Another splitter 2.3/175, question Forum

[majorsplit2012]

Okay, I predict that LSAC will determine my LSAC gpa as 2.3-2.4. I have taken the LSAT and earned a 175, and I am going to retake in Feb. or June for a 178 since I am at that in my diagnostics.

So....with a 2.3-2.4/175 (with potential to raise to 178 on retest). I have a legit gpa addendum to as to why the gpa is low, and its not due to slacking.

I am looking at schools in the 20's-30's range. I called LSAC and asked do schools only get the paper of your LSAC gpa or get transcript copy too, and the representative said the LSAC report is just like a cover sheet that goes in front of the actual transcript they receive.

For example, Indiana ranked #25 has a 75 percent LSAT of 166. And my 175 is 9 points higher and if I receive a 178 it will be 12 points higher

Once you get below their 25 percent gpa, my understanding is a 3.3 wont hurt their numbers anymore then a 2.3, but its the psychological factor in seeing the low gpa that is a reason to not admit you. However, on my official transcript they will see too, they will see that my transcript gpa is a 3.4 and that I have a 4 semester upward trend.

My question is -- Given that my 175 is almost 10 points higher than Indiana's LSAT 75 percent and I have a 2.3-2.4 LSAC gpa (with a 3.4 printed on official transcript), would they have a reason to still want to admit me? Or does the official transcript gpa not help at all?

[thewaves]

What's your reason for the low GPA? That may help to mitigate the psychological factor, as you mentioned.

[majorsplit2012]

The only explanation I have for the low gpa is: Having to work over 40 hours a week during undergrad, having to take care of an ill parent, and being diagnosed with depression my junior year undergrad. But I guess, I don't expect that reason to mitigate it much. It wasn't for being a slacker, but yet I don't know if this explanation will really make them want to look past the gpa either.

[cotiger]

The difference between a 175 and 178 is not going to matter, so you don't need to retake if you don't want to.

If you want to be in the midwest, you probably want to be looking at WUSTL or Northwestern rather than Indiana, even assuming you're in-state. WUSTL has better employment outcomes than IU and will probably give you the same amount of money. Northwestern is obviously the best of the three, and while you won't get any money, it's easily worth the extra dough.

[jordan15]

WUSTL accepted everyone above a 167, even people with GPAs under 3.0 and even 2.5. Northwestern is also a possibility.

Your upward grade trend will definitely look better than someone with a 2.3 that got straight Cs. Write a compelling PS.

[John Winger]

WUSTL accepted everyone above a 167, even people with GPAs under 3.0 and even 2.5. Northwestern is also a possibility.

Your upward grade trend will definitely look better than someone with a 2.3 that got straight Cs. Write a compelling PS.

Was there any scholly given to below 25% GPA and above 167?

[jordan15]

WUSTL accepted everyone above a 167, even people with GPAs under 3.0 and even 2.5. Northwestern is also a possibility.

Your upward grade trend will definitely look better than someone with a 2.3 that got straight Cs. Write a compelling PS.

Was there any scholly given to below 25% GPA and above 167?

Yup. Check out LSN. Almost everyone got some $ and some people sub 3.0 and over 170 got full rides.

[majorsplit2012]

Thanks immensely to everyone for the great insight into the gpa and LSAT inquiry I had. I greatly appreciate it, and it was very beneficial.

To throw out another question:

Obviously the 175 LSAT score is going to be the strength of my applications, as the 175 is at/above all of the school's 75 percent quartiles, with the exception of Yale. I keep thinking with applications down and not as many competitive scores, that a number of schools, especially in the 20-50 range, will want to look past the gpa, to have the score to shore up their quartiles. Clearly, my 2.3 LSAC gpa, is a bonafide reason not to admit me, since there is going to be a big red flag and psychological factor in seeng it that will make schools worry whether I can handle a rigorous academic schedule. So, I would think that then this would be where the LORs and PS and other factors would come into play, right? I know your transcript gpa isnt going to matter, since they use the LSAC gpa, but still a 2.3 will hurt them as much as a 3.3, and seeing my transcript gpa being a 3.4, I would hope would show them that I can do it, especially with a 48-50 hour upward trend of 3.8, and having a legit gpa addendum saying my constraints were having to work 40+ hours in school, caring for an ill parent, and being diagnosed with depression, to me, that has to be looked at as more of a solid reason then just being a slacker, but I could be wrong.

Now, if someone could give me their thoughts regarding this additional question, that I apologize greatly for asking, but:

I have seen splitters with a 2.3/170+ that received acceptances to Top 30 and Top 20 schools, which should alleviate some worry, but it makes me wonder:

1). Were those with a sub 3.0 gpa/170+ LSAT, individuals that did well every semester and just had one bad semester OR could some of those sub 3.0's have negative grades scattered all around?

2). Do you have a worser cycle, if say you are a 170+/sub 3.0 and you have a number of D's and F's scattered throughout, and non punitive course drops OR are pretty much all 170+/sub 3.0's pretty much in the same boat? and they dont really look at individual semester and grades?

[lmsf]

Thanks immensely to everyone for the great insight into the gpa and LSAT inquiry I had. I greatly appreciate it, and it was very beneficial.

To throw out another question:

Obviously the 175 LSAT score is going to be the strength of my applications, as the 175 is at/above all of the school's 75 percent quartiles, with the exception of Yale. I keep thinking with applications down and not as many competitive scores, that a number of schools, especially in the 20-50 range, will want to look past the gpa, to have the score to shore up their quartiles. Clearly, my 2.3 LSAC gpa, is a bonafide reason not to admit me, since there is going to be a big red flag and psychological factor in seeng it that will make schools worry whether I can handle a rigorous academic schedule. So, I would think that then this would be where the LORs and PS and other factors would come into play, right? I know your transcript gpa isnt going to matter, since they use the LSAC gpa, but still a 2.3 will hurt them as much as a 3.3, and seeing my transcript gpa being a 3.4, I would hope would show them that I can do it, especially with a 48-50 hour upward trend of 3.8, and having a legit gpa addendum saying my constraints were having to work 40+ hours in school, caring for an ill parent, and being diagnosed with depression, to me, that has to be looked at as more of a solid reason then just being a slacker, but I could be wrong.

Now, if someone could give me their thoughts regarding this additional question, that I apologize greatly for asking, but:

I have seen splitters with a 2.3/170+ that received acceptances to Top 30 and Top 20 schools, which should alleviate some worry, but it makes me wonder:

1). Were those with a sub 3.0 gpa/170+ LSAT, individuals that did well every semester and just had one bad semester OR could some of those sub 3.0's have negative grades scattered all around?

2). Do you have a worser cycle, if say you are a 170+/sub 3.0 and you have a number of D's and F's scattered throughout, and non punitive course drops OR are pretty much all 170+/sub 3.0's pretty much in the same boat? and they dont really look at individual semester and grades?

Don't retake. The only school for which a 178 vs. 175 would matter is Yale, and that's out anyway. It's a waste of time and money. (Congrats on your score, btw!)

My impression is that schools don't care much about the details of how or why an applicant ended up with their GPA, unfortunately. It might help a little if it was just 1 semester and/or if there's a great explanation, but unfortunately your GPA is going to be tough to overcome. I had a 3.6 GPA/3.18 LSAC GPA and my cycle turned out the same as it would have if the GPA on my transcript was 3.18.