Impact of bad grade from summer abroad programme Forum

[CeterisParibusAmo]

I took a summer class abroad from a different university than my home one, originally planning on transferring the credit back. However, I decided not to do so because I received a poor grade (D+ I think). This was because my grandmother died while I was abroad which caused me to miss an exam. I think that I have to send this transcript to CAS. My question is, will this factor in calculating my gpa? It makes quite a difference in the resulting number. If so, how will law school admissions react to this? Also, will this effect possible scholarships?

I have a strong academic record outside of this (3.7 GPA), but this moves it almost .05.

[stuckinthemiddle]

Are you sure you have to send the transcript? Doesn't LSAC have a policy of not requiring transcripts from study abroad institutions unless the duration was more than a year?

[francesfarmer]

I took a summer class abroad from a different university than my home one, originally planning on transferring the credit back. However, I decided not to do so because I received a poor grade (D+ I think). This was because my grandmother died while I was abroad which caused me to miss an exam. I think that I have to send this transcript to CAS. My question is, will this factor in calculating my gpa? It makes quite a difference in the resulting number. If so, how will law school admissions react to this? Also, will this effect possible scholarships?

I have a strong academic record outside of this (3.7 GPA), but this moves it almost .05.

Are you an international student?

[guano]

Are you sure you have to send the transcript? Doesn't LSAC have a policy of not requiring transcripts from study abroad institutions unless the duration was more than a year?

I thought that if it was a study abroad program run through your regular institution (with credits transferring back) you don't need to send a transcript, but otherwise (i.e. if credits don't transfer back) you are required to send in the transcript.

But, I haven't looked into the requirements recently, so don't take my word for it

[CeterisParibusAmo]

Required Transcripts:

Law schools require you to send all transcripts from the following institutions you may have attended:
community colleges
undergraduate and graduate institutions
law/medical/professional institutions
institutions attended for summer or evening courses
institutions attended even though a degree was never received
institutions from which you took college-level courses while in high school even though they were for high school credit
institutions that clearly sponsored your overseas study. Clear sponsorship means:
the courses received the sponsoring institution's academic credit (not transfer credit);
the course codes, titles, credits earned, and grades appear on the sponsoring institution's transcript. Typically, these grades and credits are included in the sponsoring institution's cumulative GPA. The courses are often administered and taught by the sponsoring institution's faculty at an overseas institution.
international transcripts, if applicable

~~~~~~~~~~~

It was through an exchange with an american university. I requested that the credits not be transferred to my home institution and they played no role in my degree.

I am not an international student.

[snapdragon25]

I called LSAC about this a while ago and if it was less than a year, you don't need to submit transcripts for exchange programs. Stanford required that I send them my study abroad transcript before my application was complete, but LSAC didn't need it (and no other T-14s did).

Edit: typo

[guano]

I called LSAC about this a while ago and if it was les than a year, you don't need to submit transcripts for exchange programs. Stanford required that I send them the transcript before my application was complete, but LSAC didn't need it (and no other T-14s did).

Was this for an exchange program where the credits transferred to your regular UG institution?

It seems fairly clear that they want everything, but you don't need to send it in if it's effectively just doubling up

[snapdragon25]

I called LSAC about this a while ago and if it was les than a year, you don't need to submit transcripts for exchange programs. Stanford required that I send them the transcript before my application was complete, but LSAC didn't need it (and no other T-14s did).

Was this for an exchange program where the credits transferred to your regular UG institution?

It seems fairly clear that they want everything, but you don't need to send it in if it's effectively just doubling up

Yes, that was my situation. It might be different if the credits didn't transfer, so I'd call LSAC just to make sure. I took all my study abroad classes in French and totally bombed one, so it was very nice that LSAC didn't need that transcript. Of course you don't want to look like you're hiding anything from law schools, so I'd double check.

[guano]

I called LSAC about this a while ago and if it was les than a year, you don't need to submit transcripts for exchange programs. Stanford required that I send them the transcript before my application was complete, but LSAC didn't need it (and no other T-14s did).

Was this for an exchange program where the credits transferred to your regular UG institution?

It seems fairly clear that they want everything, but you don't need to send it in if it's effectively just doubling up

Yes, that was my situation. It might be different if the credits didn't transfer, so I'd call LSAC just to make sure. I took all my study abroad classes in French and totally bombed one, so it was very nice that LSAC didn't need that transcript. Of course you don't want to look like you're hiding anything from law schools, so I'd double check.

If the credits transferred back, then they show up on the transcript of your regular institution.
Basically, the idea is that you have to provide transcripts that reflect every college course you ever took, but if it's through your school, it'll show up on that transcript, so this rule is in place to ensure no double-dipping

[CeterisParibusAmo]

This is helpful, but can anyone tell me about what happens if I have to submit the grade.

[guano]

This is helpful, but can anyone tell me about what happens if I have to submit the grade.

if it's legit a foreign credit, it doesn't impact your LSGPA. If it's reported through a U.S. institution it depends on how that institution deals with summer abroad credits (if they give it a grade, then it counts toward your LSGPA; if they don't give it a grade, then not)

edit: as it was through an american university, they're the ones who should send the transcript to LSAC, not the foreign program's host

It was through an exchange with an american university.

[20130312]

One summer abroad and you already forgot how to spell program?

[Dmini7]

One summer abroad and you already forgot how to spell program?

Maybe he studied abroad to the US and he is from England . I mean its not exactly incorrect, just a different variant.

[20130312]

One summer abroad and you already forgot how to spell program?

Maybe he studied abroad to the US and he is from England . I mean its not exactly incorrect, just a different variant.

Correct = MURICAN. If being MURICAN is wrong, I don't want to be right.

[guano]

One summer abroad and you already forgot how to spell program?

Maybe he studied abroad to the US and he is from England . I mean its not exactly incorrect, just a different variant.

OP should be aware that many law professors (not to mention bosses and clients) neg bad spelling (or bad usage when alternative spellings are available)

[francesfarmer]

One summer abroad and you already forgot how to spell program?

Maybe he studied abroad to the US and he is from England . I mean its not exactly incorrect, just a different variant.

OP should be aware that many law professors (not to mention bosses and clients) neg bad spelling (or bad usage when alternative spellings are available)

"Programme" is not a correct spelling of "program" in American English.

[CeterisParibusAmo]

So no one has any information about my actual question? How would this effect admissions and scholarship chances?

[Ave]

So no one has any information about my actual question? How would this effect admissions and scholarship chances?

If you have to send the transcript to LSAC, then I don't understand your question: it will be factored into your GPA, and law schools will react to it exactly as they would to any other 3.65 GPA. You should send an addendum for this.

[CeterisParibusAmo]

Will admissions or scholarship evaluators consider the reason for this grade in their evaluation? I would imagine a low grade like that would trow up some red flags. Does a loss in the family adequately explain this away or is this something that will hurt my chances? If so, by how much?

I don't really care about a discussion pertaining to whether or not I will have to submit it. I'll address that question to CAS so that I can have an answer that is official and on record. It's not much time out of my day to check that when the time comes.

[guano]

Will admissions or scholarship evaluators consider the reason for this grade in their evaluation? I would imagine a low grade like that would trow up some red flags. Does a loss in the family adequately explain this away or is this something that will hurt my chances? If so, by how much?

I don't really care about a discussion pertaining to whether or not I will have to submit it. I'll address that question to CAS so that I can have an answer that is official and on record. It's not much time out of my day to check that when the time comes.

The quick answer is maybe, but probably not