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I just took the September 2014 LSAT and got a 175. (Woo!) And my GPA (from a regionally accredited school) is currently 3.98. Naturally, I'm hoping for some wonderful acceptance letters from the T14.

But there's a potential problem. I have a previous bachelor's from a religious school that lacks regional accreditation, though it does have some sort of national accreditation from the Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools. And at that school my GPA was 3.03. Is this going to completely ruin my UGPA and/or my chances at the T14?

It is going to level your GPA and probably hurt your application. Normally UG doesn't matter at all but unaccredited will most likely be a drag. I do think it'll be mitigated somewhat by transferring and doing well, and by the high LSAT score.

Submit it to LSAC and see what happens.

So you received a bachelor's from the first school attended? If so LSAC will only use that GPA to calculated your UGPA - nothing beyond a first bachelor's is counted.

That being said, a 175 will definitely put you in the running for some great schools - I would expect that Georgetown and Cornell will accept you, and if you have some good softs other T14's will definitely consider you. I wouldn't fail to consider Notre Dame - even though they're ranked a little lower they have stats more akin to lower T14's, and you'd probably get a scholarship. Don't give up hope.

Oh I totally read that as Associates from first school. If you graduated from the unaccredited school, skidoo is right.

So the accreditation of the bachelor's makes no difference? To be clear, I couldn't even take the LSAT with my old degree, because LSAC wouldn't even let me create an account.

Seems like a question for LSAC. I'd call on the phone and see what they say.

trumpet152 wrote:So the accreditation of the bachelor's makes no difference? To be clear, I couldn't even take the LSAT with my old degree, because LSAC wouldn't even let me create an account.

I'd call or email them directly just to make sure. I called them a couple years ago when I was starting a second bachelor's to ask if they would count it. They told me that only coursework before a first bachelor's would be counted, and they didn't ask which school or anything.

I think I will call. Thanks!

What did you find out? Did you have to go with the unaccredited degree?