Former T14 Dean of Admissions taking your questions Forum

[DerekMeeker]

Yes, they primarily consider the highest, as do most schools. There are cases where schools might put more weight on the average in their evaluation. But if someone takes the LSAT two or three times, as is the case with your friend, and makes marginal improvements each time, the school will most certainly base its decision on the highest score. It is when there are great disparities in multiple scores or other "issues" in the file (e.g., erratic academic record or other inconsistencies) that will raise questions and possibly diminish the weight or value of the "highest" score.

Hello,

sorry for the double message but in your experience with clients and what you have read, what is Harvard Law's stance on multiple LSAT takes?

From their website "The LSAT need be taken only once. If you take the test more than once, all scores will be received but we will use the highest score in our evaluation." ...but from TLS experience many users say that even taking it multiple times doesn't penalize one's chances at HLS as they primarily consider the highest

I was talking about it with a friend who wanted to take the LSAT multiple times to get her average to a 172 ( first two were 168, 171), but i mentioned to her instead that it was the highest they consider the most so I wanted confirmation on that front

[PeanutsNJam]

This is purely an opinion-related question and I'm curious as to your perspective.

What are your thoughts on the "fairness" of weight placed on UGPA in undergraduate admissions? I ask this question in particular because UGPA is the only aspect of the application that is not standardized at all. Depending on the particular institution and major, this number can vary wildly. For example, at my undergraduate institution, to get a 4.0 in Biomedical Engineering is nigh unheard-of. However, getting a 4.0 in any business school major is do-able by even the most mediocre student. In a lot of ways, I believe a 3.3 from a BME major is significantly more respectable than a 3.9 from a management major from my institution.

The LSAT and GPA are the two primary determining factors in admissions, this is a given. But the LSAT is a standardized test. The US News and World Report only reports the medians, so why wouldn't say a 3.0 applicant with a STEM major be preferable to a 3.5 applicant with a poli sci major, when both are already below median?

Given the following two applicants and holding all else constant (strong PS, equivalent WE, etc.), who would be more successful in the T14, and why?

2.5/175, EE major from Cal Tech
3.4/175, Business Management major from University of New Mexico

[iVi]

In the name of saving precious space in a two-page PS, is it OK to use an acronym (without writing it out) if the full title is included in your resume?

Normally wouldn't even consider it, but the full title takes up half a line...

Thanks in advance for your help!

[Life2good893]

Hello Dean Meeker,

I was wondering how relevant one's sex is to the admissions process. I'm applying to some schools with fairly sizable gendar disparities like UVA. Does being female vs male help or hurt admissions chances in some cases?

Thanks for your help on this forum!

[Danif2]

Hi Dean Meeker,

Thank you for taking a question from me, I am so worried and any advice you can give would be so appreciated! So I'm having a very hard time deciding what is the right thing to do right now. I have a 3.87 gpa and a 161 lsat score. My top two choices are Ucla and usc, I would be so happy at either. I have sent in the apps as of yesterday but I found out they are in hold because I signed up for the February lsat. I think I could do a bit better like 163-165 range. Is it worth it to hold and wait, even though it will be so late because they won't review my application until the feb score is in, or do I take a chance with my gpa and lsat score. I think I have pretty strong softy I worked a ton during undergrad and received several academic awards/honors. Also I think my personal statement is very good (then again everyone probably does). Please advise!!!!!!!

[DerekMeeker]

I would spell it out in the first reference in the essay followed by the acronym in parentheses. You can then use the acronym throughout the rest of the essay. Admissions officers may read the essay before they even look at the resume, so the full name of the org should be in the first reference to it.

In the name of saving precious space in a two-page PS, is it OK to use an acronym (without writing it out) if the full title is included in your resume?

Normally wouldn't even consider it, but the full title takes up half a line...

Thanks in advance for your help!

[DerekMeeker]

Oh, yes - it helps!

Hello Dean Meeker,

I was wondering how relevant one's sex is to the admissions process. I'm applying to some schools with fairly sizable gendar disparities like UVA. Does being female vs male help or hurt admissions chances in some cases?

Thanks for your help on this forum!

[mattf]

I know you touched on this briefly earlier but I was just looking for a little bit of a more in-depth answer. Is an applicant's major really taken into account? For instance, I think most people would agree that getting a 4.0 in Business or a related field would be much easier than a 3.0 or even a touch lower in Theoretical Physics (at least for the average person). I know law schools have their median GPA's they want to retain but does that play any factor at all in the admissions process? The reason I'm asking is because my major is Chemistry and I will probably finish with a ~3.4-3.5 GPA while I could have finished with a much higher GPA had I chosen an easier major.

My second question is, do law schools necessarily care if you got in trouble in the past? I had a party at my apartment while in UG that got busted. I got a warning from a couple police officers, I also got in trouble through the university and had to write a paper over it.

Thanks in advance for your answers!

[DerekMeeker]

Truthfully, it won't really matter much. (But it certainly looks better than if you had done poorly in any of those courses!)

Dean Meeker,

I have a GPA that is below the 25 percentile of one of the schools I am applying too. My major was Business Law so I took a variety of law courses such as IP law, Real Estate Law, Business Law, etc. In the semesters consisting mostly of those courses, I received high grades.
Do you think it would matter to the Admissions Committee that I did well in my law courses? Would they take that into consideration?

[Life2good893]

Hello Dean Meeker,

Thanks for answering my earlier question. I have a 3.6X GPA and 170 LSAT so I'm probably what you would consider a "splitter." You mentioned earlier that you heard the number of 170+ scorers has increased this application cycle. Do you believe this will have a negative effect on splitters? How do you think splitters will fare this application cycle?

Thanks so much!

[MattM]

Hello,

I had GPA related question in general for T14 schools admissions.....would there be a material difference If I applied to law school with a 3.57 GPA or a 3.64 GPA? ( my PT average on LSAT is 168-172, in this hypothetical, assume i would have the exact same LSAT for in both GPA scenarios and my test day score would fall into that 168-172 range)

I am excited for a May 2015 graduation and crossing the graduation stage...but I wonder if it would be better to add a minor and graduate in Dec 2015 instead ( the minor would be something I am interested in and enjoy and not just simply to boost GPA)

In the graduation Dec 2015 scenario, i would have my courses spread out so my LSAT prep would not be impacted much, and even while taking courses I could still get some work experience as the courses in the minor would be online so I would have flexibility in time as well, finances would not be an issue as well either in paying for the extra courses

I don't want my excitement of finally being able to cross the graduation stage possibly in May lead me into making the wrong choice

[DerekMeeker]

Hello - apologies to everyone reading that I am not able to respond to questions as quickly right now. It's a busy time now that application deadlines approaching! I will get to all the other questions out there as soon as I can, but wanted to respond to this one right away to provide updated information. There was an increase in LSAT takers in the 170+ range as shown by ABA data released for 2014 as compared to 2013. And many wrote about the "return of high LSAT scorers to law school." http://www.slate.com/blogs/moneybox/201 ... lying.html. So, it appeared for a short time that the trend of the past few years was reversing. However, the latest data from LSAC for LSAT takers shows that that is not the case. The number of more recent test takers shows that the 170+ pool has declined again. And the overall number of people taking the October test was down 8.1%. (The number of December test takers was actually up - by a whopping .08%). Bottom line: overall, LSAT takers and applications are still declining. We'll see what the December test results will show as to that 170+ pool. But right now, I'd say you are in an excellent position with your 170. That said, everyone should be prepared for a slower, longer admissions season. Many schools are taking their time (and I think banking on more folks simply applying later in the cycle because many waited to take (or retook) the LSAT in December, and even February. Good luck! Let me know how things are turn out for you.

Hello Dean Meeker,

Thanks for answering my earlier question. I have a 3.64 GPA and 170 LSAT so I'm probably what you would consider a "splitter." You mentioned earlier that you heard the number of 170+ scorers has increased this application cycle. Do you believe this will have a negative effect on splitters? How do you think splitters will fare this application cycle?

Thanks so much!

[DerekMeeker]

I understand why you're having a hard time with that decision - it's a tough call. But if you're expecting, based on your practice tests, that you're going to score in the 163-165 range, you're still going to be below those schools' LSAT medians (i.e., your LSAT still isn't going to help them in terms of the their admission statistics for the rankings). But your GPA does! It is well above their GPA medians. And if the rest of your application is solid, I think you have a very good chance there with your current application/numbers. Not sure it's worth holding review of your application (which would be March - so 2 more months!) for a few more points on the LSAT that will likely still be below the median. If you tell them to go ahead with review of your file now, worst case scenario is probably that you would get held or waitlisted (again, assuming an otherwise strong application), in which case you wouldn't get reviewed again until later in the spring anyway. Side note: Did you write the "programmatic contribution" essay for UCLA? I'd advise writing that essay if you did not. Best of luck!

Hi Dean Meeker,

Thank you for taking a question from me, I am so worried and any advice you can give would be so appreciated! So I'm having a very hard time deciding what is the right thing to do right now. I have a 3.87 gpa and a 161 lsat score. My top two choices are Ucla and usc, I would be so happy at either. I have sent in the apps as of yesterday but I found out they are in hold because I signed up for the February lsat. I think I could do a bit better like 163-165 range. Is it worth it to hold and wait, even though it will be so late because they won't review my application until the feb score is in, or do I take a chance with my gpa and lsat score. I think I have pretty strong softy I worked a ton during undergrad and received several academic awards/honors. Also I think my personal statement is very good (then again everyone probably does). Please advise!!!!!!!

[DerekMeeker]

Yes, one's major is definitely taken into consideration. It is a distinguishing factor. When someone presents with a "lower GPA", the questions on the part of the admissions committee are always: 1) what was the major 2) where did s/he go to school 3) was there something else that affected the academic performance 4) are there other distinguishing academic factors? There are many cases where, to use your example, a Chemistry major would get admitted with a high LSAT score (above school's median) and lower GPA (below school's 25th%) where a Business major with a high LSAT score and we'll say "respectable" GPA would not get admitted. Hard science majors with LSAT scores just below a school's median and lower GPAs also stand a much better chance of admission than most other applicants with similar numerical profiles. So, do I think a 170/3.0 Chemistry major is as competitive as a 170/4.0 Business major - assuming both have strong writing skills and an otherwise solid application? Yes, I think that would be the case. But I also will be straightforward in saying that where you're going to see some disparity is probably in the lower LSAT/higher GPA Business (and other non-STEM) majors versus lower LSAT/lower GPA STEM major. For example, a school's median LSAT is 170 and we have a 167/4.0 Business major versus a 167/3.0 Chemistry major. The reality is - that first combination of numbers looks much more attractive, and the school must admit a higher number of people with those types of numbers to maintain their medians. That's not to say the 167/3.0 Chemistry major would never get admitted, but overall, the chances are lower. BUT - keep in mind that there are far fewer STEM majors applying to law school than there are Business (and other non-STEM) majors. So, there is also a diversity factor for STEM majors. An admissions dean at a top school is going to have plenty of non-STEM majors with that lower LSAT/higher GPA profile. The competition within that group is stiff; the school is going to be looking for the "otherwise distinguished" or "unique" within that group. Given that there is a much smaller pool of STEM majors - and the demand for them in the legal market is incredibly high - the school certainly has an interest in making space for some of them. I would say for those STEM majors that are applying to schools where both LSAT and GPA are below median, applying very early in the process is even more important.

Is it unfair that so much emphasis is placed on that cumulative GPA when all grades/institutions are not equal? Perhaps. But US NEWS created a situation with the rankings that nearly everyone who is a part of the process (university leadership, faculty, alumni, legal employers, current students, parents of applicants, and the applicants themselves) helps to perpetuate. And admissions deans are under tremendous pressure to satisfy the demands of all these groups. From the perspective of a former recruiter at a major law firm, I would say that more emphasis should also be placed on writing skills and work experience (which are factors that can also become undervalued in the high LSAT/high GPA emphasis.) Alas, we can only hope that this "new" market will lead to some positive changes in this entire process.

In response to your other question: one minor infraction such as the one you describe is not going to have a negative impact on your application as long as you disclose it and concisely explain it and take responsibility for it.

I know you touched on this briefly earlier but I was just looking for a little bit of a more in-depth answer. Is an applicant's major really taken into account? For instance, I think most people would agree that getting a 4.0 in Business or a related field would be much easier than a 3.0 or even a touch lower in Theoretical Physics (at least for the average person). I know law schools have their median GPA's they want to retain but does that play any factor at all in the admissions process? The reason I'm asking is because my major is Chemistry and I will probably finish with a ~3.4-3.5 GPA while I could have finished with a much higher GPA had I chosen an easier major.

My second question is, do law schools necessarily care if you got in trouble in the past? I had a party at my apartment while in UG that got busted. I got a warning from a couple police officers, I also got in trouble through the university and had to write a paper over it.

Thanks in advance for your answers!

[secadc11]

Yes, one's major is definitely taken into consideration. It is a distinguishing factor. When someone presents with a "lower GPA", the questions on the part of the admissions committee are always: 1) what was the major 2) where did s/he go to school 3) was there something else that affected the academic performance 4) are there other distinguishing academic factors? There are many cases where, to use your example, a Chemistry major would get admitted with a high LSAT score (above school's median) and lower GPA (below school's 25th%) where a Business major with a high LSAT score and we'll say "respectable" GPA would not get admitted. Hard science majors with LSAT scores just below a school's median and lower GPAs also stand a much better chance of admission than most other applicants with similar numerical profiles. So, do I think a 170/3.0 Chemistry major is as competitive as a 170/4.0 Business major - assuming both have strong writing skills and an otherwise solid application? Yes, I think that would be the case. But I also will be straightforward in saying that where you're going to see some disparity is probably in the lower LSAT/higher GPA Business (and other non-STEM) majors versus lower LSAT/lower GPA STEM major. For example, a school's median LSAT is 170 and we have a 167/4.0 Business major versus a 167/3.0 Chemistry major. The reality is - that first combination of numbers looks much more attractive, and the school must admit a higher number of people with those types of numbers to maintain their medians. That's not to say the 167/3.0 Chemistry major would never get admitted, but overall, the chances are lower. BUT - keep in mind that there are far fewer STEM majors applying to law school than there are Business (and other non-STEM) majors. So, there is also a diversity factor for STEM majors. An admissions dean at a top school is going to have plenty of non-STEM majors with that lower LSAT/higher GPA profile. The competition within that group is stiff; the school is going to be looking for the "otherwise distinguished" or "unique" within that group. Given that there is a much smaller pool of STEM majors - and the demand for them in the legal market is incredibly high - the school certainly has an interest in making space for some of them. I would say for those STEM majors that are applying to schools where both LSAT and GPA are below median, applying very early in the process is even more important.

Is it unfair that so much emphasis is placed on that cumulative GPA when all grades/institutions are not equal? Perhaps. But US NEWS created a situation with the rankings that nearly everyone who is a part of the process (university leadership, faculty, alumni, legal employers, current students, parents of applicants, and the applicants themselves) helps to perpetuate. And admissions deans are under tremendous pressure to satisfy the demands of all these groups. From the perspective of a former recruiter at a major law firm, I would say that more emphasis should also be placed on writing skills and work experience (which are factors that can also become undervalued in the high LSAT/high GPA emphasis.) Alas, we can only hope that this "new" market will lead to some positive changes in this entire process.

In response to your other question: one minor infraction such as the one you describe is not going to have a negative impact on your application as long as you disclose it and concisely explain it and take responsibility for it.

I know you touched on this briefly earlier but I was just looking for a little bit of a more in-depth answer. Is an applicant's major really taken into account? For instance, I think most people would agree that getting a 4.0 in Business or a related field would be much easier than a 3.0 or even a touch lower in Theoretical Physics (at least for the average person). I know law schools have their median GPA's they want to retain but does that play any factor at all in the admissions process? The reason I'm asking is because my major is Chemistry and I will probably finish with a ~3.4-3.5 GPA while I could have finished with a much higher GPA had I chosen an easier major.

My second question is, do law schools necessarily care if you got in trouble in the past? I had a party at my apartment while in UG that got busted. I got a warning from a couple police officers, I also got in trouble through the university and had to write a paper over it.

Thanks in advance for your answers!

To piggyback - is similar consideration made for someone who had a mediocre UGPA in a social sciences major -- but is now working in a STEM position (such as computer programmer)?

[leslieknope]

,

[LFCNY9]

Hello. I would advise option 2: plan to take the December LSAT, do your best to prepare for it, submit your applications no later than mid-December, and register for the February LSAT. If you end up exceeding your expectations and receiving a satisfactory score on the December test, you can cancel your February test registration and inform the school that you will not be taking the Feb. LSAT so they can move forward with review of your application. If you are unsatisfied with your December LSAT score and are confident that you can score higher with additional preparation, then you can request that the school not review your application until they receive your February LSAT. While it is true you may not be in the most advantageous position at that point for merit scholarships, many schools do continue to award scholarships during the spring and sometimes even into summer. If you are a candidate they really want (or need to meet their admissions goals), they will do what they can to entice you to enroll. In the event they tell you they can offer you admission but not a scholarship, you could consider reapplying in the fall so that your file would be among the first to be considered for admission and scholarships. That, of course, would mean deferring your law school enrollment for a year, but waiting a year could be a wise decision if it means incurring less debt for your legal education. Feel free to PM me if you have follow-up questions. Good luck!

Hello! I am registered to take the December 2014 LSAT by I am worried that I do not have enough time to study. I have been considering three different options in order for me to get accepted into my desired school (which is the University of Florida):

1. Take the December LSAT administration and apply for school with that score, which will allow me to have my application in by early January but I may not have received the best score due to my limited time to study.

2. Take the December LSAT, apply to schools but register for the February LSAT, which would cause my application to be held until I receive my February LSAT.

3. Take the February LSAT only and apply right before the deadline, March 15th, with the likelihood of a higher score.

Which option do you think is best? I would like to take the February test if it means that I can get a higher score but I am also worried that I will not have an opportunity to receive scholarships if I apply in March.

I am not sure which strategy would be the best in hopes of getting admitted for the Fall 2014-2015 cycle. UF is my top choice since Gainesville is my hometown and I plan to practice law in the state of Florida. I am applying to other schools in Florida but UF is the better option for me due to my situation.

Thank you for your help!

I have a question regarding when Dean Meeker says: "If you are unsatisfied with your December LSAT score and are confident that you can score higher with additional preparation, then you can request that the school not review your application until they receive your February LSAT."

I am in this situation. I plan to send out applications to schools this weekend, but want to let them know that I will be taking the Feb. LSAT, and to either hold off reviewing or to wait for my score to come in. My question is what is the best way to let admissions know this? Through email? There does not seem to be a place to do so on the application, besides indicating on the "Standardized Tests" section that you will take it in Feb, but it seems to me that this doesn't adequately get the point across.

Thanks in advance for any input.

[mattf]

Dean Meeker,

How important is a personal statement? For instance, lets say you have an applicant who has a solid GPA/LSAT (both above a school's medians), that has solid LORs and seems like a good candidate for the school but his or her personal statement isn't exactly amazing, not terrible but just not that good. Could that be the deciding factor between admitting the student and denying them?

Second, this is a two-part question. I'm planning on studying abroad in Spain next spring to finish my Spanish minor. I know that studying abroad and proficiency in another language both fall under "softs" in terms of the application process but does this affect consideration for admittance in any way, if so how much? Lastly, does LSAC consider study abroad grades when calculating the LSAC GPA? I'm not sure if they are factored into my school GPA/transcript or not but does that play in any role if LSAC will accept them for grades?

Thanks for your answer to my last question and thanks again in advance for this one!

[DerekMeeker]

In this case, I would submit the corrected essays. You just submitted your applications yesterday, so it is not as if they have been there for weeks (and possibly already in the hands of the admissions committee), so better to send in corrected ones. I know that I would notice those errors, and I would appreciate an applicant reaching out to acknowledge and correct the mistake. If you were working as a junior associate at a law firm and submitted a memo to a partner, and then realized afterwards you had made a few typos, you'd send a corrected document. Better to own the mistake and correct it right away!

Dean Meeker, I submitted a bunch of applications yesterday before finding two small typos on my diversity statement (M instead of my, and forgetting to delete a stray "and" when I edited a sentence). Do you think I should email admissions with a corrected DS or let it stand? Do I risk drawing attention to it?

[DerekMeeker]

Yes, email them (even if there is a question on the application asking about future test dates) just to be sure.


I have a question regarding when Dean Meeker says: "If you are unsatisfied with your December LSAT score and are confident that you can score higher with additional preparation, then you can request that the school not review your application until they receive your February LSAT."

I am in this situation. I plan to send out applications to schools this weekend, but want to let them know that I will be taking the Feb. LSAT, and to either hold off reviewing or to wait for my score to come in. My question is what is the best way to let admissions know this? Through email? There does not seem to be a place to do so on the application, besides indicating on the "Standardized Tests" section that you will take it in Feb, but it seems to me that this doesn't adequately get the point across.

Thanks in advance for any input.[/quote]

[LFCNY9]

Yes, email them (even if there is a question on the application asking about future test dates) just to be sure.


I have a question regarding when Dean Meeker says: "If you are unsatisfied with your December LSAT score and are confident that you can score higher with additional preparation, then you can request that the school not review your application until they receive your February LSAT."

I am in this situation. I plan to send out applications to schools this weekend, but want to let them know that I will be taking the Feb. LSAT, and to either hold off reviewing or to wait for my score to come in. My question is what is the best way to let admissions know this? Through email? There does not seem to be a place to do so on the application, besides indicating on the "Standardized Tests" section that you will take it in Feb, but it seems to me that this doesn't adequately get the point across.

Thanks in advance for any input.

[/quote]

I'll make sure to email also. Thank you!

[Veronica2015]

Yes, email them (even if there is a question on the application asking about future test dates) just to be sure.


I have a question regarding when Dean Meeker says: "If you are unsatisfied with your December LSAT score and are confident that you can score higher with additional preparation, then you can request that the school not review your application until they receive your February LSAT."

I am in this situation. I plan to send out applications to schools this weekend, but want to let them know that I will be taking the Feb. LSAT, and to either hold off reviewing or to wait for my score to come in. My question is what is the best way to let admissions know this? Through email? There does not seem to be a place to do so on the application, besides indicating on the "Standardized Tests" section that you will take it in Feb, but it seems to me that this doesn't adequately get the point across.

Thanks in advance for any input.

[/quote]

If I'm retaking in feb for $$ and do not want schools to hold my app, should I email them about this? Will they actually hold my app without letting me know if I do not do so?

[DerekMeeker]

I know you touched on this briefly earlier but I was just looking for a little bit of a more in-depth answer. Is an applicant's major really taken into account? For instance, I think most people would agree that getting a 4.0 in Business or a related field would be much easier than a 3.0 or even a touch lower in Theoretical Physics (at least for the average person). I know law schools have their median GPA's they want to retain but does that play any factor at all in the admissions process? The reason I'm asking is because my major is Chemistry and I will probably finish with a ~3.4-3.5 GPA while I could have finished with a much higher GPA had I chosen an easier major.

My second question is, do law schools necessarily care if you got in trouble in the past? I had a party at my apartment while in UG that got busted. I got a warning from a couple police officers, I also got in trouble through the university and had to write a paper over it.

Thanks in advance for your answers!

[/quote]

Yes, one's major is definitely taken into consideration. It is a distinguishing factor. When someone presents with a "lower GPA", the questions on the part of the admissions committee are always: 1) what was the major 2) where did s/he go to school 3) was there something else that affected the academic performance 4) are there other distinguishing academic factors? There are many cases where, to use your example, a Chemistry major would get admitted with a high LSAT score (above school's median) and lower GPA (below school's 25th%) where a Business major with a high LSAT score and we'll say "respectable" GPA would not get admitted. Hard science majors with LSAT scores just below a school's median and lower GPAs also stand a much better chance of admission than most other applicants with similar numerical profiles. So, do I think a 170/3.0 Chemistry major is as competitive as a 170/4.0 Business major - assuming both have strong writing skills and an otherwise solid application? Yes, I think that would be the case. But I also will be straightforward in saying that where you're going to see some disparity is probably in the lower LSAT/higher GPA Business (and other non-STEM) majors versus lower LSAT/lower GPA STEM major. For example, a school's median LSAT is 170 and we have a 167/4.0 Business major versus a 167/3.0 Chemistry major. The reality is - that first combination of numbers looks much more attractive, and the school must admit a higher number of people with those types of numbers to maintain their medians. That's not to say the 167/3.0 Chemistry major would never get admitted, but overall, the chances are lower. BUT - keep in mind that there are far fewer STEM majors applying to law school than there are Business (and other non-STEM) majors. So, there is also a diversity factor for STEM majors. An admissions dean at a top school is going to have plenty of non-STEM majors with that lower LSAT/higher GPA profile. The competition within that group is stiff; the school is going to be looking for the "otherwise distinguished" or "unique" within that group. Given that there is a much smaller pool of STEM majors - and the demand for them in the legal market is incredibly high - the school certainly has an interest in making space for some of them. I would say for those STEM majors that are applying to schools where both LSAT and GPA are below median, applying very early in the process is even more important.

Is it unfair that so much emphasis is placed on that cumulative GPA when all grades/institutions are not equal? Perhaps. But US NEWS created a situation with the rankings that nearly everyone who is a part of the process (university leadership, faculty, alumni, legal employers, current students, parents of applicants, and the applicants themselves) helps to perpetuate. And admissions deans are under tremendous pressure to satisfy the demands of all these groups. From the perspective of a former recruiter at a major law firm, I would say that more emphasis should also be placed on writing skills and work experience (which are factors that can also become undervalued in the high LSAT/high GPA emphasis.) Alas, we can only hope that this "new" market will lead to some positive changes in this entire process.

In response to your other question: one minor infraction such as the one you describe is not going to have a negative impact on your application as long as you disclose it and concisely explain it and take responsibility for it.

To piggyback - is similar consideration made for someone who had a mediocre UGPA in a social sciences major -- but is now working in a STEM position (such as computer programmer)?

Again, this would be a distinguishing factor in the process (i.e., your work STEM experience could set you apart from applicants with similar numerical profiles to yours).

And let me expand on my earlier response just a bit more, because the question as to how much "major" (or quality of undergraduate institution) matters in the admission process comes up a lot. The bottom line, as everyone knows, is: schools care a heck of a lot about their median GPA (and median LSAT) because of the rankings. Those numbers are going to be the dominant metrics in the admission process. So, if an applicant has a GPA that is above a school's median, regardless of what his major is or where he went to school, he's got something the school not only wants but may need in order to maintain its admission statistics. Thus, the reality is, to go back to the original example, the business major with the 4.0 is going to have an advantage over the Chemistry major with the 3.0 (particularly when both applicants' LSATs are below the school's median). And when both applicants have an LSAT that is at or above the school's median, as I mentioned in my earlier response, while I think the Chemistry major with the 3.0 will be as competitive as the business major with the 4.0 for admission, the business major will have an advantage when it comes to merit scholarship awards. (Because she has 2 numbers that the school wants.) Her merit scholarship may not be as large as the double Econ-Philosophy major with the high LSAT and 4.0 who went to a more prestigious undergraduate school, but it will most likely be larger than the Chem major with the high LSAT and 3.0 (regardless of where the Chem major went to school). This is an unfortunate reality of the process, and why it often seems that major (or quality of school) doesn't matter. But they are distinguishing factors in both the admission and merit scholarship process. The high LSAT/low GPA Chem major (and other majors who went to a more prestigious school) will certainly be more competitive than the high LSAT/low GPA Bus major (who went to a less prestigious school), and the same holds true for the low LSAT/low GPA Chem major versus low LSAT/low GPA Bus major. My advice for STEM major applicants who have a GPA below a school's median, plan well in advance for LSAT prep so that you can give yourself every advantage possible, and apply early in the process. Because if you do end up with an LSAT score that also is below the school's median, you are more likely to be admitted very early in the process when they can "build" around your lower numbers (or, conversely, very late in the process off the waitlist, when their numbers are secure). As I said before, there is a compelling reason to enroll STEM majors, so get on their radar early in the admission season.

[DerekMeeker]

Yes, email them (even if there is a question on the application asking about future test dates) just to be sure.

I have a question regarding when Dean Meeker says: "If you are unsatisfied with your December LSAT score and are confident that you can score higher with additional preparation, then you can request that the school not review your application until they receive your February LSAT."

I am in this situation. I plan to send out applications to schools this weekend, but want to let them know that I will be taking the Feb. LSAT, and to either hold off reviewing or to wait for my score to come in. My question is what is the best way to let admissions know this? Through email? There does not seem to be a place to do so on the application, besides indicating on the "Standardized Tests" section that you will take it in Feb, but it seems to me that this doesn't adequately get the point across.

Thanks in advance for any input.

If I'm retaking in feb for $$ and do not want schools to hold my app, should I email them about this? Will they actually hold my app without letting me know if I do not do so?[/quote]

It is good to let them know what your preference is just to be sure, because different schools have different policies. A few of my colleagues who are current admissions officers have said if they see (on the application) that the applicant is taking a future test, they will not make a decision on the application until they get the next score (regardless of whether they hear from the applicant). Others say they will proceed with review of a completed application unless the applicant expressly requests that they hold off.

[DerekMeeker]

Hello,

I had GPA related question in general for T14 schools admissions.....would there be a material difference If I applied to law school with a 3.57 GPA or a 3.64 GPA? ( my PT average on LSAT is 168-172, in this hypothetical, assume i would have the exact same LSAT for in both GPA scenarios and my test day score would fall into that 168-172 range)

I am excited for a May 2015 graduation and crossing the graduation stage...but I wonder if it would be better to add a minor and graduate in Dec 2015 instead ( the minor would be something I am interested in and enjoy and not just simply to boost GPA)

In the graduation Dec 2015 scenario, i would have my courses spread out so my LSAT prep would not be impacted much, and even while taking courses I could still get some work experience as the courses in the minor would be online so I would have flexibility in time as well, finances would not be an issue as well either in paying for the extra courses

I don't want my excitement of finally being able to cross the graduation stage possibly in May lead me into making the wrong choice

Hi there. I don't think that potential boost in your GPA will make much difference at the T14 schools, because it is still going to be below every school's median GPA. Thus, all the other components of your application, particularly the LSAT, are going to be important to increase your chances for admission. My advice is to invest that time and money instead in LSAT preparation (because of course landing at the high end of your range versus the low end on the LSAT will make a significant difference in terms of where you will be competitive amongst the T14 schools).