I dont actually know this for sure, but I cant imagine they would use anything but your complete transcript.

This then begs the question whether or not the GPA's people apply with are higher or lower than their GPA when they graduate.

Maybe it invites speculation...but it doesn't "beg the question."

[nahgems]

I can't really speak for certain, but my school has an "applicant profile" page for each of us. I applied (after taking the LSAT once), but retook the LSAT and scored five points higher. I was admitted based on the initial score, but used the final score to negotiate scholarship. My "applicant profile" (which I believe is what was used to calculate the numbers the school reports) still lists the original score. I assume GPA is similar (they use what they had when you applied). But I could be totally wrong.

[ggocat]

Schools use the LSAC report UGPA. U.S. News asks for ABA data, and ABA uses the LSAC report. See http://www.americanbar.org/groups/legal ... naire.html (part 2).

But if an applicant updates a new transcript, the school gets a new report. Thus, it looks like it's up to the applicant and school to use the final transcript for ABA reporting.

"You should have official transcripts sent for any additional academic work completed after your initial Credential Assembly Service law school reports have been forwarded. This information will be incorporated into your file and updated transcript reports will be sent to the law schools as long as their reporting term is still current." http://www.lsac.org/Applying/lsdas-requ ... cripts.asp

An industrious law school would provide incentives for people to upload their transcript through LSAC if grades increase and incentives to send the law school the transcript directly if grades decrease. (Operating on the assumption that all schools require a final transcript.

[ScrabbleChamp]

I wasn't able to find a definitive answer online, so I figured here would be the best place to pose the question. I do find it to be an interesting topic, though. I mean, chances are, most people accepted at schools that really care about their ranking are not going to have huge differences between admitted GPAs and final GPAs, but, who knows. It's possible the schools pick and choose the highest of either. I don't know...

[ggocat]

I can't really speak for certain, but my school has an "applicant profile" page for each of us. I applied (after taking the LSAT once), but retook the LSAT and scored five points higher. I was admitted based on the initial score, but used the final score to negotiate scholarship. My "applicant profile" (which I believe is what was used to calculate the numbers the school reports) still lists the original score. I assume GPA is similar (they use what they had when you applied). But I could be totally wrong.

The difference is that LSAT is automatically sent by LSAC to schools because they control the information (the LSAT score). http://www.lsac.org/aboutlsac/faqs-and-support-lsat.asp (see "how will my scores be reported").

With transcripts, there is no explicit requirement that you upload a final transcript through LSAC. Note the aspirational "should" language I quoted earlier. Should is not must.

[angioletto]

I would say it would have to be your LSAC calculated GPA. I attended more than one school but the only transcript my LS asked for is the one from my degree granting institution so the only GPAs they will have for me are my LSAC one (which does not include my final semester) and my GPA from the school I graduated from, which is only for my final year of study.

[im_blue]

The LSDAS GPA is reported as ABA data and used by US News. If you're a college senior, this would reflect the latest transcript that was submitted to LSAC. UVA has explicitly told applicants that if their final GPA drops below their median of 3.85, then send the final transcript directly to their office instead of LSAC.