Taking 1 credit gym/online classes to pad Forum

[Jetlife]

In an effort to increase my LSAC GPA as much as possible, I've thought about adding in a few 1 credit gym/online classes to my schedule each semester, since if I understand the system correctly, 4 1-credit classes is equivalent to 1 4-credit class.

Would it look bad to law schools if they see that I'm taking 2-3 1-credit gym/online classes each semester? I'd still have about 15-16/20 credits from "regular" classes.

[totesTheGoat]

I dunno if it would look bad, but I'd certainly raise an eyebrow if 1/4 of your degree was a bunch of BS classes like that. I mean, it's great that you want to bolster your application to law school, but you're gonna get run over by a freight train when you take your 1L classes. You're doing yourself no favors by coasting through UG on 2-3 credits per semester of objectively BS classes.

Think beyond getting admitted to how you're actually going to do. Do you really want to be so unprepared that you're gonna struggle to be median? What happens if you can't score an LSAT above 160, despite your best efforts? Are you actually going to be able to get a job that doesn't involve making foam art in a coffee cup if you can't make it to a decent law school?

Anyway, I obviously don't know your details, but my general advice is to not try to tailor your UG to law school admissions, because it's really really risky.

[AlanShore]

These gym classes are graded? You should check that they arent pass/fail as that wont help your gpa at all. I think taking a gym class or two is fine... schools dont really care but dont overdo it.

[Johann]

you should reconsider the gym class part. most people i went to law school with would not have gotten even a B in gym class.

[Jetlife]

I dunno if it would look bad, but I'd certainly raise an eyebrow if 1/4 of your degree was a bunch of BS classes like that. I mean, it's great that you want to bolster your application to law school, but you're gonna get run over by a freight train when you take your 1L classes. You're doing yourself no favors by coasting through UG on 2-3 credits per semester of objectively BS classes.

Think beyond getting admitted to how you're actually going to do. Do you really want to be so unprepared that you're gonna struggle to be median? What happens if you can't score an LSAT above 160, despite your best efforts? Are you actually going to be able to get a job that doesn't involve making foam art in a coffee cup if you can't make it to a decent law school?

First, the gym classes are 1 credit, A-F. One thing to note that I haven't taken a single gym class in college yet, and I'm currently a Junior so it would be ridiculous to say that 1/4 of my classes are BS classes.

As for coasting through UG, this didn't really make much sense to me. These gym classes are classes that I would be taking in addition to my core classes. So either I'm just taking classes for my majors and minors or I'm taking those same classes with a few gym/online classes on the side which would give a slight bump to my GPA.

[totesTheGoat]

Let me see if i'm getting this right in my head. You have a choice between ~15cr/semester for the next 3 semesters or ~20cr/semester for the next 3 semesters with ~5cr per semester of gym/online classes? Either way, you're graduating at the same time? That's very different from replacing a 4 credit class with four 1 credit classes. If you're just adding more workload and you think you'll be fine, do it!

My advice was geared towards what I thought you were describing, which was taking 3-5 credits of blow off classes for 4 years in replacement of "real" classes. There are still certain portions of my advice that apply, but I would address your situation differently than a freshman asking if s/he should exploit the catalog of blow off classes.

[MistakenGenius]

Post removed.

[legit]

you should reconsider the gym class part. most people i went to law school with would not have gotten even a B in gym class.

Make sure that these PE classes do not backfire!

My professor made us watch game tape, take tests, write essays, work on group projects, and help out for intramural 5k runs.

The class was not hard, but it was a time suck for one credit. Maybe use that time to study for the LSAT?

There was limited running, so I still had to go to the gym for decent workouts.

[SFSpartan]

Would it look bad to law schools if they see that I'm taking 2-3 1-credit gym/online classes each semester?

Unless you want YSB, I don't think the gym classes really matter. However, I'd be careful of fixed costs (time commitment, mostly) as it relates to a 1 unit class. IME, a 1 or 2 unit class is close to the same amount of work as a 3 unit class because there is some minimum amount of time that a class will require, regardless of how many units it is.

[Jetlife]

Let me see if i'm getting this right in my head. You have a choice between ~15cr/semester for the next 3 semesters or ~20cr/semester for the next 3 semesters with ~5cr per semester of gym/online classes? Either way, you're graduating at the same time? That's very different from replacing a 4 credit class with four 1 credit classes. If you're just adding more workload and you think you'll be fine, do it!

My advice was geared towards what I thought you were describing, which was taking 3-5 credits of blow off classes for 4 years in replacement of "real" classes. There are still certain portions of my advice that apply, but I would address your situation differently than a freshman asking if s/he should exploit the catalog of blow off classes.

No, what I meant was either choosing to take ~15cr/semester or taking anywhere from 16-20 credits/semester with anywhere from 1-4 additional 1 credit classes like gym or online classes. I'm not blowing off actual real classes by any means.

[togoornottogo]

Clearly the difference would be negligible if you had a 3.8 or 3.9. But if you had a GPA a little bit lower then I think it definitely makes sense, as long as it doesn't impede your ability to ace your usual classes.

In terms of outside of law school I don't think it's a bad idea either. Many campus recruitment employers will have a GPA floor, if you get over that with this idea then great. It's not like you are changing your major to gym, I seriously doubt employers will actually review your transcripts and complain about your inflated GPA.