Been hanging around for a while, first time posting. My GPA as it stands is 3.67, but after the fall semester I will raise it to 3.72. My LORs and resume will presumably be stronger if I apply in December.
Is a September application stronger than a December application with a .05 GPA bump and better LORs/resume? I assume the answer depends on the school, so for context I am aiming for HCCN (LSAT 175. Average softs. nURM).
Thank you in advance!
Applying in September v. December With A Higher GPA Forum
-
Jazzlike-Elk306
- Posts: 2
- Joined: Sat Jun 19, 2021 9:48 am
-
TTTTorbust
- Posts: 38
- Joined: Thu Dec 19, 2019 10:25 am
Re: Applying in September v. December With A Higher GPA
Both of these numbers, and the range of numbers between them, place you at or below the 25th percentile for all but one of the schools you have listed (And it only places you at the 25th percentile at CC, below for the H, slightly above for NYU). This GPA change is not going to have any tangible effect on your admissions chances anywhere other than NYU, which is already the most splitter friendly of these schools. Will you also be attending university in the spring semester? If so, what could your GPA be after that semester? Are you willing to take a gap year if you don’t fair well with your current numbers? I’d suggest you just apply as early as possible. Schools will take improving numbers into account when they improve (i.e. if you have not been rejected before December, schools will take into account your improved GPA after Fall grades have been submitted and you’ve updated your transcripts through CAS). If you don’t get what you want, apply again next cycle, but that .05 GPA bump is irrelevant at HCC. You aren’t a super splitter, but you are still going to be vying for the same spots as the other fourth of the class below the 25th percentile, and conventional wisdom for any splitter still applies: apply early and broadly.
As to the LOR portion, obviously if you have request LORs after this year you can use those next cycle, but what is a recommender going to think of you if they’re rushed to write something for you late in the Fall semester for a December deadline? I would presume they won’t be terribly happy about it, and may or may not even have the full semester to talk about. Much better to ask them to write something for the next cycle if you don’t find success this cycle.
As to the LOR portion, obviously if you have request LORs after this year you can use those next cycle, but what is a recommender going to think of you if they’re rushed to write something for you late in the Fall semester for a December deadline? I would presume they won’t be terribly happy about it, and may or may not even have the full semester to talk about. Much better to ask them to write something for the next cycle if you don’t find success this cycle.
