NonTrad, old Bad GPA-How many A's is enough? Forum

[glbtrottr]

Hello, all...first post, new lad here. Thanks for all y'all's patience and advice.

I will be sitting for the February LSAT.

Here's sort of where I stand: My mother had cancer 30 years ago, and my GPA was standing at...2.0, 80 or so units worth. I did an academic refresh and erased a bunch of D's and F's that came from leaving for the Persian Gulf.

I spent 25 years in the highest of high tech, I decided to go back to school while working full time.

1st half semester (came in late), I did 18 semester units in 8 weeks. 4.0 g.p.a. at a Community college.
Summer? 27 or so units, including 12 at a State University. 4.0 g.p.a.
Fall? 39 semester units, 4.0. g.p.a, 24 at the State University.
Winter Session? 18 units at a community college, expect 4.0 g.p.a.
Spring? 18 units at State University, know all the professors teaching the classes, have taken them before, expect 4.0 G.P.A.

My GPA will be around a 3.5. All of my GPA prior to the last 25 years is a 4.0.

I am definitely a URM, learned English at 17, was a US Marine called up for Desert Storm. Have plenty of "softs".

I really don't expect a 167 LSAT plus will be an issue.

Goals? T14, tuition waiver. Advocacy law practice.

Would love to know your thoughts, LSAT score notwithstanding. At what point does continuing a 4.0 G.P.A. become part of the point of diminishing returns?

[Mullens]

You have a great background and life story but you might not be a URM. URM status is based solely on ethnicity. It only applies to candidates who are black, Mexican, Puerto Rican, or Native American. That’s not to say your background won’t provide a boost in admissions (it will) but you might not get the URM boost that applies to the above races.

Hard to tell you your chances without an LSAT score but there’s no reason to waste all your hard work in maintaining a 4.0 since you went back to school on settling for a mediocre LSAT score. Your LSAT score will be arguably more important than your GPA in your admissions chances. The higher you can pull up undergraduate GPA, the better.

[mcmand]

Is your BA complete at this point? Unclear from your post.

Keep pulling high grades, obviously, and make time to study for the LSAT and to study well. There are strategies on this forum for doing it right, and you'll want to find the one that works for you.

Your GPA and LSAT are the only two things that really move the needle in admissions. Thus, you can never have too many A's. Keep working hard.

Not sure what you mean by advocacy law practice. Lots of lawyers are engaged in advocacy, but that means a lot of different things. It's a vague word. Be more specific if you would like career advice. Also specify the region you want to work in or regions you're ok with working in. Geography matters when picking a law school.

[AJordan]

These questions only really matter if you can manage to grab an LSAT above median (75th likely) of the schools to which you wish to attend. It's not worth spending time fretting over that when you could be using your energy drilling multi-leveled sequencing games or your in-depth understanding of flaws. Once you get your 170 then it's time to worry about everything else. I think, all things considered, you at least have a compelling story.

[glbtrottr]

OK - I'll try to answer a few questions here.

URM: I am Mexican. Ocampo is the family last name; kindergarten, elementary, junior high and part of high school were done in Mexico. I didn't learn English until 17, when I arrived at the U.S. Do you think that qualifies me for URM?

As for my Bachelors, I get it in May. I'm in a bit of a pickle. I've been hitting the number of units pretty hard to finish my BA. I will have completed nearly 100 units in the last year, all at 4.0. I only need 18 units, which end in Spring, with a degree in Criminology and a minor in Business Law. My old major was Physics. I spent decades as an engineer. Taking on 40-55 Semester Units at a term while working full time AND try to study for the LSAT is a recipe for loss. I'm trying to balance it out. I will start studying for the LSAT now. I'm not sure that counting on the February LSAT will be all that advantageous for me as I will be applying late - so...do I not graduate and keep stuffing units? That's a thought. Will I be able to score 170+ by the time February rolls around? Not sure. The LSAT will be entirely new for me, but we will see.

I will keep trying on the LSAT until I break 170.

[mcmand]

Don't rush. I know you've been waiting for awhile but there's no value in trying to drill LSAT and excel at your GPA and work full time if you can't reasonably do all of them well. Finish your degree and finish strong. Then pivot to LSAT and take a test later in 2018.

[landshoes]

Sit down and do the math about what more 4.0s can do for your GPA. My feeling is that you might as well graduate because the Feb is not too late. Where are you PTing?

And yes that’s URM.

[glbtrottr]

Thank you all! All opinions welcome.