Top Law Schools

has anyone went from 60% in first semester to Top 20% by the end of the year (fall + spring gpa combined)?
Is this possible? mathematically.

What are the corresponding GPAs for top 60%, median, top 20% at your school? If you want to see if it's mathematically possible, just calculate your GPA as though you got the highest grade in every class this semester. However, although it is possible to do better second semester, I wouldn't expect to get top marks if you were only top 60% before.

What Avian said. If you want to know, just solve for x below, where x is the semester GPA you have to get in the spring:

x = [(Fall Hours * {20% GPA - Fall GPA}) / Spring Hours] + 20% GPA

For example, if your fall GPA was 3.0 carrying 16 hours, you're carrying 15 hours in the spring, and the 20th percentile GPA is a 3.5

x = [(16 * {3.5 - 3.0}) / 15] + 3.5
x = [16*0.5 / 15] + 3.5
x = 8 / 15 + 3.5
x = .533 + 3.5

x = 4.033 needed as a spring semester GPA (Mathematically possible at schools with > 4.0 available for A+, but highly unlikely for someone who had a 3.0 in the fall. Mathematically impossible at schools without A+).


-------
e: This is a lot easier if you are taking the same number of hours each semester:

x = (2 * 20% GPA) - Fall

So if we assume a 3.0 Fall and top 20% is 3.5:

x = 2 * 3.5 - 3.0
x = 7 - 3.0
x = 4.0 needed as a spring semester GPA

Avian wrote:What are the corresponding GPAs for top 60%, median, top 20% at your school? If you want to see if it's mathematically possible, just calculate your GPA as though you got the highest grade in every class this semester. However, although it is possible to do better second semester, I wouldn't expect to get top marks if you were only top 60% before.

60% is 2.89 (where i am at)
50% is 3.0 (median)
20% is 3.4 (goal)

BVest wrote:What Avian said. If you want to know, just solve for x below, where x is the semester GPA you have to get in the spring:

x = [(Fall Hours * {20% GPA - Fall GPA}) / Spring Hours] + 20% GPA

For example, if your fall GPA was 3.0 carrying 16 hours, you're carrying 15 hours in the spring, and the 20th percentile GPA is a 3.5

x = [(16 * {3.5 - 3.0}) / 15] + 3.5
x = [16*0.5 / 15] + 3.5
x = 8 / 15 + 3.5
x = .533 + 3.5

x = 4.033 needed as a spring semester GPA (Mathematically possible at schools with > 4.0 available for A+, but highly unlikely for someone who had a 3.0 in the fall. Mathematically impossible at schools without A+).


-------
e: This is a lot easier if you are taking the same number of hours each semester:

x = (2 * 20% GPA) - Fall

So if we assume a 3.0 Fall and top 20% is 3.5:

x = 2 * 3.5 - 3.0
x = 7 - 3.0
x = 4.0 needed as a spring semester GPA

thanks for this

so i did it accurately with my gpa and my school's 20%
I ended up with 3.91 for the gpa needed.
possible? no idea...

ontopoftheworld wrote:

BVest wrote:What Avian said. If you want to know, just solve for x below, where x is the semester GPA you have to get in the spring:

x = [(Fall Hours * {20% GPA - Fall GPA}) / Spring Hours] + 20% GPA

For example, if your fall GPA was 3.0 carrying 16 hours, you're carrying 15 hours in the spring, and the 20th percentile GPA is a 3.5

x = [(16 * {3.5 - 3.0}) / 15] + 3.5
x = [16*0.5 / 15] + 3.5
x = 8 / 15 + 3.5
x = .533 + 3.5

x = 4.033 needed as a spring semester GPA (Mathematically possible at schools with > 4.0 available for A+, but highly unlikely for someone who had a 3.0 in the fall. Mathematically impossible at schools without A+).


-------
e: This is a lot easier if you are taking the same number of hours each semester:

x = (2 * 20% GPA) - Fall

So if we assume a 3.0 Fall and top 20% is 3.5:

x = 2 * 3.5 - 3.0
x = 7 - 3.0
x = 4.0 needed as a spring semester GPA

thanks for this

so i did it accurately with my gpa and my school's 20%
I ended up with 3.91 for the gpa needed.
possible? no idea...

Obviously it is mathematically possible. Hopefully you've worked hard this semester to understand what went wrong on exams, talked to professors, learned your new professors' styles of teaching, and have learned how to more efficiently study. If so, it's possible to essentially ace the semester. Likely? That just depends.