3.8/senior grades drop/wait for next cyle? Forum

[starry eyed]

Goals: HS or CCN with $$, or the rest of T14 with $$$$.

I have a 3.81 lsac gpa, and am waiting on the results for the dec lsat. I am expecting to get somewhere between 167-171. I would like to exhaust my last two retakes in feb and june. BUT, my gpa has dipped over the last semester, putting it at a 3.67.

Am i going to have to update my lsac transcript if i wait until next cycle to apply, with ALL of my grades, senior year included?
Would it be advantageous to go ahead and apply with my score that I'm about to receive (along with the 3.81), or wait and apply with a slightly better lsat and 3.67 ?

I am thinking that i should blanket the T14 once i get my score and depending the feb lsat results, accept or withdraw any acceptances/$$ . It is just hard for me to judge which is more beneficial, a few points on the gpa or lsat.

[Clemenceau]

Jesus how bad were your grades this semester

I would just apply and take your chances with not sending in an updated transcript

[Clemenceau]

But its hard to say based on the fact that you don't have a real lsat score yet. Odd situation

[Mack.Hambleton]

Some schools will request fall grades regardless (Columbia comes to mind), and if you're applying in January you probably should update them anyway

[foregetaboutdre]

if your grades drop and it looks like you either want HS or the rest of the T14, i'd just blanket the T14 with your new lsat scores/grades and hope for the best ($$$ wise). however, i think it would perhaps be more helpful to state a geographic preference. i know the t14 has national reach, but anecdotally i think going from Duke or UVA to like CA might be hard. I knew someone at michigan who lined stuff up for their summers in CA, but they were originally from like santa barbara and went UG there.

[KMart]

You will probably have to update your transcript if you wait until next cycle, yes.

[starry eyed]

If I'm applying in two weeks (the day i get dec lsat results.. jan 2-5) wouldn't I be hurting myself by updating the transcript with the worse grades? Should i just leave out fall senior grades, and pray the schools don't request them?

[HardCider]

It's been so long since I used LSN, I looked at the wrong column. Your chances at a a lot of places will take a huge blow with the new GPA. That said, if a school sees the new GPA and you have an addendum-worthy justification, you can cushion it a little.

If they ask you for grades down the line, or realize come February that you haven't submitted a new transcript, you'll seem shaddy at best and intentionally dishonest at worst. You don't want to come off as either.

[Rigo]

If I'm applying in two weeks (the day i get dec lsat results.. jan 2-5) wouldn't I be hurting myself by updating the transcript with the worse grades? Should i just leave out fall senior grades, and pray the schools don't request them?

Yes you would be hurting yourself.
Leave out fall senior grades.

But dude, wtf happened? That's such a sharp drop. Are you sure you're not just being overly pessimistic?

[starry eyed]

Lol dirigo I was waitin on you to provide me with some guidance. I got 3 b's and a C mainly bc I thought I was going Into the military again as an officer at the beginning of the semester so I stopped caring about school.

I did a little math comparing my lsac gpa (which actually increased
gpa + .06 from a 3.75) to my school gpa and it looks like I will have an lsac adjusted 3.69. So a -.12 instead of -.14 drop.
I guess now is not the time to take the moral highground by updating the transcript.

[Rigo]

A lot of people only apply with their freshman thru junior year grades just because a lot of times their fall senior classes are only in progress or the final grades haven't been published yet by the time they apply. It's not a glaring red flag by any means.

If schools are smart, they will ask for your fall grades come the spring.

Really pull it together next semester just in case you up sitting out the cycle. Don't let yourself slip into 3.5 land.

[starry eyed]

A lot of people only apply with their freshman thru junior year grades just because a lot of times their fall senior classes are only in progress or the final grades haven't been published yet by the time they apply. It's not a glaring red flag by any means.

If schools are smart, they will ask for your fall grades come the spring.

Really pull it together next semester just in case you up sitting out the cycle. Don't let yourself slip into 3.5 land.

Absolutely, I might even throw in some a few easy classes next summer before sealing in the degree. It is possible to get back up to 3.77 territory.