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I tried culinary school after high school and flunked very hard (Johnson and Wales). I was more interested in partying and getting laid then going to class at that age.

that being said I accrued around 7 F's 3 D's before finally dropping out.

a year later I wake up and go to community college for 1 year getting straight A's, then transfer to decent tier 1 public college- where I've been getting straight A's


I'll graduate with around a 3.85 (Political Science Major, psych and international business minors) and am realistically looking at a 168-172 on Lsat.

However, adding the poor grades from culinary school will turn my UGPA into something more like a 2.8-3.1 max.

Given the circumstances, did I ruin any chances of going to a top 30 law school? What are your thoughts/ advice? thanks all.

I'd call LSAC.

Edit: But I just looked at their website and they're accredited, etc so it looks like those grades will go into the mix.

This is exactly the kind of situation a GPA addendum is really for. I'd do what the last poster said and call LSAC . . . if it's accredited you'll probably be SOL, but I would call anyway and see if you must send those transcripts, worst thing they can do is say no. The addendum will only go so far, because at the end of the day you'd be a drag on GPA medians, but you're one of the few situations where I think it might genuinely help, as your chronology shows an obvious and marked increase in maturity and direction. Good luck.

I know some career and vocational programs are not counted, some schools, even "accredited" ones, are not transferrable period (like hair school or auto repair school that offers "associate degrees"). But JWU seems to have academic programs as well so those may actually count. If you read the transcript instructions, it does not ask for career/vocational school transcripts. You should call LSAC and ask, you may have to send it. If they want it, you should mention it is a culinary arts program which carried no academic classes (if that's true). Even at some accredited schools, some classes are not classified as "college level credit courses". Just as remedial classes don't count, I don't think vocational classes would count. Call them though.

I would be inclined to think that they won't need it. I have a friend at J&W, and when he left his B.S. Physics program to go there, they used his high school information all over again for admissions, and obviously none of his credits transferred. Since it doesn't grant a bachelor's (even if you had finished) I would think they won't need it. Still a good idea to check with LSAC.

Would you have gotten a Bachelor's Degree from the program? If so, then it probably counts. If you wouldn't have, then probably not.

You really got a D or F in Introduction to Stocks, Sauces, Soups? Damn son....

Hey thanks for the replies,


in response to some of the questions....

I was enrolled in a 2 year associate degree program for Culinary Arts

the college does however offer 4 year degrees in various other majors.

If it was an AA program, then you'll probably have to send transcripts. Bottom line: Call LSAC and find out for sure.