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Short version:

a. Transferred to another undergrad in junior year. Was shortly thereafter affected with severe mental illness and resultantly flunked out due to inability to maintain sustained academic success.
b. Only used records of school I first transferred from to transfer to a state school in my home state. Got diagnosed, got meds, took them, did better.
c. Before graduating, went back to school I flunked out of and filled out a FERPA record non-release form, effectively sealing all records from school I flunked out of and making it appear I never enrolled at that school to all 3rd parties.
d. Graduated from state school with a 3.4.

This is a bad situation. I know that. That said, I still want to go to and complete law school. Thus I have a few questions:

a. Does the above scenario effectively make it impossible/improbable/ethically unreasonable for me to even think of continuing any kind of academic career anywhere?

b. If not, and if I study hard for the LSAT, is there a chance I can get into a good law school by just using the records from the school I transferred from and those from the state school I graduated from? Or do law schools have ways of finding these things out that make getting into any good law program impossible/improbable?

c. Even if I managed to apply to, get accepted to, and graduate from law school, I will still have to pass and be admitted to the bar. What effect will the above scenario have on my admission to the bar? I know you're not supposed to lie to them under any circumstances, and I don't want to—however since the FERPA block on my records at the school I flunked out of effectively prohibits registrar & related staff there from telling anyone I ever attended or releasing records of any kind, would it be appropriate to say the same thing to the Bar in the state I would seek admission to? Or would I have to tell them about my dismissal and face the consequences?

Let me be clear: I know that what I've brought up here sounds terrible, duplicitous and downright wrong. I feel bad about that. Yet I still legitimately want to go to and complete law school, and practice law. I'd like to hear people's thoughts on what avenue it might be best for me to take. No trolls, etc. wanted. I'm only looking for constructive advice here.

Thanks in advance to anyone who replies.

Cut yourself some slack. Seriously, nothing here sounds like you did anything wrong.

I don't see how it would be unethical or unreasonable or w/e to continue your education. Not really sure why you would think this.

Know your LSDAS gpa?

I would speak to a character and fitness attorney in the state you want to practice in to verify you would be admitted to the bar.

Xanc17 wrote:Short version:

a. Transferred to another undergrad in junior year. Was shortly thereafter affected with severe mental illness and resultantly flunked out due to inability to maintain sustained academic success.
b. Only used records of school I first transferred from to transfer to a state school in my home state. Got diagnosed, got meds, took them, did better.
c. Before graduating, went back to school I flunked out of and filled out a FERPA record non-release form, effectively sealing all records from school I flunked out of and making it appear I never enrolled at that school to all 3rd parties.
d. Graduated from state school with a 3.4.

Idk, maybe I'm being a little over the top here but that kinda sounds like borderline fraud or misrepresentation to me. I mean especially if the 3rd school (the state school) you transferred to asked for transcripts of all academic institutions you attended and you only provided transcripts from the first institution. When applying to law schools, they will ask for records from all institutions attended. I haven't gone through the C&F process with the bar yet but from what I hear their background checks are pretty in-depth. I know you sealed those records but I wouldn't want to be you if the bar somehow found out about school #2 and your law school retroactively denied you admission based on your failure to include those records in your application.

MarkfromWI wrote:

Xanc17 wrote:Short version:

a. Transferred to another undergrad in junior year. Was shortly thereafter affected with severe mental illness and resultantly flunked out due to inability to maintain sustained academic success.
b. Only used records of school I first transferred from to transfer to a state school in my home state. Got diagnosed, got meds, took them, did better.
c. Before graduating, went back to school I flunked out of and filled out a FERPA record non-release form, effectively sealing all records from school I flunked out of and making it appear I never enrolled at that school to all 3rd parties.
d. Graduated from state school with a 3.4.

Idk, maybe I'm being a little over the top here but that kinda sounds like borderline fraud or misrepresentation to me. I mean especially if the 3rd school (the state school) you transferred to asked for transcripts of all academic institutions you attended and you only provided transcripts from the first institution. When applying to law schools, they will ask for records from all institutions attended. I haven't gone through the C&F process with the bar yet but from what I hear their background checks are pretty in-depth. I know you sealed those records but I wouldn't want to be you if the bar somehow found out about school #2 and your law school retroactively denied you admission based on your failure to include those records in your application.

So, my question is: how could they find out? That's the big question I'm trying to figure out right now.

Any other replies as to whether or not I should go for law school despite my circumstances? Advice would be very much appreciated.

Xanc17 wrote:Any other replies as to whether or not I should go for law school despite my circumstances? Advice would be very much appreciated.

So granted, I'm one of the less knowledgeable sources on here, but I think the big thing to do would go talk to someone that knows C&F (a specialized lawyer?) inside and out and talk to them, see if they think this would be an issue later down the line for bar and whatnot. I'm also wondering if your school(s) or wherever you had to apply to seal these records (sorry, I know nothing about FERPA) would have resources.

If your GPA ends up at a 3.4, though, with a good LSAT score you should have good options. Go to law school if you get a good LSAT (and thus good options) and want to work as a lawyer.