Consider transferring or hold off on applying? Forum

[Asterismos]

So, I got a 176 on my LSAT with a 2.6 gpa (I'm going into my senior year of undergrad right now, and want to apply for Fall 2017); to briefly reiterate what I said in a thread in 'what are my chances,' I recently saw a psychiatrist who told me I had 'severe attention issues' and referred me to see a learning specialist to learn how to deal with it. All things considered, however, I still think that my chances at getting into a t-14 school are pretty slim even if I blanket, so I've started considering some other options just so that I can have backup plans.

I'd like to avoid taking gap years if at all possible, so I've been considering going to a lower tier law school (I'm pretty sure I'll get in somewhere, with my LSAT score, despite my GPA) and transferring somewhere else after first year. (I know it's hard to do well 1L and I've figured out the whole grades situation, so for the sake of this thread let's just assume I'll get good enough grades to transfer).

But I've also heard that because internship offers come in after 1L, sometimes going to a lower tier law school even just for 1L to transfer later isn't the best option, and that sometimes employers might frown upon that?

In that case, should I just go ahead and take a gap year or two and reapply to law schools at a later point if I don't get into a school I want?

sos

[brinicolec]

I don't really have any answers for this (sorry) but I just wanted to ask if you considered the financial aspect of transferring because from what I understand, transfers don't have a chance to get $$, so if you were to transfer to a T14, you'd pay sticker price.

I totally understand the desire to avoid a gap year (that used to be me too), but if I were you, I'd probably wait rather than transfer. Again though, I don't really have the answers! Lol.

[username8112]

I would apply and go to the best school you get into. You will get in somewhere decent with that lsat. Maybe even some money. One option would be to raise that GPA while you still have a chance. Take leave from your school... enroll in cc and take as many easy A classes as you can tolerate. Aim for A+s. Getting that to a 3.0 would put you in a much better place.

[tyrant_flycatcher]

DO NOT, DO NOT, DO NOT apply to school this year. You HAVE to take a gap year so you can boost your GPA.

The best way to end up at the school you want to go to as a 2L is to be there as a 1L. You can't count on transferring. There's simply no way to know how you'll do as a 1L. If you screw up, you're stuck and there's no going back. Only start out at a place you'd be proud to graduate from.

If you wait to apply and do well as a senior, you could realistically bump your GPA up by .2 or .3. You'd even have a shot at a GPA above a 3.0 if you load up on credits. With that kind of improvement you'd get into higher ranked schools and be awarded far bigger scholarships. For me this is a no-brainer.

[WhyYaCryin]

DO NOT, DO NOT, DO NOT apply to school this year. You HAVE to take a gap year so you can boost your GPA.

The best way to end up at the school you want to go to as a 2L is to be there as a 1L. You can't count on transferring. There's simply no way to know how you'll do as a 1L. If you screw up, you're stuck and there's no going back. Only start out at a place you'd be proud to graduate from.

If you wait to apply and do well as a senior, you could realistically bump your GPA up by .2 or .3. You'd even have a shot at a GPA above a 3.0 if you load up on credits. With that kind of improvement you'd get into higher ranked schools and be awarded far bigger scholarships. For me this is a no-brainer.

I don't know about that. Even if OP gets straight As both semesters of his/her senior year, it's mathematically impossible to bump that gpa to a 3.0 unless, like you said he/she takes a shit ton of credits. With that lsat, OP has a realistic shot at nw, uva and an outside shot at a couple others. A jump from a 2.6 to a 2.9 will make a difference but not a huge difference.

OP you should also calculate your gpa according to LSAC's method because it will likely not be the same as what reads on your transcript.

If you really want to attend next year I would apply now and try your luck. You may even get a full ride (or close) at a school like WUSTL. But I wouldn't bet on transferring out.

[cavalier1138]

I'm not a proponent of a "gap year" to try and take community college courses. I think that you can probably roll the dice as a splitter, since raising your GPA up a few tenths of a percentage point isn't going to make that much of a difference in how big of a splitter you are to T14 schools.

But that said, you also cannot count on transferring, so make sure you're happy with where you end up.