Fall semester grades boost? Forum

[Yardbird]

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[Asst. Principal Bone]

I think with an LSAT and GPA like yours, you're destiny awaits you at SUNY Buffalo. I hear they have really spicy wings there!

[Yukos]

If you end up on the Columbia waitlist, you'll write a Letter of Continued Interest (LOCI), in which you can definitely point out your new, higher GPA and your upward trend.

Can't help with the other stuff sorry.

ETA: So I think your new GPA would probably be a substantial boost over others on the WL. Just my 0.02.

[dixon02]

Regardless of the bump, your GPA will still be significantly below their 25 percentile. You're still a splitter. I doubt it makes much of a difference unless they're really on the fence about you.

I think the real question is: why Columbia? An ED seems far better spent at NYU, where you'd have a real shot with an ED. Columbia seems like a stretch even with apps expected to be down. Also, is this GPA bump you're expecting based on the idea of getting straight As in all 24 credits you're taking? Because that's also a stretch for a student who has a 3.1 up to this point (not trying to insult, just provide a dose of reality).

[Yardbird]

If you end up on the Columbia waitlist, you'll write a Letter of Continued Interest (LOCI), in which you can definitely point out your new, higher GPA and your upward trend.

Can't help with the other stuff sorry.

ETA: So I think your new GPA would probably be a substantial boost over others on the WL. Just my 0.02.

Thanks for the input. I was planning on writing an LOCI if I was wait-listed and I know that they'll look at my post-Fall semester GPA then if I point it out.

Anyone else care to chime in on whether it might be worth asking Columbia to hold off on making a decision until fall grades come out? My one worry is that the 3.15 + 174 will lead to a reject on the ED before the GPA goes up but that the 3.25 + 174 will be a greater likelihood of getting WL'ed off the ED.

[Yardbird]

Regardless of the bump, your GPA will still be significantly below their 25 percentile. You're still a splitter. I doubt it makes much of a difference unless they're really on the fence about you.

I think the real question is: why Columbia? An ED seems far better spent at NYU, where you'd have a real shot with an ED. Columbia seems like a stretch even with apps expected to be down. Also, is this GPA bump you're expecting based on the idea of getting straight As in all 24 credits you're taking? Because that's also a stretch for a student who has a 3.1 up to this point (not trying to insult, just provide a dose of reality).

Columbia has accepted people off the WL with a 3.2/3.3 + 174 in the past. The last time they accepted people off the WL with a 3.15 + 174 was back in 2004ish.

Why Columbia? I visited Columbia and NYU and I loved Columbia, didn't like NYU that much. Two of my cousins went to NYU/Columbia resp. for undergrad and were able to tell me a lot about the schools outside of academics. Columbia has a much bigger draw for me because I have also been in contact with current NYU/Columbia students through my cousin and the NYU students haven't given as good a picture of law school as the Columbia students have. I realize my numbers place me in better position for NYU than Columbia, but Columbia is my "dream school" so I have to give it a shot with the ED. I'd rather go to UVA than NYU if it comes to that (I'm EDing UVA if Columbia outright rejects me).

And regarding getting straight As, its not out of the question (I took 20 credits each semester last year and performed extremely well while working 40 hours a week; I'm not working this coming semester which should improve grades further). I had a very very bad freshmen year and have had a strong upward grade trend since then. Also, my GPA within my business degree (I only have business classes left since my liberal arts degree is done) is a 3.90. Straight As are possible in the Fall (I'm anticipating 4 A's and 2 A-'s which puts me at a 3.24) and Straight As in the Spring (which puts me at a 3.32) are very likely since its my easiest course-load in college.

**The low GPA is due to starting out as a hard science major (biochemistry and molecular biology) and is discussed in an addendum (I was pre-med and a year ahead in the premed coursework my freshmen year, going so far as to take the MCATs summer after my freshmen year - I scored extremely well on them too).

[bp shinners]

(2) Should I add to my GPA addendum informing the Columbia adcom (applying ED) that my Fall grades will likely come in on/around 12/20ish and will likely show a similar increase in GPA that may affect their decision?

If you do this, you're complicating the lives of the people in charge of administering to your application. 12/20 is also a month after their ED deadline. I would not write this addendum - you're trying to bend the rules, I think past the breaking point. Applying early but saying to wait on your application doesn't get you to 'cut the line' - you'll either be complete when you send in the application, or you won't be.

You have two options:
1) Apply ED, hope that's enough of a boost to get you at least on the waitlist, and then send in a LOCI with your updated grades.
2) Apply normal, hope the increased GPA outweighs the normal application instead of the ED.

Unfortunately, you can't have it both ways.

[Yukos]

(2) Should I add to my GPA addendum informing the Columbia adcom (applying ED) that my Fall grades will likely come in on/around 12/20ish and will likely show a similar increase in GPA that may affect their decision?

If you do this, you're complicating the lives of the people in charge of administering to your application. 12/20 is also a month after their ED deadline. I would not write this addendum - you're trying to bend the rules, I think past the breaking point. Applying early but saying to wait on your application doesn't get you to 'cut the line' - you'll either be complete when you send in the application, or you won't be.

You have two options:
1) Apply ED, hope that's enough of a boost to get you at least on the waitlist, and then send in a LOCI with your updated grades.
2) Apply normal, hope the increased GPA outweighs the normal application instead of the ED.

Unfortunately, you can't have it both ways.

Well put.

[LSATSCORES2012]

It doesn't seem to make too much of a difference either way.

Consider the following application searches:

173-175/3.1-3.2, only applications submitted before or during November.
173-175/3.2-3.3, only applications submitted in January and February.

Applying early seems to give you a bit of a boost at Virginia, Michigan, Northwestern, and Georgetown, but if you want a shot at a T6 it looks like you're better off waiting.

I'm personally not sure how much GPA changes will help once waitlisted. Have you considered taking a year off? That will give you an improved GPA, presumably, plus the added benefit of some distance between you and your GPA.

As a side note, these are the only ED apps from people with your numbers.

[Yardbird]

It doesn't seem to make too much of a difference either way.

Consider the following application searches:

173-175/3.1-3.2, only applications submitted before or during November.
173-175/3.2-3.3, only applications submitted in January and February.

Applying early seems to give you a bit of a boost at Virginia, Michigan, Northwestern, and Georgetown, but if you want a shot at a T6 it looks like you're better off waiting.

I'm personally not sure how much GPA changes will help once waitlisted. Have you considered taking a year off? That will give you an improved GPA, presumably, plus the added benefit of some distance between you and your GPA.

As a side note, these are the only ED apps from people with your numbers.

Thanks for the data! I know that my chances are slim and I knew that putting something in my addendum would be toeing the line. I'll probably still submit to Columbia ED and hope for the best.

I'm not, however, putting all my eggs into this years basket. I'm applying for sure this year to law schools, but I'm also going to be applying to full time positions. I'll weigh my offers for both before deciding on law school or work. If its work, then I apply next year or the year after with a much better GPA. If I get a good law school this cycle, then its law school.