Junior or Senior GPA?? Forum

[79radiohead]

So if I am applying for the Fall 2013 cycle - will the schools hold off to accept/reject until my senior grades are in? Or do they only base it on my LSAC gpa up until now. My gpa is crap at 2.59 and I can probably raise it a little bit by end of senior year or even after the Fall semester. Can anyone help me - I am confused by this

[79radiohead]

Anybody..

[glitter178]

your GPA is not good, but if you are going to apply, you're probably not going to be able to raise it substantially enough for it to make a difference. What is your LSAT score?

[Doorkeeper]

Apply after you raise your GPA as much as humanly possible. Delay graduation. Take summer classes. Do whatever it takes.

[cutecarmel]

So if I am applying for the Fall 2013 cycle - will the schools hold off to accept/reject until my senior grades are in? Or do they only base it on my LSAC gpa up until now. My gpa is crap at 2.59 and I can probably raise it a little bit by end of senior year or even after the Fall semester. Can anyone help me - I am confused by this

They will accept/reject you based on your GPA at the time you submit your application. So they will probably see grades for you junior year or for the first half of you senior year (depending on how early you apply). They won't see your final GPA until you send your official transcript when you intend to enroll

[JCFindley]

Apply after you raise your GPA as much as humanly possible. Delay graduation. Take summer classes. Do whatever it takes.

This.....

Seriously, if LS is your goal then add another year to UG before you graduate. Take Mate Selection and any other elective you can think of to get all As. Your UG GPA will be set in stone once you graduate and there will never be anything you can do about it so, while not the standard sit out and retake the LSAT advice, sit back and take some extra time to graduate. Oh, and while you take such classes study your A off for the LSAT.

Or, enjoy the TTTTT (A new category with 5Ts) and hope for a 180 on the LSAT to get a bite at some splitter friendly schools.

[79radiohead]

Apply after you raise your GPA as much as humanly possible. Delay graduation. Take summer classes. Do whatever it takes.

This.....

Seriously, if LS is your goal then add another year to UG before you graduate. Take Mate Selection and any other elective you can think of to get all As. Your UG GPA will be set in stone once you graduate and there will never be anything you can do about it so, while not the standard sit out and retake the LSAT advice, sit back and take some extra time to graduate. Oh, and while you take such classes study your A off for the LSAT.

Or, enjoy the TTTTT (A new category with 5Ts) and hope for a 180 on the LSAT to get a bite at some splitter friendly schools.

I don't know that I can delay graduation. I have just enough loan money to finish my senior year - I cannot afford to take any extra classes. I would guess my only option would be to finish out senior year with the highest GPA I can get, study very hard for the LSAT and apply next cycle. The TTTTT comment seems a bit harsh - I have poured over the admission stats (lawschoolnumbers) and there are quite a few people who have been accepted to schools that are not that bad with my GPA and above average LSAT scores. I have also noticed that at most schools, not one Puerto Rican even applied to many of them ( I am Puerto Rican). Is that a good or bad thing for me??

[TMC116]

Apply after you raise your GPA as much as humanly possible. Delay graduation. Take summer classes. Do whatever it takes.

This.....

Seriously, if LS is your goal then add another year to UG before you graduate. Take Mate Selection and any other elective you can think of to get all As. Your UG GPA will be set in stone once you graduate and there will never be anything you can do about it so, while not the standard sit out and retake the LSAT advice, sit back and take some extra time to graduate. Oh, and while you take such classes study your A off for the LSAT.

Or, enjoy the TTTTT (A new category with 5Ts) and hope for a 180 on the LSAT to get a bite at some splitter friendly schools.

I don't know that I can delay graduation. I have just enough loan money to finish my senior year - I cannot afford to take any extra classes. I would guess my only option would be to finish out senior year with the highest GPA I can get, study very hard for the LSAT and apply next cycle. The TTTTT comment seems a bit harsh - I have poured over the admission stats (lawschoolnumbers) and there are quite a few people who have been accepted to schools that are not that bad with my GPA and above average LSAT scores. I have also noticed that at most schools, not one Puerto Rican even applied to many of them ( I am Puerto Rican). Is that a good or bad thing for me??

The fact that you're PR will give you a boost, not like an AA boost though. The fact that no PR applicants sent an app to these schools, however, seems irrelevant. (Otherwise, it would be counting a URM bonus twice)

You'll probably need to beat the LSAT median at schools you apply to, even w your URM status. Good luck w your prep!

[JCFindley]

Apply after you raise your GPA as much as humanly possible. Delay graduation. Take summer classes. Do whatever it takes.

This.....

Seriously, if LS is your goal then add another year to UG before you graduate. Take Mate Selection and any other elective you can think of to get all As. Your UG GPA will be set in stone once you graduate and there will never be anything you can do about it so, while not the standard sit out and retake the LSAT advice, sit back and take some extra time to graduate. Oh, and while you take such classes study your A off for the LSAT.

Or, enjoy the TTTTT (A new category with 5Ts) and hope for a 180 on the LSAT to get a bite at some splitter friendly schools.

I don't know that I can delay graduation. I have just enough loan money to finish my senior year - I cannot afford to take any extra classes. I would guess my only option would be to finish out senior year with the highest GPA I can get, study very hard for the LSAT and apply next cycle. The TTTTT comment seems a bit harsh - I have poured over the admission stats (lawschoolnumbers) and there are quite a few people who have been accepted to schools that are not that bad with my GPA and above average LSAT scores. I have also noticed that at most schools, not one Puerto Rican even applied to many of them ( I am Puerto Rican). Is that a good or bad thing for me??

That was a bit douchey of me; I apologize.

You have to work with what you have so now the best bet is to simply kill the LSAT and target splitter friendly schools. You will get a boost for the PR thing so you can come out alright if you can really do well on the test.

Good luck.

JC

[79radiohead]

Apply after you raise your GPA as much as humanly possible. Delay graduation. Take summer classes. Do whatever it takes.

This.....

Seriously, if LS is your goal then add another year to UG before you graduate. Take Mate Selection and any other elective you can think of to get all As. Your UG GPA will be set in stone once you graduate and there will never be anything you can do about it so, while not the standard sit out and retake the LSAT advice, sit back and take some extra time to graduate. Oh, and while you take such classes study your A off for the LSAT.

Or, enjoy the TTTTT (A new category with 5Ts) and hope for a 180 on the LSAT to get a bite at some splitter friendly schools.

I don't know that I can delay graduation. I have just enough loan money to finish my senior year - I cannot afford to take any extra classes. I would guess my only option would be to finish out senior year with the highest GPA I can get, study very hard for the LSAT and apply next cycle. The TTTTT comment seems a bit harsh - I have poured over the admission stats (lawschoolnumbers) and there are quite a few people who have been accepted to schools that are not that bad with my GPA and above average LSAT scores. I have also noticed that at most schools, not one Puerto Rican even applied to many of them ( I am Puerto Rican). Is that a good or bad thing for me??

That was a bit douchey of me; I apologize.

You have to work with what you have so now the best bet is to simply kill the LSAT and target splitter friendly schools. You will get a boost for the PR thing so you can come out alright if you can really do well on the test.

Good luck.

JC

Lol, no worries. We all fall prey to some douchebaggery every now and then. Yea killing the LSAT is my best best and maybe the softs such as PR, Non-Traditional and female. What do you guys think about me waiting until next cycle? If I get straight A's the best I can get my gpa up to like a 2.8 so I don't know that its worth it to wait for the small of a gain.

[JCFindley]

That was a bit douchey of me; I apologize.

You have to work with what you have so now the best bet is to simply kill the LSAT and target splitter friendly schools. You will get a boost for the PR thing so you can come out alright if you can really do well on the test.

Good luck.

JC

Lol, no worries. We all fall prey to some douchebaggery every now and then. Yea killing the LSAT is my best best and maybe the softs such as PR, Non-Traditional and female. What do you guys think about me waiting until next cycle? If I get straight A's the best I can get my gpa up to like a 2.8 so I don't know that its worth it to wait for the small of a gain.

Sitting out a cycle to improve your GPA slightly probably isn't worth it. Now, sitting out a cycle and getting some WE and focusing hard on the LSAT may be depending on how you do on the first take.

I will throw this out too. I am not recruiting for the military, but doing four years could really change things up in the long term. After four you would have a soft that actually can matter AND using the GI Bill you can go to many law schools 100% free. It is something to think about especially if you are carrying a lot of UG debt.

JC

[79radiohead]

[quote=

Sitting out a cycle to improve your GPA slightly probably isn't worth it. Now, sitting out a cycle and getting some WE and focusing hard on the LSAT may be depending on how you do on the first take.

I will throw this out too. I am not recruiting for the military, but doing four years could really change things up in the long term. After four you would have a soft that actually can matter AND using the GI Bill you can go to many law schools 100% free. It is something to think about especially if you are carrying a lot of UG debt.

JC[/quote]

Well here is the thing. I am already 33. My undergrad has spanned freakin over 10 years for myriad reasons (dad had a stroke, abusive relationship, single mom). I have WE from all that time, plus I was working 40+ hours a week most of the time I have been in school as well. Is that WE going to count the same way has WE would count for someone who graduated say 8 years ago and has been working ?? I really don't care to harp on all of the reasons my undergrad has been rocky, I am trying to concentrate on the fact that I am finally in a place where I can give my schooling everything I have.

[JCFindley]

Well here is the thing. I am already 33. My undergrad has spanned freakin over 10 years for myriad reasons (dad had a stroke, abusive relationship, single mom). I have WE from all that time, plus I was working 40+ hours a week most of the time I have been in school as well. Is that WE going to count the same way has WE would count for someone who graduated say 8 years ago and has been working ?? I really don't care to harp on all of the reasons my undergrad has been rocky, I am trying to concentrate on the fact that I am finally in a place where I can give my schooling everything I have.

All WE is not created equally but it is not all that likely that a year post UG will improve anything that greatly over what you have now.

So, it will basically come down to your LSAT. Definitely live for a little while on the LSAT prep section of this forum. If you do pretty well on it I would apply this cycle and see how it goes. If you think you can do a lot better then sit out or, send some apps and see if you get into any schools that are acceptable for your career goals. By that, I mean schools that will give you a genuine shot of a job that YOU want. There are TT and TTTs out there that do have good job prospects relative to the markets they feed and can be a good choice in the right circumstances. With a high enough LSAT you can still get into a T1 as well though make sure it is one that feeds the job market you are looking for.

As for the WE you already have, regardless of what it is, you can turn that story into a pretty compelling PS if it is well written. Always trying to improve yourself. Overcoming obstacles. Working WHILE going to school. Perseverance. Etc etc....

[79radiohead]

Well here is the thing. I am already 33. My undergrad has spanned freakin over 10 years for myriad reasons (dad had a stroke, abusive relationship, single mom). I have WE from all that time, plus I was working 40+ hours a week most of the time I have been in school as well. Is that WE going to count the same way has WE would count for someone who graduated say 8 years ago and has been working ?? I really don't care to harp on all of the reasons my undergrad has been rocky, I am trying to concentrate on the fact that I am finally in a place where I can give my schooling everything I have.

All WE is not created equally but it is not all that likely that a year post UG will improve anything that greatly over what you have now.

So, it will basically come down to your LSAT. Definitely live for a little while on the LSAT prep section of this forum. If you do pretty well on it I would apply this cycle and see how it goes. If you think you can do a lot better then sit out or, send some apps and see if you get into any schools that are acceptable for your career goals. By that, I mean schools that will give you a genuine shot of a job that YOU want. There are TT and TTTs out there that do have good job prospects relative to the markets they feed and can be a good choice in the right circumstances. With a high enough LSAT you can still get into a T1 as well though make sure it is one that feeds the job market you are looking for.

As for the WE you already have, regardless of what it is, you can turn that story into a pretty compelling PS if it is well written. Always trying to improve yourself. Overcoming obstacles. Working WHILE going to school. Perseverance. Etc etc....

Thanks for your responses. This is pretty much all I can do, study like mad for the LSAT. I had thought about using my crappy background in a PS but I am having trouble finding one road to go down - and I don't want to come across whiny or too full of myself.

[JCFindley]

I really do think the story could make a compelling PS without coming off whiny or full of yourself. All of those things are in fact obstacles that you have overcome. Navy SEALS are generally not the strongest and most athletic guys that enter BUDs training but rather the ones that graduate are the people that refuse to quit and overcome the obstacles in front of them.