Low GPA and Work experience Forum

[February1088]

Well I am currently an undergraduate college student right now and I have a fairly low GPA. 3.1 I heard that some law schools overlook your low GPA if you have work experience. Does this mean work IN school? Because I've worked during my freshman/sophmore/junior years but they were jobs that were out of campus jobs like waiter at a restaurant. I actually did work in the school's dining hall during my Junior year so I wonder if that helps

How do they see that you worked? Do you actually have to work DURING the 4 years that you're in school? Because I'm thinking about taking a year off after I graduate this year and work during that period.

[wired]

People generally refer to work experience as full-time employment after graduation, the theory being that the WE allows you to mature and distance yourself from your GPA.

If you have full-time WE during undergrad, that can make for a decent addendum about why your GPA isn't as high as it could be.

[AsylumPB]

I don't think they would count part-time serving as WE. If you want to compensate for a lower GPA, get a full time job for a couple of years after UG and then write a good addendum explaining your GPA.

[fl0w]

work experience = years (notice how "years" is plural) of work after undergrad.

[scribelaw]

work experience = years (notice how "years" is plural) of work after undergrad.

+1.

I also don't think WE helps to mitigate a low GPA that much. Schools, especially the elite ones, still want the numbers.

Where WE might help is at Northwestern. If you can score 171+ on your LSAT, they'll probably take you despite the GPA.

Other schools will take splitters too, but it doesn't seem to have much to do with your WE.

[February1088]

So they count your work experience AFTER you graduate as an excuse why your GPA might be low? I'm not complaining but Isn't that kind of illogical?

Oh and I have a 2nd question, does intership count towards WE and should I get it now? (I'm a senior undergrad). How much does it help?

[Georgiana]

So they count your work experience AFTER you graduate as an excuse why your GPA might be low? I'm not complaining but Isn't that kind of illogical?

WE is not about excusing a low GPA. Working after law school and putting years between current life and GPA is what makes them weigh it less. People mature and become successful in careers proving that their undergraduate GPA is not indicative of their current abilities. It's not illogical at all, the people who get in to great schools with WE and low GPAs almost all get above a 170 on their LSAT.

And no, an internship will not count as WE.

[MC Southstar]

Iuno if they cared that I have 1 year WE and good internships.

[im_blue]

Your GPA won't be overlooked by 1 measly year of unsubstantive work experience.

[flyingpanda]

So they count your work experience AFTER you graduate as an excuse why your GPA might be low? I'm not complaining but Isn't that kind of illogical?

WE is not about excusing a low GPA. Working after law school and putting years between current life and GPA is what makes them weigh it less. People mature and become successful in careers proving that their undergraduate GPA is not indicative of their current abilities. It's not illogical at all, the people who get in to great schools with WE and low GPAs almost all get above a 170 on their LSAT.

And no, an internship will not count as WE.

+1 it's not an excuse, but it's putting distance in between you and your GPA. Taking a year off is advisable for low GPA because you can boost up your GPA a little bit in your last semester/quarter. Also it gives you more time to study for the LSAT and decide if law is really what you want to do.

[vanwinkle]

work experience = years (notice how "years" is plural) of work after undergrad.

Your GPA won't be overlooked by 1 measly year of unsubstantive work experience.

/thread

[ruleser]

Well I am currently an undergraduate college student right now and I have a fairly low GPA. 3.1 I heard that some law schools overlook your low GPA if you have work experience. Does this mean work IN school? Because I've worked during my freshman/sophmore/junior years but they were jobs that were out of campus jobs like waiter at a restaurant. I actually did work in the school's dining hall during my Junior year so I wonder if that helps

How do they see that you worked? Do you actually have to work DURING the 4 years that you're in school? Because I'm thinking about taking a year off after I graduate this year and work during that period.

Even with significant real WE, it won't count for much - sort of like a + if you are borderline. If you have military that's one of the few that does count for quite a bit a lot of places. Other than that, work on the GPA - even extend an extra summer semester or whatever you can do to add some more good grades. The WE you mention won't count at all really.