2.7 Grad school GPA Forum

[jgloster]

I have a crappy undergrad GPA too. But I have a 170 LSAT. How will a 2.7 grad school GPA affect me (public policy-related)?

[icechicken]

It's usually a bad look to average a B- in grad school but your uGPA is vastly more important.

[sparkytrainer]

Your undergrad GPA is what counts, but damn thats a bad grad school GPA given the vast majority of programs give a 4.0 for showing up. That will hurt your application I imagine, but marginally.

[jgloster]

I know, my uGPA was also sub-3.0, so I had no funding for grad school, forcing me to work 40 hours a week and commute from home. Plus there was some difficult coursework and a lot of group projects. Hopefully my LSAT and URM status will make up for it.

[mcmand]

Will the same factors that led to your grad school GPA still be present if/when you get to law school? Grades take on a lot of importance, especially 1L year. Wouldn't want to risk a repeat of that.

[icechicken]

URMs with 170s are rare. You should apply to the better regional schools where you want to practice as well as some T20s and maybe Northwestern. Someone will be willing to pay you a considerable amount of scholarship money for that LSAT, which could put you in a pretty solid position depending on your career goals.

I agree with the above advice, though, that you really should rethink law school if you've had this much academic trouble elsewhere. It's definitely not going to be easier.

[Rigo]

2009 join date. All hail.

[jgloster]

As long as I can get a full-ride somewhere, I'm set.

And thanks for noticing my 2009 join date! I'm pretty old, just turned 27...

[Rigo]

As long as I can get a full-ride somewhere, I'm set.
And thanks for noticing my 2009 join date! I'm pretty old, just turned 27...

TLS old, not real life old.
And splitter cycles are hard to predict. Apply broadly. If you're after a full ride, shoot an app to WUSTL.

[jgloster]

Should I write an addendum for my grad GPA?

[Rigo]

Should I write an addendum for my grad GPA?

It sounds like it would be hollow since you also had a bad undergrad GPA.
What would your reason even be?
I wouldn't.

Also, as we've said, grad doesn't really matter so supplemental materials about it seems unnecessary and like app clutter. Furthermore, it would just draw more attention to a negative.

[yyyuppp]

Should I write an addendum for my grad GPA?

i had a terrible UGPA (lower than your graduate one). i didn't really have a great excuse besides immaturity and all that. I worked with spivey consulting and was advised to always write an addendum explaining what was up. i did and i got into a t13 (obviously no way to know how it helped or hurt).

i don't know if you having a similarly bad GPA in grad school changes anything, but you should consider speaking to someone besides other law students or prospective law students to make sure you understand what is best for your situation.

[jgloster]

Yeah, I've asked some real-life law admissions related people, but no one can give me a straight answer because they've never seen anyone with such a low grad GPA. So maybe I'm fucked?

[Rigo]

Yeah, I've asked some real-life law admissions related people, but no one can give me a straight answer because they've never seen anyone with such a low grad GPA. So maybe I'm fucked?

Your GPA definitely isn't unheard of. Ignore undergrad pre-law advisors.