Down to a 3.2..... Forum

[AlexandraHope]

So I had a terrible year in school because of personal/family problems- grandfather was given 6 months to live in August, Died during finals in December, battled depression during the spring, etc.- I'm wondering will I still have a chance at a T-25? I was shooting for Vandy. My LSAT score should be around 165-170, if everything goes as planned. Any Advice?

[TheProdigal]

http://vanderbilt.lawschoolnumbers.com/stats/1415

Looks like you have some hope there.

[OhBoyOhBortles]

So I had a terrible year in school because of personal/family problems- grandfather was given 6 months to live in August, Died during finals in December, battled depression during the spring, etc.- I'm wondering will I still have a chance at a T-25? I was shooting for Vandy. My LSAT score should be around 165-170, if everything goes as planned. Any Advice?

Kill the lsat and you'll be fine. Take 2-4 years and get some work experience. It will help distance yourself from the gpa. It will also be a mild plus in admissions and OCI, from what I've heard. You can still get T14 with $$ with a 3.2.

[TasmanianToucan]

Kill the lsat and you'll be fine. Take 2-4 years and get some work experience. It will help distance yourself from the gpa. It will also be a mild plus in admissions and OCI, from what I've heard. You can still get T14 with $$ with a 3.2.

+1

Other than kill the LSAT? Talk to your dean/professors about mitigating those grades. Some schools will wipe a class off of your transcript under exceptional circumstances. It probably won't happen but it can't hurt to ask. And then start writing a killer addendum explaining the death spiral of your GPA.

[KMart]

Kill the lsat and you'll be fine. Take 2-4 years and get some work experience. It will help distance yourself from the gpa. It will also be a mild plus in admissions and OCI, from what I've heard. You can still get T14 with $$ with a 3.2.

+1. Also would like to say: add an addendum to help explain the GPA drop. I'm sorry to hear, OP and best of luck to you.

[usn26]

Kill the lsat and you'll be fine. Take 2-4 years and get some work experience. It will help distance yourself from the gpa. It will also be a mild plus in admissions and OCI, from what I've heard. You can still get T14 with $$ with a 3.2.

+1

Other than kill the LSAT? Talk to your dean/professors about mitigating those grades. Some schools will wipe a class off of your transcript under exceptional circumstances. It probably won't happen but it can't hurt to ask. And then start writing a killer addendum explaining the death spiral of your GPA.

^^

[starry eyed]

So I had a terrible year in school because of personal/family problems- grandfather was given 6 months to live in August, Died during finals in December, battled depression during the spring, etc.- I'm wondering will I still have a chance at a T-25? I was shooting for Vandy. My LSAT score should be around 165-170, if everything goes as planned. Any Advice?

Kill the lsat and you'll be fine. Take 2-4 years and get some work experience. It will help distance yourself from the gpa. It will also be a mild plus in admissions and OCI, from what I've heard. You can still get T14 with $$ with a 3.2.

so 2-4 years is worth distancing yourself from a GPA? and to get a mild plus for admission?

sounds like a shitty deal.

i would say 2 months is worth both of those things. just kill the lsat OP and you'll be good

[071816]

ED UVA

[OhBoyOhBortles]

So I had a terrible year in school because of personal/family problems- grandfather was given 6 months to live in August, Died during finals in December, battled depression during the spring, etc.- I'm wondering will I still have a chance at a T-25? I was shooting for Vandy. My LSAT score should be around 165-170, if everything goes as planned. Any Advice?

Kill the lsat and you'll be fine. Take 2-4 years and get some work experience. It will help distance yourself from the gpa. It will also be a mild plus in admissions and OCI, from what I've heard. You can still get T14 with $$ with a 3.2.

so 2-4 years is worth distancing yourself from a GPA? and to get a mild plus for admission?

sounds like a shitty deal.

i would say 2 months is worth both of those things. just kill the lsat OP and you'll be good

It's not 2-4 years in prison...it's 2-4 years trying new things, having valuable life experiences, and gaining maturity. Could be a great 2-4 years for you. If that sounds like "a shitty deal" to you, OP, then yes, kill the lsat and you'll be fine.

[starry eyed]

Maybe it's just me, but wasn't college supposed to be the time to experience new things? The time after college usually sucks balls because you most likely graduated with a BS degree in BS, and will be working at h and r block while you try to live wild and free. UNLESS you were deadset on starting a career and have no intention of going to law school in the future, then it makes sense bc it's not utterly pointless.

Now if someone is unsure of law school, then it makes sense to wait and see what you like in life before committing.
Seeing how life is before law school (if you know you want to go) is just a way of delaying your goals, buying a house, etc

[Gray]

.

[starry eyed]

My GPA sucked more and I'm going to a t14 with $$ - just get a 170+ and work experience before applying. Focus on improving your GPA with the time you have left in UG.

Also I hate to say it but I don't think the loss of a grandparent is really addendum worthy - It's definitely a difficult experience but it's not the same as losing a parent or sibling, unless there's a lot more to the story (and of course there could be). I think it's something a lot of undergraduate students go through. I lost an uncle, a family friend and my last two living grandparents in one academic year, so I know how much it can weigh on you and distract you, but the best thing is just to raise your GPA as much as possible. Take easy courses and stay an extra semester if you can.

Also, the above advice is just silly. A full time job gives you a lot of perspective and maturity and I don't think I've heard anyone regret working before starting law school.

i thought we were eyebrow buddies

[starry eyed]

ED UVA

[AlexandraHope]

ED UVA

ED UVA?

[OhBoyOhBortles]

ED UVA

ED UVA?

Ignore them.

[starry eyed]

ED UVA

ED UVA?

Apply Early Decison to UVA. Their admissions are weird in that you can have a high gpa and low lsat or high lsat and low gpa and have and have a good shot at getting in. It's like the 'backdoor' way into the T14. So do well on the LSAT and you'll have plenty of opportunities (not just UVA), if you don't do well as you need to, then think about getting work exp. But right now, PUT 100% of your energy into lsat prep. Study for Oct and then retake in Dec if necessary

Check myLSN.info for info on your chances with whatever lsat score you wantt to put in an as input.

[Gray]

.

[OhBoyOhBortles]

yeah ED UVA was the "retake and reapply" of a few cycles ago. You'll be stuck paying sticker if it works - how is that a good idea?

[starry eyed]

GUYS we dont have all the info yet

OP: what are your career goals and location preferences?

[TasmanianToucan]

1) Kill the LSAT (Everyone agrees on that, right? And it really is the most important.)
2) The loss of a grandfather alone may not be addendum worthy, but clinical depression certainly is. Hope you saw a doctor, OP, and not just for law school admissions.
3) Work after school. It gives you perspective, and I'm betting you might need that.
4) Don't ED as a strategy to get into law school. That's like proposing marriage instead of asking someone out on a date.

[AlexandraHope]

1) Kill the LSAT (Everyone agrees on that, right? And it really is the most important.)
2) The loss of a grandfather alone may not be addendum worthy, but clinical depression certainly is. Hope you saw a doctor, OP, and not just for law school admissions.
3) Work after school. It gives you perspective, and I'm betting you might need that.
4) Don't ED as a strategy to get into law school. That's like proposing marriage instead of asking someone out on a date.

1.) Gotcha
2.) No, I did not. I battled mild depression in high school, for unrelated reasons. Therefore, I used the technics from those therapy sessions to overcome my depression . My grandfather was more like my father, so in my head I lost both.
3.) I did have a job, but I quite. I'm planning on obtaining another one this upcoming school year.
4.) Is December considered early? I was going to apply after fall grades were turned in.

[AlexandraHope]

GUYS we dont have all the info yet

OP: what are your career goals and location preferences?

I want to stay in the south or near the south. I wanted to go into some form of corporate law, unsure of exactly what kind.

[starry eyed]

GUYS we dont have all the info yet

OP: what are your career goals and location preferences?

I want to stay in the south or near the south. I wanted to go into some form of corporate law, unsure of exactly what kind.

get a 170 and you're in Vandy with $$$.

and you'll have more than one T14 option i would bet.

[TasmanianToucan]

1.) Gotcha
2.) No, I did not. I battled mild depression in high school, for unrelated reasons. Therefore, I used the technics from those therapy sessions to overcome my depression . My grandfather was more like my father, so in my head I lost both.
3.) I did have a job, but I quite. I'm planning on obtaining another one this upcoming school year.
4.) Is December considered early? I was going to apply after fall grades were turned in.

If I'm reading this right you're still a junior. Take senior year to get your grades up. Take only easy classes if possible, pottery if necessary. Then take a year to work/study for the LSAT so that your new and improved GPA is able to have the most impact, and you will have WE on top of that. And by ED I mean binding early decision. The cycle that you send in your applications you'll want to send them in as early as possible, like September or October at the very latest.

[AlexandraHope]

GUYS we dont have all the info yet

OP: what are your career goals and location preferences?

I want to stay in the south or near the south. I wanted to go into some form of corporate law, unsure of exactly what kind.

get a 170 and you're in Vandy with $$$.

and you'll have more than one T14 option i would bet.

That gives me hope! Thanks Everybody

So will applying in December hurt me? I think my school's grades are due in early December no later than the 12th?

I'm also AA....unsure of if that matters.