. Forum

[mephistopheles]

I am a 3L and I had horrible grades 1L year. I think I had 2.8. After I figured out how to take a law school exam my grades improved. I am graduating with 3.4. Don't give up. Grades are not everything. Start networking and try to get as much practical experience as possible.

job?

[CattyPake]

.

[CattyPake]

.

[clarion]

Isn't a C+ a 2.33? Did you get more than one? I don't see how else you end up at 2.5.

B-, B-, C+

Judging based on the fact that you have only 3 grades, I'm gonna go ahead and assume that your school (like mine...) probably offers FAR more credits in the spring than the summer. At GULC, for example, we have 11 credits of grades from fall, but 19 from spring (counting the two LRW credits which will be given towards fall semester at the end of spring). That kind of imbalance really leaves the ball in pretty much anyone's court. That GPA definitely puts you near the bottom, but that COULD change if you really get your stuff together in spring (and thus, improve your chances come OCI). Talk to your past professors and get some advice about what they found to be so erroneous: It could be something as fundamental as the "flow" of your responses, or something substantive that you missed.

In any case, I'm just a 1L as well, so I won't comment on job prospects or any of that stuff. I guess I'm just of the opinion that there's still a great chance for you to make a stride in the right direction so you should at least make the attempt. And chances are you can't withdraw and get refunded for this semester at this point anyway, so sticking it out might be worthwhile. Good luck!

[zworykin]

Isn't a C+ a 2.33? Did you get more than one? I don't see how else you end up at 2.5.

B-, B-, C+

Judging based on the fact that you have only 3 grades, I'm gonna go ahead and assume that your school (like mine...) probably offers FAR more credits in the spring than the summer. At GULC, for example, we have 11 credits of grades from fall, but 19 from spring (counting the two LRW credits which will be given towards fall semester at the end of spring). That kind of imbalance really leaves the ball in pretty much anyone's court. That GPA definitely puts you near the bottom, but that COULD change if you really get your stuff together in spring (and thus, improve your chances come OCI). Talk to your past professors and get some advice about what they found to be so erroneous: It could be something as fundamental as the "flow" of your responses, or something substantive that you missed.

In any case, I'm just a 1L as well, so I won't comment on job prospects or any of that stuff. I guess I'm just of the opinion that there's still a great chance for you to make a stride in the right direction so you should at least make the attempt. And chances are you can't withdraw and get refunded for this semester at this point anyway, so sticking it out might be worthwhile. Good luck!

Just to add a data point--we actually have fewer credits in the second semester here at NYU. I mean, it's 12 compared to 13 (our equivalent of legal writing is 5 and year-long, but pass/fail), but still.

[somewhatwayward]

How much do you want to be a lawyer? If you do stay, you are going to want to try to work during the school year during 2L and 3L year to get experience and hopefully make connections that will help you get a job because your grades probably won't help you unless you make a drastic turn around. Since you don't seem to have another career option, maybe finish out the year but go to each professor from last semester and go over the exams in painstaking detail to figure out what went wrong. Also, how did you study last semester? Based on your grades it sounds to me like you didn't know the law very well but that is only a guess (usually it seems if you know the law okay you at least get a B, but I dunno).

How did your LSAT/GPA compare to your entering class' median LSAT/GPA?

[UnamSanctam]

You have another semester to turn it around. If you're not doing better, probably drop out. Likely go through OCI anyway just to see if you can snag anything.

[Flips88]

I don't know why Lord Randolph McDuff keeps telling you that PI/Gov is still an option with a 2.57. PI/Gov jobs are just as competitive as firm jobs and scarcer these days so you don't really have a good shot there either. I don't know where this myth that all the low performing students go to government jobs comes from.

Assuming your tuition has been cashed for the semester already, might as well try your damnedest to raise your grades. If you can't find any 1L work and don't pull up the grades, cut your losses.

[rouser]

you've spent one semester at a t14 and after getting three grades back, you're bottom 15% at best. yet it's three grades. I wouldn't let one semester determine whether or not I continue unless I were strapped w/ 30k debt or something after one semester-- which you said you aren't. don't drop out yet. try to stay positive. law school kinda sucks. don't take the advice posted ITT to be that special and try not to get depressed. talk to your career services and maybe talk with your SO/parents about it since they are chipping in.

at the same time though.... if you don't improve at all 2nd semester, and, for instance, you don't have much $ or ways of making it and are in deep for like $50k, I would probably drop out or at least try to transfer to a much cheaper, regional school.

[Pokemon]

Btw, what was your undergrad major?

Don't want to out myself so I'll just say it was a liberal arts major but still pretty rigorous. Before this, I had never had serious academic problems.

Will try and talk to counselor, dean, professors tomorrow.

Did you like that major? Why not continue and why you went to law school? Are you cause you want to be a "lawyer" or because you think it is a good financial move?

[A. Nony Mouse]

I don't know why Lord Randolph McDuff keeps telling you that PI/Gov is still an option with a 2.57. PI/Gov jobs are just as competitive as firm jobs and scarcer these days so you don't really have a good shot there either. I don't know where this myth that all the low performing students go to government jobs comes from.

Assuming your tuition has been cashed for the semester already, might as well try your damnedest to raise your grades. If you can't find any 1L work and don't pull up the grades, cut your losses.

TBF, there are a lot of state PD/DA offices that never even ask for a transcript as long as you can get experience in court and demonstrate dedication to the cause - so I think that's what he's referring to. PI in the sense of ACLU, or gov in the sense of fedgov, no, probably not an option.

[thegrayman]

Was the C+ discretionary? Have you talked with your professor about any of your exams (particularly the C+)?

[Myself]

.

[mr.hands]

Hang in for one more semester, see if you can improve.

If you can't get to 3.0 by the end of the year, i think it's pretty clear that you should drop out. Start applying to jobs in your hometown, especially PI jobs that won't ask for your transcript