Low GPA!? Discouraged.. Help! Forum

[bmp]

I just calculated my GPA using the LSDAS GPA calculator and it's a 3.11! I am taking a summer class right now and will be taking another one next month (I graduate in December) but after those calculations my GPA may go to a 3.12...
I know my GPA is low! I am regretful about not caring my first year or two of college. I am hoping to score in the range of 162-165 at minimum on the October LSAT.
I have great volunteer and internship experience and will have great LORs. I am a Hispanic female and the first in my family to go to college.
I have a low GPA and 5 W's on my transcript ( I had no clue at the time that W's were not good to have posted on your transcript! stupid me. But I did take all the classes I withdrew from I just withdrew at the time because of scheduling conflicts or over committing myself like to many internships in a semester and working 2 jobs, etc).
Schools I plan on applying to:
UF, FSU, Stetson, FIU, DU, UM (all are in FL except University of Denver). I am originally from FL and all my family is there but I am finishing my ug in Colorado.
What are my chances!? Should I put off applying until next cycle and take more classes after I graduate to boost my GPA? How can I be more appealing to law schools? I know the LSAT is the 1st thing.
Any advice would be great... I am feeling kind of hopeless and discouraged at the moment.
Thanks
-B

[TommyK]

I am a Hispanic female

GPA may go to a 3.12

I am hoping to score in the range of 162-165 at minimum

Schools I plan on applying to:
UF, FSU, Stetson, FIU, DU, UM

In at every single one of them as a URM with a 165/3.12. Don't stress out about it too much. Focus on LSAT. If you're able to get in that range, you should be fine.

[Kilpatrick]

I just calculated my GPA using the LSDAS GPA calculator and it's a 3.11! I am taking a summer class right now and will be taking another one next month (I graduate in December) but after those calculations my GPA may go to a 3.12...
I know my GPA is low! I am regretful about not caring my first year or two of college. I am hoping to score in the range of 162-165 at minimum on the October LSAT.
I have great volunteer and internship experience and will have great LORs. I am a Hispanic female and the first in my family to go to college.
I have a low GPA and 5 W's on my transcript ( I had no clue at the time that W's were not good to have posted on your transcript! stupid me. But I did take all the classes I withdrew from I just withdrew at the time because of scheduling conflicts or over committing myself like to many internships in a semester and working 2 jobs, etc).
Schools I plan on applying to:
UF, FSU, Stetson, FIU, DU, UM (all are in FL except University of Denver). I am originally from FL and all my family is there but I am finishing my ug in Colorado.
What are my chances!? Should I put off applying until next cycle and take more classes after I graduate to boost my GPA? How can I be more appealing to law schools? I know the LSAT is the 1st thing.
Any advice would be great... I am feeling kind of hopeless and discouraged at the moment.
Thanks
-B

The LSAT isn't just the first thing, in your case its the ONLY thing. I had a shitty undergrad GPA too. Don't be discouraged. Be happy that law schools created a test that basically wipes the slate clean for you. Focus on the LSAT, get a 165, go to UF.

But be prepared to sit out a cycle if you don't score high enough on the LSAT to get into your top choices. If you come back in September and post a Stetson v FIU thread, we're all just going to tell you to retake.

[Sandro]

URM will help make that GPA not hurt as much, but you will still need a decent LSAT. A 165 would be nice but theres a 90% chance that doesnt happen..... look up some URM applicants with sub 3.3 GPAs from this cycle to see what LSAT you need. http://www.lawschoolnumbers.com

[bmp]

Thanks everyone! I did look at law school numbers that is how I came up with the range of 162-165 minimum. My diagnostic cold was low but I am working hard and taking the Powerscore LSAT course starting in August. I am still not in the 160's but have 3 months to get there.

[TommyK]

Thanks everyone! I did look at law school numbers that is how I came up with the range of 162-165 minimum. My diagnostic cold was low but I am working hard and taking the Powerscore LSAT course starting in August. I am still not in the 160's but have 3 months to get there.

Just realize this is probably in the top two of most important tests in your life and dedicate the time and effort to it. Good luck, op

[minnesotasam]

A 165 would be nice but theres a 90% chance that doesnt happen.

I understand what you're trying to say here and your post clearly means well and is otherwise helpful but this sentence is just wrong. Arguing that, because 90% of test takers score below 165, somehow a single individual's chances are equivalent is simply flawed logic and discouraging.

[scammedhard]

I am a Hispanic female and the first in my family to go to college.

What "kind" of Hispanic are you? Not all Hispanics get the same diversity boost.

[bmp]

I am a Hispanic female and the first in my family to go to college.

What "kind" of Hispanic are you? Not all Hispanics get the same diversity boost.

My father is Bolivian and my mother is Puerto Rican.. I didn't know it mattered what "kind" you were... I mean either you are or you are not..? Could you explain.

[Kilpatrick]

From now on you're just Puerto Rican.

[scammedhard]

I am a Hispanic female and the first in my family to go to college.

What "kind" of Hispanic are you? Not all Hispanics get the same diversity boost.

My father is Bolivian and my mother is Puerto Rican.. I didn't know it mattered what "kind" you were... I mean either you are or you are not..? Could you explain.

Then you are set. Get a 160+ LSAT and you are in.

EDIT: The "diversity boost" to Hispanics is not applied equally. Puerto Ricans and Mexicans get the most, while the rest get less, if any.

[rinkrat19]

With URM and a high enough LSAT, you could get in to half the T14. That GPA isn't going to hold you back as much as you think it is. The key is the LSAT...whether you score a 155, 165 or 170+ is going to largely determine where you should realistically apply. Do NOT eliminate "wait and retake" as an option if you don't get a decent score on your first try. It's better to try again later (the law schools aren't going anywhere) than to settle for a school with shitty employment prospects.

[bp shinners]

Should I put off applying until next cycle and take more classes after I graduate to boost my GPA?

Everyone else has given great advice about the LSAT and your chances. I just wanted to chime in and make sure you know that you can't boost your GPA by taking classes after you graduate; the LSAC only counts grades received before your first degree.

[bmp]

Should I put off applying until next cycle and take more classes after I graduate to boost my GPA?

Everyone else has given great advice about the LSAT and your chances. I just wanted to chime in and make sure you know that you can't boost your GPA by taking classes after you graduate; the LSAC only counts grades received before your first degree.

Good to know! I was not aware. Well that settles that.

I do appreciate all the feedback!

[BrianGriffintheDog]

Your gpa's not that bad actually. It's just good enough for a good (170+) LSAT score to make up for it.

Even if you take more classes to "boost" your GPA (I quoted because it's not always guaranteed that you'll be able to get straight A's), chances are it wouldn't go up all that much. It's better to focus on your LSAT and aim as high as possible.

As long as you get a good LSAT score, you shouldn't have any problems getting into higher ranking schools than the ones you listed. Be optimistic!

[fixxion]

work towards that 170+ Preferably a 173+ It really is hard to predict what will become of us urm splitters

[bmp]

Just wondering is a 3.12 looked at any different then a 3.18 or do they just look at the tenths place (3.1)?
Is it a big difference?

Thanks!

[paul7lee]

I think they care more about the difference between 163 and 166 than 3.12 and 3.18.

Just for the record, I have a 3.2/163/Asian (read white) and got full from Brooklyn Law and Seton Hall and decent scholarships from other northeast 2nd tiers. I know you're coming from FL/CO but with your URM and potential mid-160s and up score, you'd be a shoo-in at all the schools you listed and then some. If I were you, I'd expand the list to include other areas of the map even if it is just to leverage scholarship packages against each other which is what I did. You really only get to do this once, or at least, it is hopeful that you only do it once.