Padding the GPA during 2L. Forum

[BarbellDreams]

So I had all my classes picked out and then a few 3Ls I know looked them over. Their immediate reaction was that I have all "serious classes" (Commercial Transactions, Evidence, Family Law, Business Orgs) and that all those grade on a strict 20/60/20 while my fellow classmates will take at LEAST 1 "GPA padding class" where the professors give out like 60%+ A's (grade distribution is up on the law school site). I know 2L grades aren't supposed to matter, but a part of me feels like they still do, especially if it so happens that you get no offered from your 2L summer job. Thoughts?

[Danteshek]

Your friends are losers. You are paying a lot of money for law school. Take the classes you are most interested in or related to your future practice.

[Renzo]

One "A" isn't going to make or break you, and having all joke classes on your transcript is as bad as having poor grades. Take classes you are interested in.

[BarbellDreams]

One "A" isn't going to make or break you, and having all joke classes on your transcript is as bad as having poor grades. Take classes you are interested in.

Here is the caveat. We have plenty of classes that will in no way look like a joke on a transcript but still have easy grading (Our Bankruptcy class is 75% A's for example). I am not really interested in Bankruptcy, but I know it doesn't look bad on a transcript and if its an easy A it can't hurt.

[Chicago2L]

Your friends are losers. You are paying a lot of money for law school. Take the classes you are most interested in or related to your future practice.

I'm paying money so I can get a job (or clerk), which requires good grades. Plus, we all know law school doesn't teach us anything about actually practicing law.

Taking classes you're interested in is TCR.

[dood]

just do wat u value bro. if easiest way to get top grades is important to u, then pad away. and i say this not in a mean way at all - just do what makes u happy at the end of the day.

for me, u couldnt pay me to take bankruptcy even if 100% of the class got an A.

[megaTTTron]

just do wat u value bro. if easiest way to get top grades is important to u, then pad away. and i say this not in a mean way at all - just do what makes u happy at the end of the day.

for me, u couldnt pay me to take bankruptcy even if 100% of the class got an A.

haha, i had bankruptcy last quarter bro: BRUTAL. really interesting though.

[Danteshek]

Your friends are losers. You are paying a lot of money for law school. Take the classes you are most interested in or related to your future practice.

I'm paying money so I can get a job (or clerk), which requires good grades. Plus, we all know law school doesn't teach us anything about actually practicing law.

Taking classes you're interested in is TCR.

I guess you haven't taken Business Planning. Or Trial Advocacy. Or...

[Chicago2L]

Your friends are losers. You are paying a lot of money for law school. Take the classes you are most interested in or related to your future practice.

I'm paying money so I can get a job (or clerk), which requires good grades. Plus, we all know law school doesn't teach us anything about actually practicing law.

Taking classes you're interested in is TCR.

I guess you haven't taken Business Planning. Or Trial Advocacy. Or...

Bro, come on. Once you're practicing you're not going to refer back to your Business Planning or Trial Advocacy classes. I get what you're saying: take classes that might teach you some practical skills relevant to your future field. But, soooooo many attys have told me they learned nothing useful in law school (mostly people at firms during interviews when I asked my "what classes should I take" questions). You learn what you need in your first few years as an associate.

[pasteurizedmilk]

You should take some of the substantive classes. Do you know what the firm you're working at specializes in? e.g. if it's securities lit., you may want to take securities reg. so you are at least familiar with the basic terms and what not.

But as far as grades - you should work to you own strengths. For example, I tend to do better in large, substantive curved classes. I've taken one seminar and it ended up being one of my lower grades (I don't like to participate in class, and I'm not a phenomonal writer when it comes to things like seminar papers and what not).

Play to your own strengths and needs.

[Tangerine Gleam]

Wow, that's really lame that your school permits such varied grade distributions from class to class. They should pick a narrow curve and stick with it so that no one needs to worry about being at a strategic disadvantage for taking more serious/traditional classes. My school offers some grading leeway during 2L/3L year, but only in classes below a certain size and only by 5% or so.

[Danteshek]

Your friends are losers. You are paying a lot of money for law school. Take the classes you are most interested in or related to your future practice.

I'm paying money so I can get a job (or clerk), which requires good grades. Plus, we all know law school doesn't teach us anything about actually practicing law.

Taking classes you're interested in is TCR.

I guess you haven't taken Business Planning. Or Trial Advocacy. Or...

Bro, come on. Once you're practicing you're not going to refer back to your Business Planning or Trial Advocacy classes. I get what you're saying: take classes that might teach you some practical skills relevant to your future field. But, soooooo many attys have told me they learned nothing useful in law school (mostly people at firms during interviews when I asked my "what classes should I take" questions). You learn what you need in your first few years as an associate.

Yeah. But some law schools do it better than others. My professor at Loyola Law School Los Angeles, Dana Warren, wrote the Business Planning book and has 25 years advising start up companies in VC deals.

The book is incredibly valuable and I will certainly be referring to it once I am in practice. It explains everything and has all the necessary language. I am also learning a LOT about how to draft the various documents and transactional memos.

http://www.aspenlawschool.com/books/may ... efault.asp

[Chicago2L]

Okay, I guess I agree. There are some kick-ass transactional classes here too that I've gained a ton of practical skills from. I just get all hot and bothered when I hear people freaking out about having to take this and that for fear of not being a competent lawyer.

[Danteshek]

Okay, I guess I agree. There are some kick-ass transactional classes here too that I've gained a ton of practical skills from. I just get all hot and bothered when I hear people freaking out about having to take this and that for fear of not being a competent lawyer.

I see what you are saying. I think a lot of law schools are trying to prepare students better for practice. It is up to the individual student to take advantage of the available opportunities.

[arhmcpo]

One "A" isn't going to make or break you, and having all joke classes on your transcript is as bad as having poor grades. Take classes you are interested in.

Here is the caveat. We have plenty of classes that will in no way look like a joke on a transcript but still have easy grading (Our Bankruptcy class is 75% A's for example). I am not really interested in Bankruptcy, but I know it doesn't look bad on a transcript and if its an easy A it can't hurt.

Jesus Christ 75% A's?!?! Where the F do you go to school? I would be all over that bankruptcy class. You can still take other classes that you think are more interesting personally but I would fit at least one class with that much grade inflation its too good to pass up.

[seriousstudenttt]

I'm surprised that your school allows for that kind of randomness in grade distribution. If it was me, I would just focus on taking classes that will prepare you for the bar exam (not law and bullshit studies so you can possibly get an A).

[BarbellDreams]

Our 1L grades are all flat 20/60/20 but a lot of our elective classes (of which some are joke "Law & the _____" classes and some are legit classes such as Bankruptcy or ADR) are all over the place. Still not sure what I am going to do, I was hoping to find 1 class with tons of A's that I truly want to take but it seems like the only one that stands out is Law and Sports Organizations which would look like a blowoff on a transcript even though I actually am genuinely interested in taking that class.