Overcoming Low GPA with Work Experience Forum
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Overcoming Low GPA with Work Experience
Let me start with a bit of background. I am a senior in a top undergrad business school right now. I have already signed my contract with Goldman Sachs; for the next 2 years I will be doing investment banking there. However, I think that I may want to go to law school after.
Here is the problem: my college GPA is really low, and I really want to shoot for a HLS school. My college GPA is low (about 3.65) because of only 3 semesters of poor performance. I had a medical condition that meant I couldn't really devote time to school. The other semesters are all fine with grades (lowest semester is a 3.85).
Assuming I get a really good LSAT score(I know, anything could happen, but lets just assume), like 172+, what are my chances of getting into HLS? Obviously the thing I worry the most about is my GPA hurting me. Would it be possible to overlook this fact, especially since I would have worked for 2 years at a top investment bank?
Here is the problem: my college GPA is really low, and I really want to shoot for a HLS school. My college GPA is low (about 3.65) because of only 3 semesters of poor performance. I had a medical condition that meant I couldn't really devote time to school. The other semesters are all fine with grades (lowest semester is a 3.85).
Assuming I get a really good LSAT score(I know, anything could happen, but lets just assume), like 172+, what are my chances of getting into HLS? Obviously the thing I worry the most about is my GPA hurting me. Would it be possible to overlook this fact, especially since I would have worked for 2 years at a top investment bank?
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Re: Overcoming Low GPA with Work Experience
This thread makes too many assumptions about your future for me to take it seriously.
However, I did something similar to what you are attempting and I will say that the W/E bump does do something for you but it will not make up for GPA minimums. You have a shot at H with a stellar lsat score 173+ but I would not count on it.
BTW, your investment banking experience will give you a huge boost if you want to go into big law after law school.
However, I did something similar to what you are attempting and I will say that the W/E bump does do something for you but it will not make up for GPA minimums. You have a shot at H with a stellar lsat score 173+ but I would not count on it.
BTW, your investment banking experience will give you a huge boost if you want to go into big law after law school.
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Re: Overcoming Low GPA with Work Experience
I agree that I did make an assumption about my future LSAT score. However, that is the only assumption that I made, so I am not sure what you mean by me having a lot of them.
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Re: Overcoming Low GPA with Work Experience
You also assume that you will be still interested in law school in two years.perhapslawschool wrote:I agree that I did make an assumption about my future LSAT score. However, that is the only assumption that I made, so I am not sure what you mean by me having a lot of them.
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Re: Overcoming Low GPA with Work Experience
lol that's true...but I think we have to make that assumption for obvious reasons...
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- Gail
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Re: Overcoming Low GPA with Work Experience
The WE bump seems to be more relevant for OCI
Look at the legal employment subforum. I think one of the posters here made a google doc and you can definitely see that WE was beneficial.
Look at the legal employment subforum. I think one of the posters here made a google doc and you can definitely see that WE was beneficial.
- Tadatsune
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Re: Overcoming Low GPA with Work Experience
In any case you should write an addendum explaining that your poor performance was due to a medical condition. That might help a little.
- emkay625
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Re: Overcoming Low GPA with Work Experience
Why are you assuming a score of 173+? Have you taken a diagnostic test?
- JDizzle2015
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Re: Overcoming Low GPA with Work Experience
I applied to law school this year with finance work experience that many would consider as "prestigious" or more prestigious than a Goldman job (depending on what you're doing at Goldman); think high profile PE/VC. Then, I did about a year of legal assistant work for HYS attorneys.
My cycle has pretty much played out exactly as if I got two years of work experience anywhere else.
It looks like HLS does have a 3.7 GPA floor (http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 2&t=162680) but a high 170s LSAT might make acceptance possible. ~173 probably won't cut it. If you can bring it closer to 180, HLS may be in reach.
HTH.
ETA: tl;dr don't expect work experience to do magic on your GPA/LSAT.
My cycle has pretty much played out exactly as if I got two years of work experience anywhere else.
It looks like HLS does have a 3.7 GPA floor (http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 2&t=162680) but a high 170s LSAT might make acceptance possible. ~173 probably won't cut it. If you can bring it closer to 180, HLS may be in reach.
HTH.
ETA: tl;dr don't expect work experience to do magic on your GPA/LSAT.
- NomNom
- Posts: 170
- Joined: Sat Sep 10, 2011 1:33 pm
Re: Overcoming Low GPA with Work Experience
Two years of work experience won't do much no matter what the field. Maybe a decade.JDizzle2015 wrote:I applied to law school this year with finance work experience that many would consider as "prestigious" or more prestigious than a Goldman job (depending on what you're doing at Goldman); think high profile PE/VC. Then, I did about a year of legal assistant work for HYS attorneys.
My cycle has pretty much played out exactly as if I got two years of work experience anywhere else.
It looks like HLS does have a 3.7 GPA floor (http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 2&t=162680) but a high 170s LSAT might make acceptance possible. ~173 probably won't cut it. If you can bring it closer to 180, HLS may be in reach.
HTH.
ETA: tl;dr don't expect work experience to do magic on your GPA/LSAT.
- Doorkeeper
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Re: Overcoming Low GPA with Work Experience
Perhaps an addendum explaining the medical condition, plus the WE, could help to mitigate the GPA? I'm not sure, but I would think they would at least take into consideration a medical issue.
Also, can you take summer classes before you graduate or something? Anything to boost that GPA above 3.7 for HLS.
Also, can you take summer classes before you graduate or something? Anything to boost that GPA above 3.7 for HLS.
- 20130312
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Re: Overcoming Low GPA with Work Experience
Oh, jump off a bridge.perhapslawschool wrote:My college GPA is low (about 3.65)
- Lincoln
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Re: Overcoming Low GPA with Work Experience
Anecdotal evidence, but probably pretty standard. I had 5 years of work experience, including 3 years in a relevant field. It may have given me a marginal bump, in that my LSAT is median for my school, but my GPA is around the 25th percentile.
It was very helpful during OCI, however, and I definitely did much better than my peers who didn't have work experience.
It was very helpful during OCI, however, and I definitely did much better than my peers who didn't have work experience.
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Re: Overcoming Low GPA with Work Experience
tfleming09 wrote:lulzInGoodFaith wrote:Oh, jump off a bridge.perhapslawschool wrote:My college GPA is low (about 3.65)
Seriously, I'd kick a baby into a woodchipper for that shit



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Re: Overcoming Low GPA with Work Experience
I'm trying to find this. Can anyone link me this please? ThanksGail wrote:The WE bump seems to be more relevant for OCI
Look at the legal employment subforum. I think one of the posters here made a google doc and you can definitely see that WE was beneficial.
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Re: Overcoming Low GPA with Work Experience
http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 3&t=175410senorhosh wrote:I'm trying to find this. Can anyone link me this please? ThanksGail wrote:The WE bump seems to be more relevant for OCI
Look at the legal employment subforum. I think one of the posters here made a google doc and you can definitely see that WE was beneficial.
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