2 years of work experience vs GPA Forum

[learntolift]

Just a quick question, looking for some thoughts. I have a 177 LSAT but a low 3.4 GPA, though an upward trend (2 C's first semester freshman year, only C's I've ever gotten. I was enjoying myself too much). But I will have 2 years of work experience as I am going to wait another year before I apply. I just graduated from USC in May.

So my question is basically, do schools put less emphasis on your GPA as you grow more distant from it? Like right out of college sure, all you have is that GPA really. But 2 years separated from college does it change much? Assuming the work experience is substantive and valuable, not working the register at Macy's or something.

[bdubs]

You will always be a 3.4/177, but you may get a slight bump. HYS are basically out for a non-URM, but CCN on down are still in play.

[learntolift]

Yeah for sure, I REALLY want to get into Stanford. I work for a company just off their campus that is in very good standing with the school as well, not that it matters or anything. But yeah I'd love it if I could manage to get in there somehow...too bad I screwed around too much freshman year.

[American_in_China]

Yeah for sure, I REALLY want to get into Stanford. I work for a company just off their campus that is in very good standing with the school as well, not that it matters or anything. But yeah I'd love it if I could manage to get in there somehow...too bad I screwed around too much freshman year.

People with worse numbers have gotten in. Just write a ridiculously fantastic application. And of course, apply elsewhere for back up.

[larsoner]

Two years won't really make up for the GPA, although it will help. I did see someone with a lower GPA who got into HYS after 10+ years as a police officer. That kind of life experience probably cancels out lower GPA, especially with a high LSAT.

[sparty99]

you are good looking, so apply to Northwestern for an interview

[chasgoose]

Yeah for sure, I REALLY want to get into Stanford. I work for a company just off their campus that is in very good standing with the school as well, not that it matters or anything. But yeah I'd love it if I could manage to get in there somehow...too bad I screwed around too much freshman year.

Stanford isn't happening, no WE is going to change that. The only YHS school that you have even a remote chance at is Harvard and its still like <5%. You will probably get at least 2 of CCN, however.

[nkp007]

Stanford could happen. Go for it...only one way to find out.

The TLS world is representative of only a fraction of what actually happens. Your WE could push you over the edge at Stanford.

[chasgoose]

Stanford could happen. Go for it...only one way to find out.

The TLS world is representative of only a fraction of what actually happens. Your WE could push you over the edge at Stanford.

He would have to be rescuing baby seals while simultaneously curing cancer. The problem is that of YHS, the 177 has the least impact at Stanford because their median is already a lot lower and they are also perhaps the most GPA obsessed school out there after Yale. Reverse splitters do much better at SLS than regular splitters (who have basically no chance). If he wants to apply, he should, but 2 years of WE is not going to make a difference. The bigger point is that if OP is only taking time off to get WE so he can get into SLS, it's not going to really make a difference. WE is probably not going to make or break his application.

[cinephile]

He would have to be rescuing baby seals while simultaneously curing cancer.

This is probably the craziest things about TLS. By no means do you have to cure cancer to out-perform your numbers. You could just write a best selling book about your experience with drugs and depression.

[bdubs]

Stanford could happen. Go for it...only one way to find out.

The TLS world is representative of only a fraction of what actually happens. Your WE could push you over the edge at Stanford.

He would have to be rescuing baby seals while simultaneously curing cancer. The problem is that of YHS, the 177 has the least impact at Stanford because their median is already a lot lower and they are also perhaps the most GPA obsessed school out there after Yale. Reverse splitters do much better at SLS than regular splitters (who have basically no chance). If he wants to apply, he should, but 2 years of WE is not going to make a difference. The bigger point is that if OP is only taking time off to get WE so he can get into SLS, it's not going to really make a difference. WE is probably not going to make or break his application.

Although bolded is an overstatement, it is highly unlikely that any work experience OP gets will put him over the edge at Stanford. I had 5 years of high quality work experience, a higher GPA than OP, and a recommendation letter written by a well regarded Stanford Professor based on a close working relationship. That didn't even earn me a spot on the waitlist at Stanford, my app was held until the last round of rejections.

Not that my experience is entirely predictive of what OPs would be.On LSN the only profiles that were non-URM, sub 3.6 acceptances in the last few cycles to get in to S had long military service as a soft (from a quick glance).