Please Help Forum

[HVSP22]

So, I studied for the LSAT, got my letters of recommendation, went through the application process, and eventually accepted an offer of admission to a school with a good sized scholarship. I withdrew other applications, paid the seat deposit, and signed a lease for next year. Then this evening, it was brought to my attention that I made a mistake in the application process. I failed to provide transcripts from the three college level courses I took my senior year of high school. I did not transfer these classes to my undergraduate school, therefor they were not counted towards my bachelor's degree in any way. I was under the impression that those courses no longer meant anything after I chose not to transfer them. I learned that I was incorrect in that assumption only this evening.

After doing some research, it seems that this is a question that has been discussed in the past. However, everything I found was people discussing whether they had to send the transcripts while they were in the application process. I couldn't find any information on someone who had already applied, been accepted, and then noticed the mistake.

I can't imagine it will impact my GPA much either positively or negatively. Truthfully, I can't truthfully say I remember what grades I got in the course. This was senior year of high school. I have already emailed LSAC and the director of admissions at the school I plan to attend in the fall explaining the situation. I'll be waiting to hear back from them. I'm simply wondering if anyone has or knows someone who has experienced anything similar to this. Any advice or ideas of how screwed I actually am would be appreciated. Thanks.

[Deserving Porcupine]

Sounds like this ship has already sailed for you, but I would have first contacted a C&F lawyer, then based on his/her advice communicated with the dean at your school, and only finally, based on the advice of the lawyer and dean, would I have reached out to LSAC. I don't have any first hand experience, but I hear LSAC can be real sticklers. The policy on transcripts for LSAC-calculated GPA is pretty clear, and you really don't have much of an excuse except for just being too careless to read the rules and understand how they apply to you, which doesn't bode well for an aspiring lawyer.

I'm any case, good luck and keep us updated! Hopefully both the school and LSAC will be reasonable.

[B90]

How exactly was it brought to your attention?
As in, did you discover it yourself or did a school contact you.

I sent you a pm.

[HVSP22]

Sounds like this ship has already sailed for you, but I would have first contacted a C&F lawyer, then based on his/her advice communicated with the dean at your school, and only finally, based on the advice of the lawyer and dean, would I have reached out to LSAC. I don't have any first hand experience, but I hear LSAC can be real sticklers. The policy on transcripts for LSAC-calculated GPA is pretty clear, and you really don't have much of an excuse except for just being too careless to read the rules and understand how they apply to you, which doesn't bode well for an aspiring lawyer.

I'm any case, good luck and keep us updated! Hopefully both the school and LSAC will be reasonable.

You're completely right that it was a silly mistake to make. I reached out to LSAC and my school because I felt that complete transparency was probably my best option at this point. I thought it would be best to try to get out in front of it. Because the admissions cycle is still happening, and I have not officially matriculated yet, I'm hoping that I can simply update the transcript and leave the consequences up to the school. I read over the misconduct and irregularities policies page on LSAC. While it is clear that what occurred is in violation of their policy, it is pretty vague as to what the punishment may be. By bringing it to their attention myself, I'm hoping that I've proven no intent of dishonesty on my part and a desire to fix the issue.

[B90]

If a school offered you admission and you accepted, that is a contract.

Porcupine is a 0L and as she said does not know anything about this situation. No need to pour salt in the wound.
This is not necessarily fatal to you matriculating at your chosen school. If you notified the school and LSAC, you have done what you need to for now.

[HVSP22]

If a school offered you admission and you accepted, that is a contract.

Porcupine is a 0L and as she said does not know anything about this situation. No need to pour salt in the wound.
This is not necessarily fatal to you matriculating at your chosen school. If you notified the school and LSAC, you have done what you need to for now.

That's what I'm hoping for. Ideally, I could just update my transcript, send it to my school, and then leave it up to them as to whether or not to rescind my offer. Again, I can't imagine those three courses will impact my GPA by much one way or the other. So if they were to rescind, I don't think it would be due to anything merit-based.

[Npret]

How will the grades in these classes impact your calculated GPA? If they don't hurt or actually improve then I think it's NBD, just an honest mistake. If you flunked all 3 courses and it would hurt you, it might seem like you were hiding these courses.

I do remember a post from a long time ago about a student who had not reported a class but the grade was an A so it didn't matter in the long run. There was some administrative hassle to deal with but it was resolved with no adverse effects. (That post may be purged by now.)

You are not the only person who has made this mistake. Wait and see what LSAC and admissions have to say. I don't think you are automatically doomed.

[HVSP22]

How will the grades in these classes impact your calculated GPA? If they don't hurt or actually improve then I think it's NBD, just an honest mistake. If you flunks all 3 courses and it would hurt you, it might seem like you were hiding these courses.

I do remember a post from a long time ago about a student who had not reported a class but the grad was an A so it didn't matter in the long run. There was some administrative hassle to deal with but it was resolved with no adverse effects. (That post may be purged by now.)

You are not the only person who has made this mistake. Wait and see what LSAC and admissions have to say. I don't think you are automatically doomed.

I believe I got an A, a B and a C, but I can't say that with absolute certainty. I think it will lower by GPA, but only very slightly.

[Deserving Porcupine]

If a school offered you admission and you accepted, that is a contract.

Porcupine is a 0L and as she said does not know anything about this situation. No need to pour salt in the wound.
This is not necessarily fatal to you matriculating at your chosen school. If you notified the school and LSAC, you have done what you need to for now.

This is true, I know nothing about this type of situation, and am an 0L so take my opinion for what it's worth, which is just shy of nothing. Didn't mean to rub salt in the wound, hopefully mine is just a neurotic overreaction and Im sure it will all turn out fine. Good luck!

[B90]

If a school offered you admission and you accepted, that is a contract.

Porcupine is a 0L and as she said does not know anything about this situation. No need to pour salt in the wound.
This is not necessarily fatal to you matriculating at your chosen school. If you notified the school and LSAC, you have done what you need to for now.

This is true, I know nothing about this type of situation, and am an 0L so take my opinion for what it's worth, which is just shy of nothing. Didn't mean to rub salt in the wound, hopefully mine is just a neurotic overreaction and Im sure it will all turn out fine. Good luck!

You are right; you are a 0L and therefore had a neurotic overreaction. I can recognize this because I too was once an 0L and had my share of neurotic overractions. We all do; it's why TLS exists.

[foregetaboutdre]

Call the school admit department (or email) and tell them you omitted college classes you took in HS. See what they advise. They'll probably say send them to LSAC and go from there (and do that).

I wouldn't contact a C&F attorney over this, but that choice is up to you.

[B90]

Call the school admit department (or email) and tell them you omitted college classes you took in HS. See what they advise. They'll probably say send them to LSAC and go from there (and do that).

This is NOTHING to call a C&F attorney for before you're attending law school.

This. It sounds like OP already did what you suggest and in my humble, educated but not licensed opinion, * it is not necessary to seek/retain counsel for this.



*In case anyone from the ABA or BBE is lurking in this forum, I realize a JD is not a license to practice law.

[goldenbear2020]

What are you waiting for?

Send in that transcript ASAP, let the school know that an updated GPA is forthcoming, and go from there. Ideally you recalculate your LSAC GPA right now, so you can let the school know what to expect. You don't know what grades you got - call that school and find out!