Random Q: Senior semester/year & GPA on Applications Forum

[Ixiion]

So, this whole time, like a dummy, I've been calculating my LSDAS GPA *including* what I think I'll get in Fall 2013, which is my last semester.

Then it totally hit me this morning, after about a year of doing this, that when I apply in October, I won't even have those grades yet. Woooo. That was a very sarcastic woo, as I was hoping to use my last semester to bump up my 3.81-3.85 (still waiting on grades, lame) closer to a 3.9.

So. Does your last semester (or two semesters, for all you normal non-late people who graduate in Spring) even matter in the admissions process? I'm sure some schools give out conditional acceptances, but from what I've seen on here, everyone just yells accepted/rejected/waitlisted, and not "conditionally accepted, yay!"s.

[Teflon_Don]

I applied a little before Thanksgiving, and not one school asked me for grade updates. I applied to all of the T14 and 5 others. But, I hear some schools will request fall grades (Columbia). Gluck

[Ixiion]

That's what I figured. Darn. Thanks!

[kay2016]

Since the Fall is your last semester, you probably won't have decisions before you're finished... Therefore if you can boost your grades, you'll be able to boost your chances by updating them on your fall grades

[Ixiion]

Since the Fall is your last semester, you probably won't have decisions before you're finished... Therefore if you can boost your grades, you'll be able to boost your chances by updating them on your fall grades

Now I'm not sure if I'm more disappointed or less. Wouldn't that in essence lower my overall chances, as they'd be shifting me to a side-pile all the way until at least mid-late December, when the Fall grades are released? I'd imagine that would put me in the January wave of acceptances/rejections, so a whole boat of people would have been already accepted in December, lowering the number of available seats.

[kay2016]

Since the Fall is your last semester, you probably won't have decisions before you're finished... Therefore if you can boost your grades, you'll be able to boost your chances by updating them on your fall grades

Now I'm not sure if I'm more disappointed or less. Wouldn't that in essence lower my overall chances, as they'd be shifting me to a side-pile all the way until at least mid-late December, when the Fall grades are released? I'd imagine that would put me in the January wave of acceptances/rejections, so a whole boat of people would have been already accepted in December, lowering the number of available seats.

No because you'll have already applied. So if you're 3.8ish GPA Is well above median and it's one of a few schools who will be making decisions that early (hardly any schools did that this year) your chances of getting accepted early will he high. If they have yet to make a decision, and your GPA goes up then you may become an auto admit when before you were not.

If your grades go up that will never hurt you.


ETA: I didn't hear back from any school until the end of December, and I applied in November right after I got my Oct LSAT back

[Ixiion]

Since the Fall is your last semester, you probably won't have decisions before you're finished... Therefore if you can boost your grades, you'll be able to boost your chances by updating them on your fall grades

Now I'm not sure if I'm more disappointed or less. Wouldn't that in essence lower my overall chances, as they'd be shifting me to a side-pile all the way until at least mid-late December, when the Fall grades are released? I'd imagine that would put me in the January wave of acceptances/rejections, so a whole boat of people would have been already accepted in December, lowering the number of available seats.

No because you'll have already applied. So if you're 3.8ish GPA Is well above median and it's one of a few schools who will be making decisions that early (hardly any schools did that this year) your chances of getting accepted early will he high. If they have yet to make a decision, and your GPA goes up then you may become an auto admit when before you were not.

If your grades go up that will never hurt you.


ETA: I didn't hear back from any school until the end of December, and I applied in November right after I got my Oct LSAT back

Fair point. Thanks. In the case of HLS and SLS... Likely wouldn't be accepted anyway and even if I were, $$ makes it hard for me to choose them, BUT.. would you suggest applying early or waiting until December when my fall grades come through?

[kay2016]

I can't speak from experience, I only applied places a chance of scholarship was high..

But I would apply early.

There's no guarantee grades will go how you hope, and I would focus more on getting applications in early, and then not having to worry about them anymore. Then you can focus on ensuring you get your GPA boost, and when you update your Lsac transcripts, they'll automatically get the new grades. And it gives you a chance to send them a quick reminder that your grades rock, and that they should look at your app..


Just my advice

[PourMeTea]

Post removed.

[Clearly]

Its actually a good thing, it gives you a good reason to update them on something. The reality is your GPA is already competitive and the change isn't likely significant. During the actual cycle you will end up in the dark for an extended period as they review apps (apps complete), and its always good to have a good reason to reach out to schools with an update that basically forces your application to be looked at again. Any reasonable update means someone has to actually print something out and pull your application to attach it, and just knowing someone somewhere just looked at your app again is a good thing.

[Ixiion]

I'm in the same boat as you (graduating in December) and I'm planning on applying as early as possible, and then sending in fall grades in the hopes that my application hasn't yet been tossed to the side

It also looks like most schools start rendering decisions late December/early Jan, so I'm crossing my fingers that the updated transcripts get full consideration!

I'm glad I'm not the only one!

Its actually a good thing, it gives you a good reason to update them on something. The reality is your GPA is already competitive and the change isn't likely significant. During the actual cycle you will end up in the dark for an extended period as they review apps (apps complete), and its always good to have a good reason to reach out to schools with an update that basically forces your application to be looked at again. Any reasonable update means someone has to actually print something out and pull your application to attach it, and just knowing someone somewhere just looked at your app again is a good thing.

I didn't think of it that way, thanks. I'm honestly considering ED'ing UVA, though, especially depending on my LSAT score. If I were to ED, would they hold my app on the side until I provide those updates or just send their decision as is?

& yes, I know, EDing = bad because less $. If I nab a 172+ I won't ED. But if I get a 168-171, my chances of getting decent scholarships at the schools I actually want to attend (UVA, Duke) slip dramatically, so..

[hohenheim]

I didn't think of it that way, thanks. I'm honestly considering ED'ing UVA, though, especially depending on my LSAT score. If I were to ED, would they hold my app on the side until I provide those updates or just send their decision as is?

& yes, I know, EDing = bad because less $. If I nab a 172+ I won't ED. But if I get a 168-171, my chances of getting decent scholarships at the schools I actually want to attend (UVA, Duke) slip dramatically, so..

I would really recommend not doing this if you get even a 168. Look on LSN at the scholarships for this cycle.

I'm speaking from personal experience getting 67k from michigan initially this cycle with a much lower GPA and a 171 - a decent amount of money and enough to avoid ED - but then being able to bump it up to 90k after a little negotiation. Most of my other offers increased (including UVA and Duke) too because I was able to negotiate.

[Clearly]

Do NOT ED in that situation. You'll give up too much for the security. That's a splitter move.

[Vexed]

Yeah, with that GPA, don't ED to Virginia.

[Ixiion]

To all of you &

I would really recommend not doing this if you get even a 168. Look on LSN at the scholarships for this cycle.

I'm speaking from personal experience getting 67k from michigan initially this cycle with a much lower GPA and a 171 - a decent amount of money and enough to avoid ED - but then being able to bump it up to 90k after a little negotiation. Most of my other offers increased (including UVA and Duke) too because I was able to negotiate.

Every time I look at LSN, I get disheartened. So many people in the 3.80-3.85 GPA and 169-171 LSAT range get flat out rejected, forget scholarships. That's why EDing is still always in the back of my head.

But wow, that's great. Congrats on your acceptances & scholarship.

[Clearly]

To all of you &

I would really recommend not doing this if you get even a 168. Look on LSN at the scholarships for this cycle.

I'm speaking from personal experience getting 67k from michigan initially this cycle with a much lower GPA and a 171 - a decent amount of money and enough to avoid ED - but then being able to bump it up to 90k after a little negotiation. Most of my other offers increased (including UVA and Duke) too because I was able to negotiate.

Every time I look at LSN, I get disheartened. So many people in the 3.80-3.85 GPA and 169-171 LSAT range get flat out rejected, forget scholarships. That's why EDing is still always in the back of my head.

But wow, that's great. Congrats on your acceptances & scholarship.

Lsn doesn't give the whole story though, they could have bad apps, applied late, or just be inaccurate/not updated. You are within range for admissions and some cash in the T14...don't ED