1 Year WE vs. more classes to boost GPA Forum

[YaSvoboden]

I am planning on starting law school in fall 2012. After the current semester I will have 13 credits needed for my bachelor's in accounting, all of which could be done in the summer. If I take this route I could possibly get a decent year of WE that might be a minor boost in admissions, not to mention help pay off some loans.
Alternatively, I could load up with some easier classes and boost my GPA. MY current GPA is 3.79 and should at least break the 3.8 barrier by the time I graduate, one semester in 2004 is pulling this down. If I got a 4.0 for next year it would raise my GPA ~.04-.05.

Which one of these would help me more for admissions?

Another big consideration in this is when I could take the LSAT. I am shooting for June, but with work and full time school right now I haven't had much time to prepare. If I do a full load in the summer too I think I would have to put it off until October. My PT's are 159, 162, 162 with a review of the test as my only preparation in between and I am pretty confident that with proper preparation I can get a good score.

[TTH]

Your GPA is fine. No need to work on that. Do whatever is the least time-intensive and study study study for the LSAT. Take a class this summer (or self-study--look in the LSAT forum), and take the LSAT in September. That way, if you don't like your score you can retake in December and still have a shot for the 2012 cycle.

[aspire2more]

If these are the only options, get work experience and take the LSAT in September/October.

If you could structure things anyway you want I would do the following:

1. Take a half load in the summer, study hard for the LSAT, take in June.
2. Submit applications in September or whenever they become available.
3. Take the rest of your classes in the fall and complete your degree in December.
4. Work part-time while finishing school in the fall.

Realistically, I have no idea if that would work out, but it seems like it would be optimal since you have no real need to boost your GPA.

[YaSvoboden]

If these are the only options, get work experience and take the LSAT in September/October.

If you could structure things anyway you want I would do the following:

1. Take a half load in the summer, study hard for the LSAT, take in June.
2. Submit applications in September or whenever they become available.
3. Take the rest of your classes in the fall and complete your degree in December.
4. Work part-time while finishing school in the fall.

Realistically, I have no idea if that would work out, but it seems like it would be optimal since you have no real need to boost your GPA.

That actually works quite well for me and it was something else that I was considering. It seems like the best advice is to optimize my LSAT score, while any minor change in my GPA won't have as much benefit. Thank you for the help, I think this is what I will do.

[bk1]

The one year of work experience would be helpful at schools that care about that stuff (Harvard and NU come to mind).

The GPA boost would be help at schools where it would put you over their GPA median.

[dr123]

Is 2 semesters of tuition really worth a .04 bump in GPA?

[YaSvoboden]

I go to a pretty cheap university and I will probably have a full scholarship and pell grant next year, meaning a $2,500 profit or so per semester. So, yes it is worth the tuition.
I am a little unsure about how adcomms would look at several full semesters of upper division courses and then a really easy semester or two.

[bk1]

I am a little unsure about how adcomms would look at several full semesters of upper division courses and then a really easy semester or two.

They won't care.