About Admissions and low GPA Forum

[dazedclock]

I'm a senior now and have a gpa of 2.76 right now. It's because I went undiagnosed with a learning disability and other mental issues until late into my junior year, however since I'm getting medical help now, I've been doing much better and its apparent in the upward trend in my grades.

I took the LSAT twice so far, all timed normally, the first time I got a 154, second was a 167, and I'm planning to take it again and aiming for a 172+.

I'm just worried that admissions will just glance over my low gpa, assume that I was slacking in college and reject me right there.
Am I doomed to being overlooked because of my gpa?
I'm kind of aiming for T14 schools.

[minnbills]

When you apply you can write an addendum to accompany your transcript. In the addendum you can explain your circumstances. I don't know what effect it will have, however they will certainly see it.

[sethc]

Low-tier-school 1L, 2nd termer here - so you might dismiss my advice as being garbage. Hell, it might be. If you do, that's cool I'm not going to attack you for it.. just thought you might want to know all that up front.

Anyways, from what I know, I think a 2.76 is probably going to cost you getting a T14 barring some way of pulling off a GPA-improvement. That said, your LSAT scores are pretty stellar.. at least compared to mine lol. If you try one more time and get 171+ then you may indeed have a chance at T14. If not, I'd think T25 might be well-within your reach with that GPA + those LSAT scores.. mainly because they see continuous, significant improvement on your part. That's not something any adcomm will take lightly, IMO. Give it another shot if you want and if you feel like you'll get a 171+ for sure. But, I can't see why your current numbers can't get you in at least a T50. Any UGPA below ~3.0 is usually not a good thing, but a 2.76 isn't god-awful or anything.. especially if your major was hard & your college is prestigious (i.e. MIT, etc.).

Also, I've never heard of a school looking at a good/great/awesome LSAT, then looking at a mediocre UGPA and saying "Ok, checkmate. He's done, next?" - though I imagine with T14s that is QUITE likely to be the case just because of the sheer # of apps they get and their luxury of being selective.

I never applied to any T14 or T25's I don't think, so take that advice for what it is. Hope it helps you & good luck!

[vamedic03]

(1) Go work for 3-5 years
(2) Prep a ton for LSAT
(3) Get >170 LSAT

[fathergoose]

your gpa kills your T-14 and probably T-20 chances. IF (and that is the biggest of "IF"s) you can pull off a 170+, you can probably get into a 20-30 school and certainly a fair number of 30-50 schools with real scholarship money.

[apollo13]

(1) Go work for 3-5 years
(2) Prep a ton for LSAT
(3) Get >170 LSAT

(4) Finish personal statement and essays by the end of the summer before your applying cycle
(5) ED to NU. Apply early to UVA.

problem solved. that is the only way you could break into T-14

--LinkRemoved--

[fathergoose]

--LinkRemoved--

Haha I haven't seen that before. That's pretty funny.

"retake"

[dazedclock]

thanks for the replies everyone.

--LinkRemoved--

Haha I haven't seen that before. That's pretty funny.

"retake"

so all I've learned so far is to either retake the lsat or hang myself. Thanks

[apollo13]

thanks for the replies everyone.

--LinkRemoved--

Haha I haven't seen that before. That's pretty funny.

"retake"

so all I've learned so far is to either retake the lsat or hang myself. Thanks

Sorry dude, this is the reality. Needless to say, writing an addendum to make up for your GPA won't help at all if not a little but I wouldn't lean too much on it.
It is what it is. You need at least around 3.00 GPA and 165+ to have a shot at top35 schools. But in the times of past, anomalies did happen. As of right now, writing a very diverse personal statement or pullin up your LSAT score are your options .
TLSers are usually T-14 fanatics and could be sore losers sometimes, but they do speak the truth especially in this economy. You will thank us later on.

[sethc]

My advice is to not get too hung up man. It's definitely not that serious.. take it from me - I had (a) low-tier & try to x-fer or (b) face the fact that I would never be a lawyer. After a semester, the first option isn't as bad as everyone makes it out to be, in my experience. You should never settle less than for what you deserve.. but at the same time, life often makes you. Either way, your persistence & determination will definitely manifest itself in either situation, IMO.

[ATR]

(1) Go work for 3-5 years
(2) Prep a ton for LSAT
(3) Get >170 LSAT

(4) Finish personal statement and essays by the end of the summer before your applying cycle
(5) ED to NU. Apply early to UVA.

problem solved. that is the only way you could break into T-14