LSDAS GPA - question about retaken courses Forum

[incase2011]

My UG handles retaken courses in a weird way (it could be that this is the standard and that I just didn't understand other postings on this topic).

A retaken course is left on the transcript in name only. It's credit hours are disregarded (as if it were not taken), and the grade originally received in the course is changed to R.

So essentially, schools can see that I retook a course if they look on my transcript, but the listing of the retake doesn't count toward my credit hours or my GPA - the grade listed is an R (similar to a W, I, etc.)

I'm guessing despite all of this - I'm still going to end up getting an F listed for retakes, which isn't entirely fair considering my original grades.

[im_blue]

You're in luck - if your transcript shows a grade of R instead of the old grade, then only the new grade counts. Most UG transcripts show both grades, so LSAC will count both in those cases.

[incase2011]

im_blue you just saved my life lol. I wonder how law schools will interpret this information though. Would they see my LSDAS GPA as false once they see the R's?

[MartianManhunter]

No.

[Sandro]

so you could have two identical students, one retook three classes at university X , another at Uni Y, and the student at the university which uses Rs (???) will have a noticeably better GPA.


go LSAC.

[incase2011]

Honestly, this might work out in my favor, but I'm thinking the same thing. How could an adcomm, despite my better LSDAS GPA, consider me a better applicant than someone who would have ranked higher GPA-wise had their school employed the same course replacement system as mine?

Do the reported GPAs for admitted students (re: law school rankings) matter more than admitting potentially better qualified applicants?

[im_blue]

Do the reported GPAs for admitted students (re: law school rankings) matter more than admitting potentially better qualified applicants?

Absolutely, it's all about accepting the highest numbers they can get, otherwise things like UG prestige and extracurricular activities would count more for admissions than they do now. This is why someone with a low GPA due to a bunch of D's and F's from 10 years ago does not get any consideration.

[Sandro]

why does LSAC leave it up to the schools? What if the school had a policy of erasing your 3 lowest grades, LSAC would just roll with it? Not to cry about it but why is my LSAC lower because I retook a course and another students isnt?

[im_blue]

why does LSAC leave it up to the schools? What if the school had a policy of erasing your 3 lowest grades, LSAC would just roll with it? Not to cry about it but why is my LSAC lower because I retook a course and another students isnt?

LSAC can't count original grades that don't appear on the transcript. What are they going to do, make something up? Many schools have a policy of not counting original grades in their GPA, and sometimes the original grade is crossed out on the transcript, but in both cases LSAC counts the original grade as long as they can see it.

As another example, MIT and Caltech both have P/F grading for freshmen (1st or 2nd semester or both, don't remember which) on their official transcripts but have internal letter grades on unofficial transcripts. In this case, LSAC can't count those grades. However, med schools do ask for MIT/Caltech to release these internal grades so that they can see them.

[Sandro]

my school doesnt count the original grade, and it doesnt even appear on my online transcript through the state's education portal. I get LSAC counting it, but what i dont get is how if they cant count some students originals, they wouldnt just decide to not count any originals as to not give an unfair advantage to some?

[incase2011]

I'm going to call the pre-law office at my school on Monday, and see if they can shed any more light on this topic.

I'm not sure if I should consider my GPA as is. Won't my retakes still weigh against me? I guess I'm wondering how much it will matter - as much as having bad softs, or more?

If I got a 3.1 UG GPA and LSDAS honors this, give or take, should I apply to schools with this grade in mind? Or should I be more hesitant considering my GPA would have been much lower using the standard method of assessing retaken courses?

[CSCS Trainer]

I had a question about this as well. I have two re-takes in my undergrad ( for various reasons ) and while my university replaces the original grade with the new grade and does not count the original in the gpa, LSAC does. LSAC also calculates +/- grades differently than my undergrad university, so that changes my gpa listed on my LSAC summary v. my transcripts as well.

My question then, is which gpa will the law school admissions board consider, the transcript gpa from my degree granting university or the gpa calculated by LSAC?

Another question: I also have a master's degree, and while I know my gpa for graduate school is not factored into my LSAC report, should I necessarily worry that much about the two repeated courses in my undergrad?

[Sandro]

LSAC. All day.