Need advice please! Re Letters of recomendations Forum

[Jchan]

Hi guys, ive been out of school for just one year, but had an extremely low gpa.. That being said, most schools require like 2 LORs. I have no problem getting one from my current employer, but am going nuts trying to find another person in the universe who would write one for me. As previously stated, i had terrible grades.. Also, none of the professors even knew i existed frankly apeaking and the classes i did do well on, i just never went to class..so i dont think they are able to write me one thatll blow an admissions officers mind.. Soooo can anybody think of another way to get any LoRs that are non academic? Im not sure where i want to go to law school yet, but WUStL is on my mind. I have a 2.6 gpa, what hurts me a lot is that i have equal number of F's as i do A's but am hoping that a high LSAT score (+170ish) will save me.

I was told that i can volunteer to get a LoR from my undergrad academic advisor? If this is true, do you think half a year of Doing so will be enough to convince law schools since im trying to apply in october or will they see right thru me? also, any recommendations on what to even volunteer for? Or what not to?

Any advice is greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance!

[BVest]

Forget WUSTL for the next 5-10 years; work longer or aim lower; and figure out some professor who might write you a letter of recommendation. Take some classes at the local community college if you have to.

As far as volunteering, what do you care about? If you can't figure that out, maybe you'll want to think if you can figure out why you're so eager to go to law school.

[Jchan]

You dont think i can get in? I looked at law school numbers and saw quite a couple with similar stats as mine that got in even with scholarships, minimal but still got accepted.

[Jchan]

You dont think i can get in? I looked at law school numbers and saw quite a couple with similar stats as mine that got in even with scholarships, minimal but still got accepted.

Well.... Granted that i dont know anything about their background other that lsat score and gpa..

As for what i care about, i really dont know...as terrible as this sounds, but i dont really care about anything.... i know law school is tough and it'll really help if i had a direction, etc., but im really not concerned about that at the moment. i know i ought to be, but thats something internal that i have to figure out, im just asking for advice as far as admissions goes but thank you

[togepi]

You dont think i can get in? I looked at law school numbers and saw quite a couple with similar stats as mine that got in even with scholarships, minimal but still got accepted.

169+ and you'll most likely be in with maybe 30k-60k total.

[Jchan]

You dont think i can get in? I looked at law school numbers and saw quite a couple with similar stats as mine that got in even with scholarships, minimal but still got accepted.

169+ and you'll most likely be in with maybe 30k-60k total.

Haha, you know your stuff. Thats exactly what i found

[togepi]

You dont think i can get in? I looked at law school numbers and saw quite a couple with similar stats as mine that got in even with scholarships, minimal but still got accepted.

169+ and you'll most likely be in with maybe 30k-60k total.

Haha, you know your stuff. Thats exactly what i found

That might all change this upcoming cycle though with the drop in applicants, depending on if it continues to plunge or at least levels off. Basically, you might be able to get 60k+ or get in with a 168. Who knows, but it should be a fun cycle

[Jchan]

Haha fun is not how I'd describe it... i can get a 172, hopefully by october itll improve so i dont shit myself waiting for a response for a couple of months.

Not that im made out of money, but im also not too concerned with how much schooly id be able to get YET. I know when i see actual numers itll change lol but now i just hope to get my foot in the door

[CanadianWolf]

A high LSAT score should outweigh any recommendation.

[BVest]

Well it sounds from your description like your undergrad was not a top 20 school, and you're only 1 year out. LSN shows big splitters getting in, but they're HYP undergrad/several years out/URM, so there you go.

As far as money goes, if you're a big splitter, that shouldn't be a problem. Schools love to throw money based solely on LSAT scores. If you get in.

[Br3v]

Well it sounds from your description like your undergrad was not a top 20 school, and you're only 1 year out. LSN shows big splitters getting in, but they're HYP undergrad/several years out/URM, so there you go.

As far as money goes, if you're a big splitter, that shouldn't be a problem. Schools love to throw money based solely on LSAT scores. If you get in.

You have filled this thread with bad advice. I'm not being mean, but stop unless you know what you are talking about.

OP break 170 on LSAT and you will have a great shot. Also, splitters rarely get $ from schools.

[JohnDorian]

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[Br3v]

Hi guys, ive been out of school for just one year, but had an extremely low gpa.. That being said, most schools require like 2 LORs. I have no problem getting one from my current employer, but am going nuts trying to find another person in the universe who would write one for me. As previously stated, i had terrible grades.. Also, none of the professors even knew i existed frankly apeaking and the classes i did do well on, i just never went to class..so i dont think they are able to write me one thatll blow an admissions officers mind.. Soooo can anybody think of another way to get any LoRs that are non academic? Im not sure where i want to go to law school yet, but WUStL is on my mind. I have a 2.6 gpa, what hurts me a lot is that i have equal number of F's as i do A's but am hoping that a high LSAT score (+170ish) will save me.

I was told that i can volunteer to get a LoR from my undergrad academic advisor? If this is true, do you think half a year of Doing so will be enough to convince law schools since im trying to apply in october or will they see right thru me? also, any recommendations on what to even volunteer for? Or what not to?

Any advice is greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance!

You sound like a shitty student man. Your undergrad academic advisor isn't a professor--and law schools like to see LORs from professors to weed out people like you.

Go back to school, get a minor or something, (or if you still have a half a year left, bust your ass in classes and ACTUALLY GO), that way you can get a professor to write something nice about you.

It's that, or you can get a professor that doesn't remember you to write a generic recommendation that won't help but might not hurt.

The advice your giving. Stop it.

OP do not waste the time and $ going to school again to get grades that won't matter just so you can get a LoR. If your a few yrs out of school, LS's expect you to have a hard time getting professor LoRs so go with a employer. Why would you want a LoR from someone who probably did bad in anyways? Also volunteering would not show your academic abilities to the professor, the one thing the LoR should mention.

People presumably have mediocre LoRs all the time from profs who barely remember them. The only way I think a LoR would actually hurt is if it was negative. As in, dot accept this student.

[JohnDorian]

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[BVest]

You have filled this thread with bad advice. I'm not being mean, but stop unless you know what you are talking about.

OP break 170 on LSAT and you will have a great shot. Also, splitters rarely get $ from schools.

This itself shows a high level of ignorance on the matter. Schools pay for the numbers they need. If they need the LSAT bump, they pay for that. WUSTL does it. Of this year's admits on LSN, the average $ amount for sub 2.75 at WUSTL is $26,800 (including those who did not list any $, i.e. assuming they got $0); the average $ amount for sub 3.0 at WUSTL is $40,400. No, it's not the $120-130k they offer to a 170/4.0, but it is what they offer to a 164/3.9.

And yes, splitters have a shot at WUSTL, but they have to have some softs... this guy can't even think of a prof that would know/like him enough to write a LOR.

[Jchan]

lol thanks for everyones input, it's good to hear pov's from different people so i do appreciate everyone who took time out to contribute. I'm gonna go forward with the law school thing and hope for the best anyhow.

and im a girl.

[MrAnon]

It won't matter. Just submit one letter of rec if that's all you can get. A school will still take you. I'm not kidding. Schools are now sending out offers of open acceptance to people based on GMAT scores. Rutgers is doing that anyway. Schools outside of the T14 just need paying bodies nowadays. These "requirements" of rec letters and stuff are just pomp to make you think you are undertaking a serious endeavor.

[laxbrah420]

It won't matter. Just submit one letter of rec if that's all you can get. A school will still take you. I'm not kidding. Schools are now sending out offers of open acceptance to people based on GMAT scores. Rutgers is doing that anyway. Schools outside of the T14 just need paying bodies nowadays. These "requirements" of rec letters and stuff are just pomp to make you think you are undertaking a serious endeavor.

Have you applied to law school?

[BVest]

and im a girl.

Sorry. POV biases.

[Jchan]

and im a girl.

Sorry. POV biases.

aha its okay

[Jchan]

You can get a minor in 1 year, 10-12 As (depending on how many credit hours he's taking) would drastically increase such a low GPA, and it would give him professors that could write decent LORs.

Law schools are hesitant to take splitters with this drastic of a gpa/lsat difference and they look to softs often. You generally have to be a few years out for law schools to not expect LORs from professors, and even then they stress the importance of getting professors. If you don't have a professor LOR and you're not WAY out, they will assume it's because you're a shitty student or can't follow instructions asking for one (especially with this GPA).

tl;dr The splitters mentioned that got into decent schools had good softs including LORs. There's no other reason to trust that low of a GPA.

Also, stop correcting people with stupid points. OBVIOUSLY a high lsat will outweigh shitty LORs and OBVIOUSLY people get in with crappy LORs. But if he's got the high LSAT and wants to get into the best law schools he can get into with his GPA, he needs to have the LOR. He doesn't have the room in his app for any more weaknesses.

heh, thanks. i probably (definitely) wuoldn't take on a minor...

[727813]

figure out some professor who might write you a letter of recommendation. Take some classes at the local community college if you have to.

THIS. Sign up for a summer grad-level class at your local school. Just one. It's not too late. Do well, be a leader, speak up, ace your exams, etc. Voila! You will have an academic LOR. From what I've read, the academic LOR does not have to specifically be from UG.

[Jchan]

figure out some professor who might write you a letter of recommendation. Take some classes at the local community college if you have to.

THIS. Sign up for a summer grad-level class at your local school. Just one. It's not too late. Do well, be a leader, speak up, ace your exams, etc. Voila! You will have an academic LOR. From what I've read, the academic LOR does not have to specifically be from UG.

Hmmmmm. Sounds like a plan actually! I'll look more into this now.

[Br3v]

OP have you graduated? If yes, your gpa is set in stone and will never change no matter how many more classes you take

[Jchan]

OP have you graduated? If yes, your gpa is set in stone and will never change no matter how many more classes you take

figure out some professor who might write you a letter of recommendation. Take some classes at the local community college if you have to.

THIS. Sign up for a summer grad-level class at your local school. Just one. It's not too late. Do well, be a leader, speak up, ace your exams, etc. Voila! You will have an academic LOR. From what I've read, the academic LOR does not have to specifically be from UG.

Hmmmmm. Sounds like a plan actually! I'll look more into this now.

Wait will that really work??Yep I graduated, not worried about gpa just need a letter of recommendation. But not sure if that'll work ?