Apply in Sept/Oct with 2.85 or in Dec with 3.0? Forum

[Nightingale]

This is this situation:

My LSAC GPA currently comes out to around 2.85 (my standard GPA is a 3.3), but if I wait until after this coming semester to apply to law school (planning on receiving all A's), it will boost my LSAC GPA to a 3.03. Also, on the LSAT, i'm PT'ing around 173, and i'm planning on taking it in October.

Assuming I score in the 170-175 range, do you think applying early could offset the potential boost of >3.0? It seems that there is a stigma behind having a GPA that is < 3.0, and that schools (whether it be conscious or not) have a much harder time accepting an applicant with a 2.95 than they would one with a 3.0.

But on the other hand, I've read that splitters have a greater chance with splitter-friendly schools, with both acceptance and $, if they apply as early as possible. (Again, if I wait a semester, i'll be applying around December 10th--not February or March)

Thoughts/Opinions?

Thank you.

[ZVBXRPL]

Being that 3 looks and is > 2.85, waiting may or may not hurt you dependant upon your target schools. What are your target schools? Similarly, do you have an upward trending GPA?

[John_rizzy_rawls]

A .15 improvement in GPA is significantly more important than applying a couple months early. Wait until December.

[jbagelboy]

... WTH, apply fall 2014. Why would you ever apply to law school k-jd in your position. Right now you're locked out of nearly every top school with no scholarship $. Finish your degree, raise your GPA over 3.0 (3.1 if possible), get a decent job and put law school out of the front of your head right now. You desperately need 2 more semesters of solid grades and some temporal distance from your undergraduate career. law schools will want to see that you've worked FT and taken time to mature as an applicant. Its a fucking terrible mistake to apply this fall for you.

If you hit 171, the only school that would take your numbers after the fall would be NU, and you'll have no work exp. to fill out your resume (important for splitters there). If you apply in 2014 or 2015, you'll have complete grades, some WE, better PS better LoRs more time to study for retake if necessary ect and NU w/$ or UVA will be very doable

[Nightingale]

Being that 3 looks and is > 2.85, waiting may or may not hurt you dependant upon your target schools. What are your target schools? Similarly, do you have an upward trending GPA?

My top choice would be NYU (mylsn shows that some people with my projected numbers have had success), but if I got in to UT Austin, I would go there (i'm an in-state resident). I do plan on blanketing the t14-20, excluding HYS, hoping to get a bite. I have a significant upward grade trend. I bombed my freshman year and have earned 3.6-4.0 each semester since.

... WTH, apply fall 2014. Why would you ever apply to law school k-jd in your position.

I might end up doing this, but since i'd prefer to go straight from undergrad, i'm planning on applying this cycle to see if I can get into any of my choice schools. It may be a stretch, but as I said above, mylsn shows that I have a chance.

[ZVBXRPL]

I'm sure there have been people who got into NYU with ur stats but they are obviously NOT you. Therefore, if you choose to apply and put yourself in the best position for an admit, write an addendum explaining your poor F year GPA and what caused you to buckle down.