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I've been a TLS/LSD stalker for a bit now, and I occasionally see people complaining how unfair the LSDAS GPA is, as it rips up your GPA, masticates it, and then vomits up a random number that is always lower.

I seem to have the opposite problem. I have a 4.0 GPA, but only because I only have 9 graded units (All A's). My undergrad school only gave pass/fail grades, so I literally have 111 ungraded units, and a few A's transferred in.

However, everyone keeps saying that your LSAT and LSAC GPA are the only two things that matter. Equally, everyone (this nefarious "everyone") keeps saying that grad school/softs/etc. really doesn't matter. Would it be worth it to spend a year or two in grad school to get a "real" GPA that would demonstrate to Adcomm that I can perform well in law school? Or is it not worth it to do grad school "for" law school?

Thanks.

twentypercentmore wrote:Would it be worth it to spend a year or two in grad school to get a "real" GPA that would demonstrate to Adcomm that I can perform well in law school? Or is it not worth it to do grad school "for" law school?

Thanks.

I would say no. Graduate GPA isn't calculated. Others may have a differing opinion. What is your LSAC GPA?

NomNom wrote: I would say no. Graduate GPA isn't calculated. Others may have a differing opinion. What is your LSAC GPA?

Sounds like he's saying that other than pass/fail courses he only has A's. That would give him a 4.0 LSAC GPA. If he can combine that with a half decent LSAT score, he's got it made.

albanach wrote:

NomNom wrote: I would say no. Graduate GPA isn't calculated. Others may have a differing opinion. What is your LSAC GPA?

Sounds like he's saying that other than pass/fail courses he only has A's. That would give him a 4.0 LSAC GPA. If he can combine that with a half decent LSAT score, he's got it made.

Well that was my initial impression...so therefore I can't figure out why he/she feels the need to supplement THAT with graduate work. I was assuming his LSAC GPA was low.

twentypercentmore wrote:IWould it be worth it to spend a year or two in grad school to get a "real" GPA that would demonstrate to Adcomm that I can perform well in law school?

What? No! You're saying you have a 4.0 but still want to prove something to the adcomm?

If you want to go to grad school, do it. But don't go to prepare yourself for law school. That's... preposterous.

twentypercentmore wrote:
Would it be worth it to spend a year or two in grad school to get a "real" GPA that would demonstrate to Adcomm that I can perform well in law school?

Adcomms don't care about whether you can perform well IN law school. They only care about your LSAC GPA and LSAT.

dudders wrote:

twentypercentmore wrote:
Would it be worth it to spend a year or two in grad school to get a "real" GPA that would demonstrate to Adcomm that I can perform well in law school?

Adcomms don't care about whether you can perform well IN law school. They only care about your LSAC GPA and LSAT.

That's a rather circular argument considering the reason they look at your GPA/LSAT is to evaluate your ability to...perform well in law school.

NomNom wrote:

dudders wrote:

twentypercentmore wrote:
Would it be worth it to spend a year or two in grad school to get a "real" GPA that would demonstrate to Adcomm that I can perform well in law school?

Adcomms don't care about whether you can perform well IN law school. They only care about your LSAC GPA and LSAT.

That's a rather circular argument considering the reason they look at your GPA/LSAT is to evaluate your ability to...perform well in law school.

Unless the reason they look at your GPA/LSAT is because they care about the USNWR rankings (not that any law schools do that...)

InGoodFaith wrote:
What? No! You're saying you have a 4.0 but still want to prove something to the adcomm?

If you want to go to grad school, do it. But don't go to prepare yourself for law school. That's... preposterous.

+1

InGoodFaith wrote:

NomNom wrote:

dudders wrote:

twentypercentmore wrote:
Would it be worth it to spend a year or two in grad school to get a "real" GPA that would demonstrate to Adcomm that I can perform well in law school?

Adcomms don't care about whether you can perform well IN law school. They only care about your LSAC GPA and LSAT.

That's a rather circular argument considering the reason they look at your GPA/LSAT is to evaluate your ability to...perform well in law school.

Unless the reason they look at your GPA/LSAT is because they care about the USNWR rankings (not that any law schools do that...)

Indeed they do....which brings us around again.

*head explodes*

This thread is too much.

Wow, thanks for the awesome feedback so far. :)

I do have a 4.0 LSAC GPA. My GPA rocks, I won't lie -- my only concern is that law school admissions people will look at my transcript and go "Oh, you only have a 4.0 because you only have three classes with a letter grade." So on paper this works out really well, but is this really how the law school world works? Consequently, I'm wondering if grad school would "prove" to admissions people that I can handle the rigors law school.

From what it sounds like so far though, it doesn't?

twentypercentmore wrote:is this really how the law school world works?

Yes! Law school is all about numbers. Getting in is a function (almost) solely consisting of GPA/LSAT. Getting a job is a function (almost) solely consisting of class rank and work experience.

Now if only someone could figure out the formula for getting good grades.

This is the kind of thing that matters in a tiebreak (you versus another 4.0 with identical LSAT) but not when you're compared with a person who has a 3.8. They'll probably take the person with a full boat of grades over you if you have identical numbers, but otherwise it shouldn't really be an issue. My gpa was boosted .1 by classes I took at a community college in high school, and I performed exactly as my LSDAS GPA and LSAT numbers would predict I would.

I wish I could study at your institution
Your LSAC GPA could have been WORSE if you messed up with 3 letter graded classes. It is almost impossible to make up for a bad grade with a few additional courses Congrats on your GPA

twentypercentmore wrote: From what it sounds like so far though, it doesn't?

Assuming you can get 170+ on the LSAT you can sit back and wait for offers of $$$ to go to some of the best law schools in the world.

Work really hard on the LSAT. Try to nail it in one go - that's not an easy thing to do, but if you manage it you can graduate from a great school with a minimum of debt. That's a fantastic position for anyone to be in.