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Due to depression, I have a 2.4 gpa. The issues have been resolved. After some time away, I returned to college to do my last six courses as a part-time student. So far, while working full time, I have three A's and an A-. I scored 177 on the LSAT.

Does anyone have any advice as to any reach schools that might be worth applying to? Does anyone have any advice regarding an application addendum explaining my past circumstances, and how my situation has changed?

Wow, that's rough. But big congrats on that high score. You should check out a law school calculator (considers GPA and LSAT). Search "law school calculator" in google and use the first two websites that appear. Good luck.

Congrats on the 177!

Apply to UVA, NU, and GULC for sure.

Splits that big are rare, but I would recommend trying http://www.mylsn.info to see what comes up

Finish school and distance yourself from the GPA. Don't have the last thing on your CV be school with a C+ average. Maximize your GPA by completing AS MANY CREDITS AS POSSIBLE PRIOR to completing your degree -- that is, so what if you need 6, skip a required class and take 10 total if possible, all A's. then after graduation, work full time for a year. Law school isnt going anywhere and your brilliant 177 will stay current.

Sounds like cheesy advice and I nornally hate giving it, but with a 2.4 you really wont have any other options. If you get over 2.6, some great schools like northwestern actually become plausible.

jbagelboy wrote:Finish school and distance yourself from the GPA. Don't have the last thing on your CV be school with a C+ average. Maximize your GPA by completing AS MANY CREDITS AS POSSIBLE PRIOR to completing your degree -- that is, so what if you need 6, skip a required class and take 10 total if possible, all A's. then after graduation, work full time for a year. Law school isnt going anywhere and your brilliant 177 will stay current.

Sounds like cheesy advice and I nornally hate giving it, but with a 2.4 you really wont have any other options. If you get over 2.6, some great schools like northwestern actually become plausible.

Bolded is the best advice, however unpalatable you might find it, that you can get re: your GPA. If I could go back, I'd still be in school taking ridiculous elective after ridiculous elective just to get my GPA higher (and to establish an upward trend, which is a lot easier to defend than no trend at all) before taking whatever classes I actually needed.

McGruff wrote:

jbagelboy wrote:Finish school and distance yourself from the GPA. Don't have the last thing on your CV be school with a C+ average. Maximize your GPA by completing AS MANY CREDITS AS POSSIBLE PRIOR to completing your degree -- that is, so what if you need 6, skip a required class and take 10 total if possible, all A's. then after graduation, work full time for a year. Law school isnt going anywhere and your brilliant 177 will stay current.

Sounds like cheesy advice and I nornally hate giving it, but with a 2.4 you really wont have any other options. If you get over 2.6, some great schools like northwestern actually become plausible.

Bolded is the best advice, however unpalatable you might find it, that you can get re: your GPA. If I could go back, I'd still be in school taking ridiculous elective after ridiculous elective just to get my GPA higher (and to establish an upward trend, which is a lot easier to defend than no trend at all) before taking whatever classes I actually needed.

If he's almost done this isn't going to help much.

Tiago Splitter wrote:

McGruff wrote:

jbagelboy wrote:Finish school and distance yourself from the GPA. Don't have the last thing on your CV be school with a C+ average. Maximize your GPA by completing AS MANY CREDITS AS POSSIBLE PRIOR to completing your degree -- that is, so what if you need 6, skip a required class and take 10 total if possible, all A's. then after graduation, work full time for a year. Law school isnt going anywhere and your brilliant 177 will stay current.

Sounds like cheesy advice and I nornally hate giving it, but with a 2.4 you really wont have any other options. If you get over 2.6, some great schools like northwestern actually become plausible.

Bolded is the best advice, however unpalatable you might find it, that you can get re: your GPA. If I could go back, I'd still be in school taking ridiculous elective after ridiculous elective just to get my GPA higher (and to establish an upward trend, which is a lot easier to defend than no trend at all) before taking whatever classes I actually needed.

If he's almost done this isn't going to help much.

Hmm, you're right, I missed that part. OP, the way the LSAC calculates your GPA, as soon as you're awarded a Bachelor's Degree, you're done (personally I'd go get another bachelor's but they only count the first one) so consider withdrawing from one of those classes if it would delay your actual conferral of a degree. Withdrawal date is usually 10 weeks/65% of classtime, IIRC, so you still have time. I know it would feel ridiculous, but it's sound long-term.

All of this is predicated on your wanting to be a lawyer more than anything else. If you aren't sure about that, then this might be a waste of time. As far as your LSAC GPA, though, that's what I would personally do.

My point was more that 100+ credits of a 2.4 GPA isn't really salvageable. Maybe he can get it up to a 2.6 or 2.8 but spending years and years getting 4.0 GPAs just to push it over 3.0 isn't realistic nor worth it.

Tiago Splitter wrote:My point was more that 100+ credits of a 2.4 GPA isn't really salvageable. Maybe he can get it up to a 2.6 or 2.8 but spending years and years getting 4.0 GPAs just to push it over 3.0 isn't realistic nor worth it.

If he's set on applying this cycle, then you're right that this isn't helpful advice. If he's not, though, then another semester or two at his current course load to push him up to 2.6 or 2.8 could make the difference between an acceptance and a ding at a school like NU or GULC (debates as to the worthiness of GULC aside, it's significantly better than most schools that take 2.4 uGPA candidates). I think you're right that spending years on it is a waste of time, but if he's set on being a lawyer, another couple tenths higher of a GPA might be the difference that makes a difference. Ultimately it's his judgment call, though, I don't know what his other options are and what his WE has been like.

McGruff wrote:

Tiago Splitter wrote:My point was more that 100+ credits of a 2.4 GPA isn't really salvageable. Maybe he can get it up to a 2.6 or 2.8 but spending years and years getting 4.0 GPAs just to push it over 3.0 isn't realistic nor worth it.

If he's set on applying this cycle, then you're right that this isn't helpful advice. If he's not, though, then another semester or two at his current course load to push him up to 2.6 or 2.8 could make the difference between an acceptance and a ding at a school like NU or GULC (debates as to the worthiness of GULC aside, it's significantly better than most schools that take 2.4 uGPA candidates). I think you're right that spending years on it is a waste of time, but if he's set on being a lawyer, another couple tenths higher of a GPA might be the difference that makes a difference. Ultimately it's his judgment call, though, I don't know what his other options are and what his WE has been like.

My initial observation wouldn't require years -- just 4 more credits than what OP is considering. 10 A's or even A-'s would easily push OP into the Northwestern, and maybe even UVA, admittable range (2.6+). As it stands, the grades are just too low for any top school -- OP will be paying close to sticker at GWU and that's a sorry fate for that 99.8% score.

McGruff wrote:Hmm, you're right, I missed that part. OP, the way the LSAC calculates your GPA, as soon as you're awarded a Bachelor's Degree, you're done (personally I'd go get another bachelor's but they only count the first one) so consider withdrawing from one of those classes if it would delay your actual conferral of a degree. Withdrawal date is usually 10 weeks/65% of classtime, IIRC, so you still have time. I know it would feel ridiculous, but it's sound long-term.

All of this is predicated on your wanting to be a lawyer more than anything else. If you aren't sure about that, then this might be a waste of time. As far as your LSAC GPA, though, that's what I would personally do.

At least at my school, they don't automatically give you a degree once you complete the necessary credits. You have to apply to graduate. (This particularly applies to people with double majors; you might be able to graduate with one of the majors early, but they don't confer the degree until you decide you're ready.)

Of course, if you finished your requirements and stuck around for 3 more years racking up credits, the Dean's office might give you a call. But there shouldn't be a need to withdraw from a class just to prevent yourself from graduating.

I think it really depends on how many credits OP has already taken. The more credits you have taken, the less "value" each subsequent A is worth. You also have to really get As all across. Or you're just sinking yourself deeper.

Just from my personal experience, I managed to raise my GPA by 0.63 (with LSAC calculations) in a total of 3 semesters, including 2 summer terms totaling to 5 summer courses (one was an internship that counted as credit).

It's possible, but you just have to ask yourself if it's worth an extra year or two. Which would also increase your UG debt as well.

jbagelboy wrote:

McGruff wrote:

Tiago Splitter wrote:My point was more that 100+ credits of a 2.4 GPA isn't really salvageable. Maybe he can get it up to a 2.6 or 2.8 but spending years and years getting 4.0 GPAs just to push it over 3.0 isn't realistic nor worth it.

If he's set on applying this cycle, then you're right that this isn't helpful advice. If he's not, though, then another semester or two at his current course load to push him up to 2.6 or 2.8 could make the difference between an acceptance and a ding at a school like NU or GULC (debates as to the worthiness of GULC aside, it's significantly better than most schools that take 2.4 uGPA candidates). I think you're right that spending years on it is a waste of time, but if he's set on being a lawyer, another couple tenths higher of a GPA might be the difference that makes a difference. Ultimately it's his judgment call, though, I don't know what his other options are and what his WE has been like.

My initial observation wouldn't require years -- just 4 more credits than what OP is considering. 10 A's or even A-'s would easily push OP into the Northwestern, and maybe even UVA, admittable range (2.6+). As it stands, the grades are just too low for any top school -- OP will be paying close to sticker at GWU and that's a sorry fate for that 99.8% score.

This still depends on just how many credits he's already earned. Either way, Northwestern accepted a 2.2/172, a 2.2/173, and a 2.38/173 last cycle. One of those applicants was also accepted at UVA, although that's obviously pretty rare.