Did i just ruin my chances of getting into Harvard? Forum

katherinek · Post by **katherinek** » Mon Dec 08, 2014 10:08 pm

Hey everyone, this is my first semester in college and it couldn't have gone worse, I was incorrectly diagnosed with thyroid cancer in the beginning of November(And you have no idea how pissed off I am, seriously considering suing the doctor) but it turned out to be just hyperthyroidism, so I'm fine, just need to take some meds. But the problem is that when all of this was going on, i didn't go to school for about 3 weeks, missed all of my midterms, and now I have finals and they've been going bad since I couldn't find enough time to study for them with all this going on. So, I'm expecting an overall 2.0-2.2 gpa this semester, and I've been freaking out because I graduated high school with a 3.92, so I'm not used to getting this low grades and I really wanted to attend Harvard Law. I'm willing to study 24/7 to get an overall 4.0 next semester and the years ahead. If I manage to do that, (along with a high LSAT score) is there a chance they would consider my application, or did I just destroy my chances?

Nekrowizard · Post by **Nekrowizard** » Mon Dec 08, 2014 10:11 pm

Post removed.

Elston Gunn · Post by **Elston Gunn** » Mon Dec 08, 2014 10:12 pm

There's seriously no way the school would work with you on this?

What'll matter in the end is your overall GPA. If it's possible to get into the 3.8+ range, you would be fine with the right LSAT, but obviously that would become difficult.

Also, don't get so fixated on Harvard or even law school at this point. Do your best, enjoy yourself, figure out what you're good at, like and can get someone to pay your for. Make friends, etc.

But, really, the school should help you out here.

ballcaps · Post by **ballcaps** » Mon Dec 08, 2014 10:15 pm

1) this is a worthy addendum, if ever there was one.
2) you are a college freshman. if you haven't picked a major yet, how on earth could you have already picked a law school?
3) go back to studying.

WichitaShocker · Post by **WichitaShocker** » Mon Dec 08, 2014 10:17 pm

Elston Gunn wrote:There's seriously no way the school would work with you on this?

What'll matter in the end is your overall GPA. If it's possible to get into the 3.8+ range, you would be fine with the right LSAT, but obviously that would become difficult.

Also, don't get so fixated on Harvard or even law school at this point. Do your best, enjoy yourself, figure out what you're good at, like and can get someone to pay your for. Make friends, etc.

But, really, the school should help you out here.

This. Talk to your school, they may let you have a medical withdraw for the semester.

sflyr2016 · Post by **sflyr2016** » Mon Dec 08, 2014 10:17 pm

Petition this class and have them erased from your undergrad record. They will ask for documentation which you can provide, and you have a compelling reason for them to work with you. Also be sure to ask for a refund. You just have to retake the classes, which is not all bad--especially considering it could be worse, you could actually of had cancer. Sorry for the bad luck. Petition these classes to be removed. Retake them. Get As. And be happy you do not have cancer.

AspiringAcademic · Post by **AspiringAcademic** » Mon Dec 08, 2014 10:22 pm

Agree with the above about talking to your dean etc about this. It's really late in the semester, but I can't imagine they get THIS story every year. I know some places that would be happy to rewrite the rules in a case like this (and other places that would probably be dicks). You never know until you try.

LawBron James · Post by **LawBron James** » Mon Dec 08, 2014 11:29 pm

katherinek wrote:Hey everyone, this is my first semester in college and it couldn't have gone worse, I was incorrectly diagnosed with thyroid cancer in the beginning of November(And you have no idea how pissed off I am, seriously considering suing the doctor) but it turned out to be just hyperthyroidism, so I'm fine, just need to take some meds. But the problem is that when all of this was going on, i didn't go to school for about 3 weeks, missed all of my midterms, and now I have finals and they've been going bad since I couldn't find enough time to study for them with all this going on. So, I'm expecting an overall 2.0-2.2 gpa this semester, and I've been freaking out because I graduated high school with a 3.92, so I'm not used to getting this low grades and I really wanted to attend Harvard Law. I'm willing to study 24/7 to get an overall 4.0 next semester and the years ahead. If I manage to do that, (along with a high LSAT score) is there a chance they would consider my application, or did I just destroy my chances?

I had close to that my first semester, had nowhere near as good of a reason for it as you do, and received an interview from Harvard this cycle (of course that's no guarantee of admission, but it means its a very realistic chance). Just make sure you get those grades up and write an addendum when the time comes and you have a shot. I do agree with the others, though, that you should at least try to get those classes deleted from your record. More importantly, I'm glad you're healthy!

hiltopp01 · Post by **hiltopp01** » Tue Dec 09, 2014 2:42 am

I know somebody who had a case similar to this. He dropped all his classes during the last week of the semester and got 4 Ws. Wrote an addendum and he's at Columbia now.

If nothing else works, just drop your classes and get the Ws.

popsmurf · Post by **popsmurf** » Tue Dec 09, 2014 2:51 am

Forget your current GPA, just focus on finishing strong. I had terrible grades in undergrad, but I man-handled the LSAT. But you need to read "SPAM." It will not only help you when you are going to law school, but it will help you now to understand what law school is all about and how you can improve your GPA.

03152016 · Post by **03152016** » Tue Dec 09, 2014 3:12 am

popsmurf wrote:Forget your current GPA, just focus on finishing strong. I had terrible grades in undergrad, but I man-handled the LSAT. But you need to read [retarded ebook] It will not only help you when you are going to law school, but it will help you now to understand what law school is all about and how you can improve your GPA.

you didn't man-handle anything
you ended up at cooley
couldn't get a job so you slapped together a shitty ebook to scam 1Ls
this is the tls equivalent of begging for change, it's just sad

popsmurf · Post by **popsmurf** » Tue Dec 09, 2014 3:14 am

I can't stoop to your level, so you can be negative by yourself. Have fun.

elterrible78 · Post by **elterrible78** » Tue Dec 09, 2014 3:27 am

popsmurf wrote:Forget your current GPA, just focus on finishing strong. I had terrible grades in undergrad, but I man-handled the LSAT. But you need to read "some spam" It will not only help you when you are going to law school, but it will help you now to understand what law school is all about and how you can improve your GPA.

If you want some laughs, "look inside" this book on Amazon. It is one of the most poorly written pieces of garbage I have ever seen.

hillz · Post by **hillz** » Tue Dec 09, 2014 8:58 am

At my uni, there were two important dates - the deadline to drop/add and the deadline to withdraw from a class and just receive a W. After the second deadline, you could no longer withdraw and you had to take whatever grade you made. So depending on the uni, OP may not be able to just withdraw now.

OP, if I were you, I would go to your doctor & get your parents' support, if possible. Explain the situation to your uni's registrar office and ask what a doctor's note needs to specifically say to medically withdraw for the semester. Yes, it may be expensive and you'll have to retake classes, but if you are really worried about your GPA & the content you missed in those classes, you should try it. I know a few people who had to do the same thing for various legitimate physical/mental health issues and it worked out for them.

mist4bison · Post by **mist4bison** » Tue Dec 09, 2014 10:28 am

Both schools I've gone to have allowed you to do a hardship withdrawal up until like 3 months afterward. Go talk to a counselor about it and see what your options are/how to go about getting one.

MistakenGenius · Post by **MistakenGenius** » Tue Dec 09, 2014 11:10 am

Post removed.

bjsesq · Post by **bjsesq** » Tue Dec 09, 2014 11:13 am

popsmurf wrote:I can't stoop to your level, so you can be negative by yourself. Have fun.

"Can't"

Seats in library=job placement

READ MY BOOK

AReasonableMan · Post by **AReasonableMan** » Tue Dec 09, 2014 12:45 pm

popsmurf wrote:I can't stoop to your level, so you can be negative by yourself. Have fun.

Smurf - you need a silent partner from a t-14 who'd be willing to sign off on your shit. Cooley is bottom of the barrel so no one will turn to your book reppin the Cooley colors. It's like an NBA player reading a how to by a last off the bench player. If you can pitch it as trusted by the superstars and chubby white guys, you might have something. Right now your pitch doesn't make sense. In all honesty even with your tips and tricks, you'd get destroyed by most people on this site on a law school test. There's simply too big an IQ difference.

But seriously, a person has cancer and is concerned about their UGPA as a college freshman, and your response is don't worry read my book on law school grading? Is this for real? Then you're offended by negativity on your book? This can't be real life. I picture you walking across a soup kitchen populated by meth addicts touting your book on A's in LS as the cure all.

MistakenGenius · Post by **MistakenGenius** » Tue Dec 09, 2014 3:44 pm

Post removed.

Finnpower · Post by **Finnpower** » Tue Dec 09, 2014 4:41 pm

I am now INTENSELY curious as to what the eBook is. I tried google searching for it... nothing.

jbagelboy · Post by **jbagelboy** » Tue Dec 09, 2014 4:56 pm

why do you even want to go to law school, and how could you know which law school you want to go to.

for your future generally, I would try to take incompletes for whatever coursework you can and talk to your professors. go to an academic adviser and schedule a meeting with the dean of students immediately. without divulging too many details, I had a series of medical issues my first semester of college with time in the hospital and took an incomplete in a class; while the professor wound up not accepting the work I did over break to close out the incomplete (and the college policy only "strongly encouraged" professors to heed the academic review committee that granted in completes, they weren't mandatory), some professors are more forgiving.

AReasonableMan · Post by **AReasonableMan** » Tue Dec 09, 2014 9:03 pm

On his behalf it's hella short. Brevity is an art lost on most lawyers, and a prized asset. He only needs to have a useful idea to communicate.

MistakenGenius wrote:
AReasonableMan wrote:
popsmurf wrote:I can't stoop to your level, so you can be negative by yourself. Have fun.
Smurf - you need a silent partner from a t-14 who'd be willing to sign off on your shit. Cooley is bottom of the barrel so no one will turn to your book reppin the Cooley colors. It's like an NBA player reading a how to by a last off the bench player. If you can pitch it as trusted by the superstars and chubby white guys, you might have something. Right now your pitch doesn't make sense. In all honesty even with your tips and tricks, you'd get destroyed by most people on this site on a law school test. There's simply too big an IQ difference.

But seriously, a person has cancer and is concerned about their UGPA as a college freshman, and your response is don't worry read my book on law school grading? Is this for real? Then you're offended by negativity on your book? This can't be real life. I picture you walking across a soup kitchen populated by meth addicts touting your book on A's in LS as the cure all.
Though I love people blasting this idiot peddling his shitty book, be aware that OP does NOT have cancer, but received a false diagnosis which caused her to miss class.

Also, Reasonable just gave me a great idea. Smurf, btw, your book is poorly written (really demonstrates your Cooley education) and your only good review is by you yourself. That said. Yale student here who will say your book taught me everything I know for the right price. lol

ballcaps · Post by **ballcaps** » Tue Dec 09, 2014 9:07 pm

Brut wrote:
popsmurf wrote:Forget your current GPA, just focus on finishing strong. I had terrible grades in undergrad, but I man-handled the LSAT. But you need to read [retarded ebook] It will not only help you when you are going to law school, but it will help you now to understand what law school is all about and how you can improve your GPA.
you didn't man-handle anything
you ended up at cooley
couldn't get a job so you slapped together a shitty ebook to scam 1Ls
this is the tls equivalent of begging for change, it's just sad

served.

also someone please post this ebook so we can all "read" it.

MistakenGenius · Post by **MistakenGenius** » Tue Dec 09, 2014 9:21 pm

Post removed.

ballcaps · Post by **ballcaps** » Tue Dec 09, 2014 9:28 pm

Finnpower wrote:I am now INTENSELY curious as to what the eBook is. I tried google searching for it... nothing.

PM'd

(thanks genius. even the blurb is a laugh riot.)