When to apply/ GPA issue Forum

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erryo

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When to apply/ GPA issue

Post by erryo » Tue Sep 07, 2010 12:54 am

Okay so I'm aiming for Vandy, Duke, Texas, etc..

I currently have a 163 LSAT (retaking October) and have a good reason why my score was that low (had surgery on my foot about a week prior to the test and was medicated on test day).

I currently also have a 3.54 GPA.. but I switched from a major which was very difficult (science) to a business program. I'm retaking a course right now in which I received a C my freshman year and should I make an A this time, academic forgiveness at my school will let me replace my older grade with the new one so that will bring the GPA up almost a tenth of a point.

Anyway, long story short.. if I wait until December 5th ish to send my transcript, I'll have 3.66. And at the end of the spring I'll have a 3.75ish when I graduate (retaking another course). I'm also going to be a three year graduate. Also if I wait until after this term is complete to submit my transcripts, I'll have about a 3.94 GPA over the last year of school (last spring, summer and this fall) which I figure would be upward trending.

My question is.. when do you think I should apply as I am depending on heavy scholarship/fin. aid from these schools. My LSAT will hopefully hit 170 this time around.

What would you do? Write addenda? Thanks for any advice.

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Pleasye

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Re: When to apply/ GPA issue

Post by Pleasye » Tue Sep 07, 2010 12:59 am

When you send your transcripts into LSAC they will not ignore the courses that you retook (no academic forgiveness) if you got a C the first time and an A the second time both grades will be factored into your LSAC GPA.

Which cycle are you applying for? This one or next year?

DreamShake

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Re: When to apply/ GPA issue

Post by DreamShake » Tue Sep 07, 2010 1:01 am

edit: above poster has it covered...

bk1

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Re: When to apply/ GPA issue

Post by bk1 » Tue Sep 07, 2010 1:02 am

LSAC will take both your original grade and your retake into account when calculating your LSDAS GPA.

Upward trend will be largely irrelevant.

Writing an addendum for your first LSAT would be fine.

The later you apply the less scholarship money will be available. If you are looking for scholarship money aim lower. Getting into those schools is unlikely with scores below both medians, let alone scholarship money. Even if you do manage to get above one median, it is unlikely that you will get anything significant since you are not above both.

erryo

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Re: When to apply/ GPA issue

Post by erryo » Tue Sep 07, 2010 1:09 am

I'm not positive, but I don't think my first score will actually appear on the transcript. Only the second.

But even if both appear, my GPA will be a 3.61.. how much will that help over the 3.54? Also I worked about 25-30 hours per week my first two years (this being my third), if that makes any difference. And I am applying for this cycle (would start law school fall 2011).

Thanks guys.

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bk1

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Re: When to apply/ GPA issue

Post by bk1 » Tue Sep 07, 2010 1:11 am

erryo wrote:I'm not positive, but I don't think my first score will actually appear on the transcript. Only the second.

But even if both appear, my GPA will be a 3.61.. how much will that help over the 3.54? Also I worked about 25-30 hours per week my first two years (this being my third), if that makes any difference. And I am applying for this cycle (would start law school fall 2011).

Thanks guys.
If the GPA pushes you over their 25th percentile it will increase your chances of admission, but I doubt it will magically thrust you into scholarship range. Otherwise it will make a minimal difference, imo.

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Pleasye

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Re: When to apply/ GPA issue

Post by Pleasye » Tue Sep 07, 2010 1:28 am

erryo wrote:I'm not positive, but I don't think my first score will actually appear on the transcript. Only the second.

But even if both appear, my GPA will be a 3.61.. how much will that help over the 3.54? Also I worked about 25-30 hours per week my first two years (this being my third), if that makes any difference. And I am applying for this cycle (would start law school fall 2011).

Thanks guys.

Like BK said...if it pushes you over the 25th then it'll help, or else it's not a huge difference. Also, the first grade will get calculate in (search LSAC GPA in the forums and read about all the people who failed their whole first semester but retook for their 4.0 and are now applying with an LSAC GPA of 2.0).

If you're applying for this cycle kill your retake and apply as soon as your score comes in. Your LSAT score is what will help you in this situation, not waiting until the deadline to submit apps for a possible .1 increase in your GPA.

erryo

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Re: When to apply/ GPA issue

Post by erryo » Tue Sep 07, 2010 1:33 am

LSpleaseee wrote:
erryo wrote:I'm not positive, but I don't think my first score will actually appear on the transcript. Only the second.

But even if both appear, my GPA will be a 3.61.. how much will that help over the 3.54? Also I worked about 25-30 hours per week my first two years (this being my third), if that makes any difference. And I am applying for this cycle (would start law school fall 2011).

Thanks guys.

Like BK said...if it pushes you over the 25th then it'll help, or else it's not a huge difference. Also, the first grade will get calculate in (search LSAC GPA in the forums and read about all the people who failed their whole first semester but retook for their 4.0 and are now applying with an LSAC GPA of 2.0).

If you're applying for this cycle kill your retake and apply as soon as your score comes in. Your LSAT score is what will help you in this situation, not waiting until the deadline to submit apps for a possible .1 increase in your GPA.
Thanks, that is basically what I was needing to know.

Does a 170 put me in any scholarship situation at any of the schools? In that case would a 3.54/3.61 matter?

Thanks again to everyone who has replied.

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Pleasye

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Re: When to apply/ GPA issue

Post by Pleasye » Tue Sep 07, 2010 1:38 am

erryo wrote:
LSpleaseee wrote:
erryo wrote:I'm not positive, but I don't think my first score will actually appear on the transcript. Only the second.

But even if both appear, my GPA will be a 3.61.. how much will that help over the 3.54? Also I worked about 25-30 hours per week my first two years (this being my third), if that makes any difference. And I am applying for this cycle (would start law school fall 2011).

Thanks guys.

Like BK said...if it pushes you over the 25th then it'll help, or else it's not a huge difference. Also, the first grade will get calculate in (search LSAC GPA in the forums and read about all the people who failed their whole first semester but retook for their 4.0 and are now applying with an LSAC GPA of 2.0).

If you're applying for this cycle kill your retake and apply as soon as your score comes in. Your LSAT score is what will help you in this situation, not waiting until the deadline to submit apps for a possible .1 increase in your GPA.
Thanks, that is basically what I was needing to know.

Does a 170 put me in any scholarship situation at any of the schools? In that case would a 3.54/3.61 matter?

Thanks again to everyone who has replied.
I don't know that much about the schools you mentioned off the top of my head but have you checked out http://www.lawschoolpredictor.com and http://www.lawschoolnumbers.com ?

ETA: on LSP it makes a slight difference for Vandy

3.54/170: Duke consider, Texas strong consider, Vandy consider
3.61/170: Duke consider, Texas strong consider, Vandy strong consider
Last edited by Pleasye on Tue Sep 07, 2010 1:41 am, edited 1 time in total.

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bk1

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Re: When to apply/ GPA issue

Post by bk1 » Tue Sep 07, 2010 1:39 am

erryo wrote: Thanks, that is basically what I was needing to know.

Does a 170 put me in any scholarship situation at any of the schools? In that case would a 3.54/3.61 matter?

Thanks again to everyone who has replied.
Scholarship money is generally only handed out to those with numbers above both medians. Sometimes a bit will go to candidates who are above the 25th on one and above the median on the other, but generally it is just for those above both. The GPA difference will only matter if it pushes you over the median or the 25th percentile, as noted earlier. Will a 170 put you in scholly range? Probably not considering your GPA is still below median and a 170 isn't necessarily above median.

If you want scholly money, aim lower or score higher much higher than 170 on your LSAT. If you want the schools you listed I would be worrying about getting in over worrying about scholly money.

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Pleasye

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Re: When to apply/ GPA issue

Post by Pleasye » Tue Sep 07, 2010 1:42 am

Sorry RC Fail...I missed the scholly part of your question.

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