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Double Splitter...please help with advice
Posted: Wed Aug 25, 2010 8:41 pm
by boogiewoogie
I have transcripts from 3 different schools. College of Charleston from 2001-2005 cum gpa of 1.9. Seattle Central Community College 2009 cum gpa 3.68. Seattle Pacific University(institution i will graduate from) cumulative gpa of 3.75. LSAT score 167.
I am aware that LSDAS calculates GPA differently and I believe my cum from LSDAS will be significantly lower than 3.0 due to f's and d's at College of Charleston. However, due to the enormous discrepancy in my transcripts and a decent LSAT score do i have a shot at the following schools:
Temple
Drexel
Villanova
University of South Carolina
Seattle University
I am extremely worried that because of my low gpa schools will not even read an addendum that I attach explaining the discrepancy. Advice? Thoughts?
Re: Double Splitter...please help with advice
Posted: Wed Aug 25, 2010 9:26 pm
by nihilism is key
I don't think there is any such thing as a "double splitter". There are "splitters" (read: low gpa, high lsat) and "reverse splitters" (read: high gpa, low lsat). The gpa portion of those definitions is based solely on the LSAC calculated GPA so until you have that it is difficult to answer your question definitively.
Re: Double Splitter...please help with advice
Posted: Wed Aug 25, 2010 9:35 pm
by cinefile 17
LOL double splitter
Re: Double Splitter...please help with advice
Posted: Wed Aug 25, 2010 9:36 pm
by Adjudicator
I think you definitely have a shot at Seattle University with that LSAT.
Re: Double Splitter...please help with advice
Posted: Wed Aug 25, 2010 9:37 pm
by d34d9823
cinefile 17 wrote:LOL double splitter
Don't hate! He has 3 GPAs and 1 LSAT. That's enough to split twice in anyone's book. (Don't actually try to split twice, OP. It will hurt. A lot.)
Re: Double Splitter...please help with advice
Posted: Wed Aug 25, 2010 9:40 pm
by cinefile 17
d34dluk3 wrote:cinefile 17 wrote:LOL double splitter
Don't hate! He has 3 GPAs and 1 LSAT. That's enough to split twice in anyone's book. (Don't actually try to split twice, OP. It will hurt. A lot.)
Who said I was hating? You're doing the hating.
But seriously OP, I think Nihilism is right. It's hard to predict your chances what so ever until you combine those crazy gpas into a LSDAS GPA. Your LSAT score paired with a good gpa addendum will definitely help a little.
Re: Double Splitter...please help with advice
Posted: Wed Aug 25, 2010 9:42 pm
by twert
how did you choose those schools? try to pinpoint schools that like high lsat splitters.
Re: Double Splitter...please help with advice
Posted: Thu Aug 26, 2010 2:04 am
by boogiewoogie
Apologies for the terminology. I simply meant that not only am I splitting GPA/LSAT but my GPA is split.
LSDAS gpa turns out to be a 2.4.
Will my application be tossed immediately at most schools due to the low gpa or will the LOR, PS and addendum be read?
Re: Double Splitter...please help with advice
Posted: Thu Aug 26, 2010 2:23 am
by Adjudicator
boogiewoogie wrote:Apologies for the terminology. I simply meant that not only am I splitting GPA/LSAT but my GPA is split.
LSDAS gpa turns out to be a 2.4.
Will my application be tossed immediately at most schools due to the low gpa or will the LOR, PS and addendum be read?
Probably be tossed in the T14, but you still have a shot at some good regional T2s at least.
I put your numbers into lawschoolpredictor, and it doesn't like your chances for Temple or Villanova, but Seattle University gives you a "Strong Consider."
Personally I love Seattle and I've heard good things about SU Law, for a T2. The only problem is that it is overshadowed by UW and Seattle is an attractive place to live, so you do have people from hiring ranking schools coming in looking for jobs.
But, Seattle University seems like a great school, in itself, for a T2, and they have some great-sounding programs.
Re: Double Splitter...please help with advice
Posted: Thu Aug 26, 2010 2:44 am
by Thomas Jefferson
While 2.4 is very low and will make your cycle even more unpredictable than the already unpredictable nature of a weak splitter, you should be aiming higher. Your LSAT alone could get you into some great schools. You will need to apply broadly and early, but, without knowing more about your (geographic) preferences, you should add Minnesota, WashU, Illinois, Emory, IU-B, and Washington and Lee to your list, to name a few. Your LSAT will probably get you into at least one of those. Lawschoolpredictor isn't very useful for splitters, especially sub-3.0 splitters. You're better-off looking at lawschoolnumbers and seeing where a 167 gives you a shot.
Re: Double Splitter...please help with advice
Posted: Thu Aug 26, 2010 3:12 am
by legalease9
Thomas Jefferson wrote:While 2.4 is very low and will make your cycle even more unpredictable than the already unpredictable nature of a weak splitter, you should be aiming higher. Your LSAT alone could get you into some great schools. You will need to apply broadly and early, but, without knowing more about your (geographic) preferences, you should add Minnesota, WashU, Illinois, Emory, IU-B, and Washington and Lee to your list, to name a few. Your LSAT will probably get you into at least one of those. Lawschoolpredictor isn't very useful for splitters, especially sub-3.0 splitters. You're better-off looking at lawschoolnumbers and seeing where a 167 gives you a shot.
Credited. You have a pretty good LSAT. Look higher. Pay the cash to see if you can get into a T1. Where do you live? See if you can get into a local T1 that will give you a good deal.
Re: Double Splitter...please help with advice
Posted: Thu Aug 26, 2010 9:39 am
by JusticeHarlan
legalease9 wrote:Thomas Jefferson wrote:While 2.4 is very low and will make your cycle even more unpredictable than the already unpredictable nature of a weak splitter, you should be aiming higher. Your LSAT alone could get you into some great schools. You will need to apply broadly and early, but, without knowing more about your (geographic) preferences, you should add Minnesota, WashU, Illinois, Emory, IU-B, and Washington and Lee to your list, to name a few. Your LSAT will probably get you into at least one of those. Lawschoolpredictor isn't very useful for splitters, especially sub-3.0 splitters. You're better-off looking at lawschoolnumbers and seeing where a 167 gives you a shot.
Credited. You have a pretty good LSAT. Look higher. Pay the cash to see if you can get into a T1. Where do you live? See if you can get into a local T1 that will give you a good deal.
Yup, this is good advice, and the location question should be answered.
WashU and
Emory's chart should give you a decent indication of what a splitter-friendly school looks like (though look into the horror stories from Emory OCI in the employment threads before throwing a deposit there, should it come to that). Find schools that look like that in regions you'd like to practice in, and go from there.
Re: Double Splitter...please help with advice
Posted: Fri Aug 27, 2010 2:21 am
by boogiewoogie
First off....thank you for the advice. Seattle University because I live here now and really like the city. Philadelphia because I grew up in Penn. and would at some point like to move back there. University of South Carolina because it is better than Charleston School of Law and I have often thought about moving back to South Carolina.
I have received advice that I should attempt to go to school in a region in which I would like to practice. Further, I am clearly out of the running for a T14 school so this seems like sound advice. Is this the case?
Is there anything I can do to ensure that T2 schools do not simply throw out my application before examining the softs besides a strong LSAT retake in oct? Email admissions dept? Visit in person?
Again, thank you.