Top Law Schools

My first undergrad transcript is disastrous with a mere 2.8 LSDAS GPA, multiple re-takes & W's (including one semester of official withdrawal: all W's). In my second undergrad institution, I have been fortunate enough to maintain a 3.9 GPA so far. My weighted LSDAS GPA should be in the 3.4-3.5 range by the next cycle/upon graduation.

My question is: how much will be my first transcript negatively impact my chances of admission to a top school? Likewise, will they also take into account the significant upward trend?

I've also been told they rarely pay too much attention to transcripts and rather emphasize LSDAS GPA as reflected on Law School Report.

Thanks in advance.

Law schools will consider your overall GPA, not just the GPA from the degree granting institution.

Your upward trend will help you insofar as it's better than a downward trend. Bumps for upward trends are minimal at best, and your GPA from your second school really isn't going to off-set or erase your GPA from your first school.

e: because I misread

I thought w's weren't supposed to hurt you unless they were withdraw/failing.

In any case, writing a GPA addendum should help some.

I'm in much the same boat as the OP. I really hate it that the LSAC is so unforgiving of past issues. There really isn't anything we can do aside from write a killer GPA addendum and hope for the best.

The only decent pieces of advice I have gotten/can give are to put everything you've got into the LSAT and if you don't have work experience, get some if you can swing it.