LDAS GPA... I'm crushed. Forum

[j_jaervinen]

Long story short I screwed up royally when I first tried college, failed a couple of classes during my first semester, took time off and then when I came back to school (different one) I proceeded to get excellent grades (Rarely below A's)
To put it into perspective, this one semester of community college dropped my LDAS from 3.80 to a 3.51.
How F*cked am I?
I had a 163 on the LSAT but now I'm retaking because I had to report that community college.... hoping for at least a 170 but you never know.

I feel like that one semester has ruined any chance I had of going to a T14.
What do you recommend I do? Is there anything that I can do? As Irony would have it, I was looking at Berkeley as my top pick and I know they're notorious GPA whores. I feel like a high LSAT isn't going to save me at all.

[BNA]

Long story short I screwed up royally when I first tried college, failed a couple of classes during my first semester, took time off and then when I came back to school (different one) I proceeded to get excellent grades (Rarely below A's)
To put it into perspective, this one semester of community college dropped my LDAS from 3.80 to a 3.51.
How F*cked am I?
I had a 163 on the LSAT but now I'm retaking because I had to report that community college.... hoping for at least a 170 but you never know.

I feel like that one semester has ruined any chance I had of going to a T14.
What do you recommend I do? Is there anything that I can do? As Irony would have it, I was looking at Berkeley as my top pick and I know they're notorious GPA whores. I feel like a high LSAT isn't going to save me at all.

Actual poor performance or were you dropping classes for Fs or something like that? I've heard of people successfully having their school drop grades for classes retaken or dropped for unusual circumstances. If you just got bad grades, nothing you can do.

[HonestAdvice]

With the lsat range you are in, as little as a 3 point increase will offset the gpa drop. it's conceivable the drop could cost you a 100k, but if you were going to go with a 163 then it's possible you are better off because of it.

[Clemenceau]

Browse these fora to see if you can dig up info about getting those old cc classes dropped, as the poster above me mentioned. I don't know anything about that process or its likelihood, though.

That said, applying with a 163/3.8 was a bad idea as it was. You need to overhaul your LSAT studying method and get a higher score, whether you have a 3.5 or a 3.8. Plenty of people get into great schools with a 3.5, you just need to get that LSAT up.

[nicknar]

170/3.51 is likely a better shot at T14 than 163/3.8...

http://mylsn.info/97ohh4/
http://mylsn.info/wtr3eb/

If you weren't already going to retake the LSAT, and the GPA drop is what gave you the motivation to do so, I'd consider it a blessing in disguise.

[rpupkin]

170/3.51 is likely definitely a better shot at T14 than 163/3.8...

[j_jaervinen]

Browse these fora to see if you can dig up info about getting those old cc classes dropped, as the poster above me mentioned. I don't know anything about that process or its likelihood, though.

Believe me, I've lurked my ass off in search of any person that says "hey don't worry about it, those won't count! Just don't report them!" ESPECIALLY since I never used it for my Undergraduate degree... but sadly no such answer exists and I'm pretty much stuck with the sad reality of this GPA hell.
This also happened so long ago (2010) I feel it would be impossible to make a complaint due to professors or staff not remembering me personally or my situation. Even if the school decided to "drop" the grades, they'd still be around on my record - most likely they'd do some BS like make it possible to retake for credit or something.

Anyway I guess I just have to shoot for a killer LSAT to make up for it.
What's everyone's opinion on writing an addendum for my situation? I.E. "Hey I know my GPA is low on paper but believe me if you look at UG I graduated with high honors" and "well I was banking on my LSAT score to be good enough at 163 but I ended up being SOL so I had to retake and boost it"

[j_jaervinen]

Actual poor performance or were you dropping classes for Fs or something like that? I've heard of people successfully having their school drop grades for classes retaken or dropped for unusual circumstances. If you just got bad grades, nothing you can do.

A bit of both. Basically I was in a very bad place in my life and needed to work full time to make ends meet. If I was more aware about the whole college thing I would have worked with administration on it but I just didn't see my GPA, or college for that matter, as a priority.
One class I failed because I signed up for it but never attended. I thought I was going to be dropped automatically but I guess not? If I would have given a shit at the time I probably could have complained enough to get it off my record but since it's been a good six years since that semester I don't see that happening.

[rpupkin]

Anyway I guess I just have to shoot for a killer LSAT to make up for it.
What's everyone's opinion on writing an addendum for my situation? I.E. "Hey I know my GPA is low on paper but believe me if you look at UG I graduated with high honors" and "well I was banking on my LSAT score to be good enough at 163 but I ended up being SOL so I had to retake and boost it"

For better or for worse, the schools care the most about their GPA and LSAT medians. Your addendum won't change that. Write an addendum if it makes you feel better. It won't hurt--and could even help at the margins if well done--but it's unlikely to make a difference.

[BigZuck]

If you were really going to roll with a 3.8/163 and wanted to get into a T14 then this is actually a good thing. You would have been very disappointed with your results as a 3.8/163. As a 3.5/170 I think you'll be quite pleased.

[Mikey]

A 3.5 isn't the end of the world, you can still break the T14 if you have a good LSAT score along with it. It sucks but hey, there's nothing you can do about it now besides kill the LSAT. It could be worse honestly, there's some splitters who would LOVE to have your 3.5

[Wipfelder]

there's some splitters who would LOVE to have your 3.5

I'm super jealous TBH (waaaaay lower GPA and in at a few T14s)

[Jordan Catalano]

"One class I failed because I signed up for it but never attended. I thought I was going to be dropped automatically but I guess not? If I would have given a shit at the time I probably could have complained enough to get it off my record but since it's been a good six years since that semester I don't see that happening."

I think for this particular grade going back to argue your grade is worth a try. If you can go back to the college and speak with the professor (if they are still there) and the dean of that department, and you never attended even a day of that course, they might be willing to remove it, which would boost your GPA. I personally went back to one professor 3+ years post-college and asked about a grade and it was officially changed for me. Too many details to recount here, but it can happen!

[hammocklv06]

I had around a 3.5, got a 168 on the LSAT, and am starting this August at a T-14 with a small scholarship.