Blew up one single semester Forum

[Anonymous User]

CCN 2L here. Did nice job in two of the three semesters (like 3.8ish) but blew up 1L spring for very unlucky reasons and the cumulative GPA is like 3.6+. Assuming I do well this semester and move it up to around 3.7, how does the bad semester look in the application if I apply this upcoming summer?

[Anonymous User]

What was your 2L fall gpa that caused this blow up and why was it blown up (i.e., did you get like a C+ in fed courts or something).

[Anonymous User]

What was your 2L fall gpa that caused this blow up and why was it blown up (i.e., did you get like a C+ in fed courts or something).

OP just said it was 1L spring.

Anyway, OP, if you can get your overall GPA to a decent place, I think that will matter more than one bad semester, if it’s clear that the one semester is an aberration. It is possible that you’ll do better applying after working so you can have 3L stellar grades as well, but I don’t think that will be necessary.

If there was some kind of personal emergency/circumstances that affected your grade (as opposed to just being unlucky in which kinds of exams you were dealt or the like), you could possibly get a recommender to address it in their letter.

[Anonymous User]

What was your 2L fall gpa that caused this blow up and why was it blown up (i.e., did you get like a C+ in fed courts or something).

It was not 2L fall but 1L spring: got some very awful professors compounded with some very depressing & distracting personal issues over the last two months of the semester. Got something like 3.3 in the end.

[Anonymous User]

What was your 2L fall gpa that caused this blow up and why was it blown up (i.e., did you get like a C+ in fed courts or something).

OP just said it was 1L spring.

Anyway, OP, if you can get your overall GPA to a decent place, I think that will matter more than one bad semester, if it’s clear that the one semester is an aberration. It is possible that you’ll do better applying after working so you can have 3L stellar grades as well, but I don’t think that will be necessary.

If there was some kind of personal emergency/circumstances that affected your grade (as opposed to just being unlucky in which kinds of exams you were dealt or the like), you could possibly get a recommender to address it in their letter.

Thanks! I think it is certainly worthwhile to apply this summer and then perhaps apply for another round based on how things go. Also, do judges particularly emphasize 1L grade or do they treat all three years pretty much the same in these circumstances?

[Anonymous User]

What was your 2L fall gpa that caused this blow up and why was it blown up (i.e., did you get like a C+ in fed courts or something).

It was not 2L fall but 1L spring: got some very awful professors compounded with some very depressing & distracting personal issues over the last two months of the semester. Got something like 3.3 in the end.

Oh my bad. Anyways, your goal now is to prove that 1L spring was the exception and not a return to the mean. It's not over for you for 2L summer, you just need to do a lot better during your 2L year. If it makes you feel better, I also fucked up my 1L spring and knocked it out of the park 2L year and I did alright.

[Anonymous User]

What was your 2L fall gpa that caused this blow up and why was it blown up (i.e., did you get like a C+ in fed courts or something).

It was not 2L fall but 1L spring: got some very awful professors compounded with some very depressing & distracting personal issues over the last two months of the semester. Got something like 3.3 in the end.

Oh my bad. Anyways, your goal now is to prove that 1L spring was the exception and not a return to the mean. It's not over for you for 2L summer, you just need to do a lot better during your 2L year. If it makes you feel better, I also fucked up my 1L spring and knocked it out of the park 2L year and I did alright.

Thanks! For the entire 2L fall I was worried whether that was a return to the mean, but the semester ended up pretty well and I hope I can keep doing well 2L spring.

[Anonymous User]

CCN 2L here. Did nice job in two of the three semesters (like 3.8ish) but blew up 1L spring for very unlucky reasons and the cumulative GPA is like 3.6+. Assuming I do well this semester and move it up to around 3.7, how does the bad semester look in the application if I apply this upcoming summer?

I did basically the same thing and then got straight As Spring 2L. Applied after 2L and got a fed clerkship. You will be in very good shape if you do well this semester and get the GPA 3.7+.

[Anonymous User]

CCN 2L here. Did nice job in two of the three semesters (like 3.8ish) but blew up 1L spring for very unlucky reasons and the cumulative GPA is like 3.6+. Assuming I do well this semester and move it up to around 3.7, how does the bad semester look in the application if I apply this upcoming summer?

I got a 3.3 my 1L Fall and ended up with a DC/2/9 clerkship. One bad semester won't hurt you at all so long as you continue to get good grades, have strong recommenders, produce a stellar writing sample, and can explain what you learned from/compellingly explain away the one bad semester you had.

[Anonymous User]

What was your 2L fall gpa that caused this blow up and why was it blown up (i.e., did you get like a C+ in fed courts or something).

It was not 2L fall but 1L spring: got some very awful professors compounded with some very depressing & distracting personal issues over the last two months of the semester. Got something like 3.3 in the end.

Oh my bad. Anyways, your goal now is to prove that 1L spring was the exception and not a return to the mean. It's not over for you for 2L summer, you just need to do a lot better during your 2L year. If it makes you feel better, I also fucked up my 1L spring and knocked it out of the park 2L year and I did alright.

Thanks! For the entire 2L fall I was worried whether that was a return to the mean, but the semester ended up pretty well and I hope I can keep doing well 2L spring.

If you turn it around successfully throughout this entire 2L you can also craft a very good comeback narrative that some judges may like. Basically, you did not give up and wanted to prove your worth blah blah. Key is to make it more about self reflection and determination and hard work rather than whiny.

[Anonymous User]

CCN 2L here. Did nice job in two of the three semesters (like 3.8ish) but blew up 1L spring for very unlucky reasons and the cumulative GPA is like 3.6+. Assuming I do well this semester and move it up to around 3.7, how does the bad semester look in the application if I apply this upcoming summer?

I got a 3.3 my 1L Fall and ended up with a DC/2/9 clerkship. One bad semester won't hurt you at all so long as you continue to get good grades, have strong recommenders, produce a stellar writing sample, and can explain what you learned from/compellingly explain away the one bad semester you had.

Very glad to hear. Did you apply 2L summer or post graduation?

[Anonymous User]

CCN 2L here. Did nice job in two of the three semesters (like 3.8ish) but blew up 1L spring for very unlucky reasons and the cumulative GPA is like 3.6+. Assuming I do well this semester and move it up to around 3.7, how does the bad semester look in the application if I apply this upcoming summer?

I got a 3.3 my 1L Fall and ended up with a DC/2/9 clerkship. One bad semester won't hurt you at all so long as you continue to get good grades, have strong recommenders, produce a stellar writing sample, and can explain what you learned from/compellingly explain away the one bad semester you had.

Very glad to hear. Did you apply 2L summer or post graduation?

OP here. This was post-grad.