~3.3 GPA; 179 LSAT. What would you do? Forum

[BerkeleyBear]

This is a tough one but I'd stay for another year of UG. If there's a local CC near you then all the better. About 40+ units of A's would get you at/near a 3.5. There are a limited amount of CC's that use the +/- grade system, so, you could potentially get some A+ grades as well. OP, I think it'd be worth it if your fiscal situation would allow you to do this. Don't ED anywhere unless you have a bunch of money.

[ManoftheHour]

"Medium level" softs, nothing bad nothing spectacular. I am an excellent writer and have plenty of people I trust to review personal statements, etc. OK recommendations from professors - nothing damning, but nothing "best student I ever had!" level. Non-URM. Basically nothing going for me except the high LSAT score.

Applying next cycle (will graduate this May). How would you play this hand? What would you do in my shoes?

I'd blanket the T14, and see which one throws the most money at me and make my decision from there.

Congrats on the 179.

[smaug_]

I'd blanket the T14, and see which one throws the most money at me and make my decision from there.

Congrats on the 179.

I agree with this. I'm not sure if another year of classes and a ~.1 to .2 GPA increase would be worth another year's tuition. (Depends on how much it'll cost.) I doubt you'll get huge cash anywhere, but you have an opportunity for some cash at many schools.

[cahwc12]

This is a tough one but I'd stay for another year of UG. If there's a local CC near you then all the better. About 40+ units of A's would get you at/near a 3.5. There are a limited amount of CC's that use the +/- grade system, so, you could potentially get some A+ grades as well. OP, I think it'd be worth it if your fiscal situation would allow you to do this. Don't ED anywhere unless you have a bunch of money.

Now that you mention the CC idea, OP could also look into which schools offer A+ grades. If you're in it solely for grade maximization, A+'s are worth 4.33.

[052220151]

I think people need to realize that delaying graduation isn't always very realistic. I mean, most people have their parents at least partially pay for their UG and most parents would definitely not be cool with delaying graduation when you have the necessary credits.

Lol, it's called paying for it yourself.

[poiu]

So is the LSAC regression generally just nonsense?

[Tiago Splitter]

So is the LSAC regression generally just nonsense?

It's probably a smooth regression that doesn't account for GPA floors.

[star fox]

I think people need to realize that delaying graduation isn't always very realistic. I mean, most people have their parents at least partially pay for their UG and most parents would definitely not be cool with delaying graduation when you have the necessary credits.

Lol, it's called paying for it yourself.

So take out more loans and avoid working?

[052220151]

I think people need to realize that delaying graduation isn't always very realistic. I mean, most people have their parents at least partially pay for their UG and most parents would definitely not be cool with delaying graduation when you have the necessary credits.

Lol, it's called paying for it yourself.

So take out more loans and avoid working?

No, get a job. You can work full-time and do well in UG.

[florida1949]

You might feel like you're wasting your time, but a 3.5/179 probably gets you close to a full ride everywhere outside CCN, gets you in at CCN probably with money, and gives you a shot at HYS. That's easily worth $50-60k or more.

this is not right, http://myLSN.info/sasare

Delaying graduation, upping your GPA and gaining some FT work experience is good advice and would probably be the best for OP. Although, I wouldn't blame you for applying now. I have similar stats and my cycle is going well.

[alwayssunnyinfl]

Don't ED anywhere unless it's NU.

[poiu]

Don't ED anywhere unless it's NU.

Why NU? Wouldn't that be where I have the best shot of getting in with my numbers anyways?

[smaug_]

Don't ED anywhere unless it's NU.

Why NU? Wouldn't that be where I have the best shot of getting in with my numbers anyways?

NU comes with a free ride.

[Njdeh]

This is where you're at now: http://myLSN.info/wfxuju

(Use myLSN not LSP)

If I were you I would delay a year, boost my GPA to 3.4/3.5, get chummy with a couple professors and get bang up letters of recommendation. Then you're looking at a sweet cycle.

This actually isn't a very good representation because the number of candidates with an LSAT in the range of 179-180 is very low. Try 176-180, it gives slightly more optimistic results for UVA: http://myLSN.info/y6ssfe

[poiu]

This actually isn't a very good representation because the number of candidates with an LSAT in the range of 179-180 is very low. Try 176-180, it gives slightly more optimistic results for UVA: http://myLSN.info/y6ssfe

Yeah. I've been looking around at users with similar numbers that applied within the past three cycles and it looks like I've got at least a little bit of a shot at CLS or NYU. When I do wider searches with the upper limits at my current GPA & LSAT it looks like a certain amount of applicants are accepted, about that number are also flat out denied (usually on the lower end of the GPA spectrum), and about twice the number of either are wait-listed.

What I can't seem to differentiate, to be honest, are those that are accepted from those that are waitlisted. Is this just a matter of the PS & other softs?

[jbagelboy]

"delay college graduation" isn't real advice. who can do that? what does that even mean? its a load of number-driven-in-a-vacuum bullshit, just like people who cry "retake" at 99th percentile LSAT scores. I know at my UG delaying graduation wasn't an option; if you didn't have enough credits by your final semester, it would incur C&F issues that would ruin chances at law school rather than improve them, not to mention additional $25K. makes you look like a worse student in the eyes of law admissions even if your GPA raised by 0.1 to not graduate on time. Also CC classes are bullshit as well. law schools do care about how you get your GPA. they also notice if you take the LSAT three times to get your 170+, which TLS always conveniently omits.

THAT BEING SAID, taking a YEAR OFF before applying is substantive advice, especially for a school like Northwestern. Solid work experience can help offset a lower GPA. How is your college alumni network? are you Ivy or top liberal arts? I know 3.3 puts you out of the range for consulting/finance, but if you have a strong work option on the table and you really want CCN, you might want to try it and then blanket T14 the following year. This is real advice which I was given and took to my advantage.

[WokeUpInACar]

"delay college graduation" isn't real advice. who can do that? what does that even mean? its a load of number-driven-in-a-vacuum bullshit, just like people who cry "retake" at 99th percentile LSAT scores. I know at my UG delaying graduation wasn't an option; if you didn't have enough credits by your final semester, it would incur C&F issues that would ruin chances at law school rather than improve them, not to mention additional $25K. makes you look like a worse student in the eyes of law admissions even if your GPA raised by 0.1 to not graduate on time. Also CC classes are bullshit as well. law schools do care about how you get your GPA. they also notice if you take the LSAT three times to get your 170+, which TLS always conveniently omits.

THAT BEING SAID, taking a YEAR OFF before applying is substantive advice, especially for a school like Northwestern. Solid work experience can help offset a lower GPA. How is your college alumni network? are you Ivy or top liberal arts? I know 3.3 puts you out of the range for consulting/finance, but if you have a strong work option on the table and you really want CCN, you might want to try it and then blanket T14 the following year. This is real advice which I was given and took to my advantage.

[jingosaur]

Delaying Undergrad is pretty stupid in my opinion. I know a 0.1 GPA increase can help a lot, but at the cost of not graduating on time and spending a year of your life, it's really not worth it. I like the get a job idea. You should also look at 1 year masters programs that will pay you or at least give you a full ride or close to a full ride. I know my UG school has a 1 year MA in Management program that pays a lot of its students even though many of them had GPAs at or below yours.

You also have to keep everything in perspective. If you blanket the T14 with a 179 right now, someone will give you a full ride or close to it and at least one T9 will probably let you in and maybe give you money. Unless you want to be a Supreme Court justice, you'll be able to accomplish your career goals using what you have now.

[eric922]

I think the discussion on delaying graduation might depend on if the OP has a certain school he/she really wants to go to. If your dream is say, NYU (my dream school), you might be better delaying graduation to get your GPA up. However, you probably do have some solid T-14 options.

[Tiago Splitter]

Delaying Undergrad is pretty stupid in my opinion. I know a 0.1 GPA increase can help a lot, but at the cost of not graduating on time and spending a year of your life, it's really not worth it. I like the get a job idea. You should also look at 1 year masters programs that will pay you or at least give you a full ride or close to a full ride. I know my UG school has a 1 year MA in Management program that pays a lot of its students even though many of them had GPAs at or below yours.

You also have to keep everything in perspective. If you blanket the T14 with a 179 right now, someone will give you a full ride or close to it and at least one T9 will probably let you in and maybe give you money. Unless you want to be a Supreme Court justice, you'll be able to accomplish your career goals using what you have now.

You won't be coming close to any T-14 full rides with a 3.3/179. But the rest of your post is credited, at least to the extent that a small GPA increase isn't worth a lot of time and money. Of course, that isn't in any way controversial given that everyone recommending delaying graduation agrees on the primary rule: one should only delay graduation if it's easy and cheap, cheap meaning both low tangible costs and low opportunity costs.