Apply with 2.55 GPA or with 2.7? Forum

[SplitHappy1]

Should I wait another full year and get the GPA up into the high-2s before applying to law schools, or do I apply now because both are significantly under any school's 25th percentile? If I wait until it's closer to 3 that will give me a year to do some sort of service project (VISTA or English abroad). I'm a junior.

LSAT is unknown - I'm taking in June and will-retake unless I get 170+.

Thanks for any advice.

[Samara]

You should take time off after school and work for a couple years before applying. 2.55 v. 2.7 is pretty much the same. Getting substantive work experience is the best way to counteract your GPA (besides killing the LSAT) and opens up schools like Northwestern.

[bartleby]

not worth the year but if you haven't gotten a degree you can LOAD UP on credit hours. i recommend Clovis Community College online classes because it's like 2 hours or 3 hours of credit for $50. And take all the easy ass guaranteed solid A classes. you can easily take 30 credit hours in a summer...

disclaimers

1. i just think a 3.x looks better than a 2.x no matter what
2. might not be worth your time
3. in certain classes, there is very, very little risk of not getting a block A. like religious studies or something. as long as you put forth a good faith effort, they're not going to give you a B+ or something.
4. adcomms may not give a shit between 3.0 and 2.9 when it is a 175 LSAT or something and when it's pretty clear you are GPA padding.
5. i did this for three classes and got 3 A's which got me to 3.299 and came out to 3.3. pretty pleased. i worked maybe a total of two hours in each class (assignments were like "post on the board about utilitarianism and your thoughts and critiques" with a "long" 3 page essay at the end)...
6. i have nothing against CCs, just saying Clovis was good to me, very cheap, and padded my GPA. was the difference between a 3.28 and a 3.3 worth $200? im not sure. i think so...

also i just wanted to throw in again...along with all the northwestern - work for 2 years crap - getting "substantive work experience" is a weird means to the ends of getting into law school. law schools care about numbers. work experience is probably good but if all you want to do is go to law school, just study ur nuts off for the lsat and do everything you can to bring your GPA up...and you can get work experience in between too...

[SplitHappy1]

You should take time off after school and work for a couple years before applying. 2.55 v. 2.7 is pretty much the same. Getting substantive work experience is the best way to counteract your GPA (besides killing the LSAT) and opens up schools like Northwestern.

I can't imagine it's possible to get "substantive" WE without a hard science background and a GPA between 2.55 and 2.7. That's why I'm looking at service programs and teaching abroad.

[Tiago Splitter]

You should take time off after school and work for a couple years before applying. 2.55 v. 2.7 is pretty much the same. Getting substantive work experience is the best way to counteract your GPA (besides killing the LSAT) and opens up schools like Northwestern.

I can't imagine it's possible to get "substantive" WE without a hard science background and a GPA between 2.55 and 2.7. That's why I'm looking at service programs and teaching abroad.

You're only a junior. Get A's the rest of the way and apply after you graduate. Like the poster above mentioned, take easy CC classes in the summer to pad your GPA. Really try to get that thing up to a 3.0.

[alpha kenny body]

I would consider taking another major. I recently added a second major and I now have another year to get all A's and raise my cumulative GPA. Yet, do not finish your first major before your second else your LSAC gpa could drop significantly when re-calculated.

[emkay625]

My advice would be stay until it can be a 3.0. Even if it takes an extra year.

With a 2.7 you are still more than likely locked out of everywhere in the top-14, even with WE.

[Samara]

You should take time off after school and work for a couple years before applying. 2.55 v. 2.7 is pretty much the same. Getting substantive work experience is the best way to counteract your GPA (besides killing the LSAT) and opens up schools like Northwestern.

I can't imagine it's possible to get "substantive" WE without a hard science background and a GPA between 2.55 and 2.7. That's why I'm looking at service programs and teaching abroad.

Substantive work experience doesn't have to be software engineer or analyst at Goldman. Teaching abroad is actually a great way to get substantive work experience. Or just an entry-level office job, doesn't even have to be something like a paralegal. You don't have to put your GPA on your resume, you know.

That said, if it's not too expensive, delay your degree completion until you hit 3.0, like emkay said. Sub-3.0, Northwestern is your only realistic shot at the T14 (maybe GULC) and you'd need WE. 3.0+ and you'd have a shot at MVP as well as NU and GULC.