College Senior in need of guidance :-) Forum

[Bleach7777]

Hey how are you all doing! First I want to say this site is great and you all have been an inspiration and a source of motivation

I am a senior in college approaching the end of fall semester, I'm due to graduate in May and haven't taken the LSAT yet. The problem is my GPA is a 3.42. I expect to get all As this fall semester and will fight and claw my way to As next semester. However, it still won't be enough.

What I'm thinking is doing an extra two semesters/a fifth year in order to get my GPA to at least a 3.6 max a 3.7. During this time I would be intensively studying for the LSAT aiming for the 170s.

What do you guys think? Is this a good idea, taking a fifth year to raise GPA? I really need your help as I have no one that I can share this with
If I do this when would I apply to law school, at the end of my fifth year in Oct?
Any and all help is super appreciated, and thanks!
Btw: I am a non Mexican non Puerto Rican, Black Hispanic. I checked the boxes for Black and for Other Hispanic.

[Otunga]

Depends. What's your major and what other courses have you taken? Could you possibly use that 5th year to add a practical major (or if you already have a practical major, perhaps you could complement it with something else practical) in addition to boosting your GPA? It gives your 5th year some purpose other than the transparent one of 'I just need to increase my GPA'. I'm not saying it's a poor motivation - it's a reasonable one. But instead of just taking easy classes or something, if you could manage to get that GPA increased AND increase your non-law school job prospects, then that sounds like a compelling track.

[Bleach7777]

Wow thanks, yeah that's what I was thinking as well the problem is im pretty much locked out of all the "practical" majors like computer science, engineering, business, etc. I go to the flagship research university of my state. I will be completing my East Asian Studies major at the end of senior year, I studied and interned at a law firm in China, I'm fluent in Chinese.

The major I'm thinking of pursuing is international studies, I already took a few classes for this major.

Sorry for any typos, I'm on my phone

[Dr.Zer0]

Well you'll get the AA boost for admissions and your choice of major and time in China can make for an interesting diversity stament. Taking a 5th year to increase your LSAT may be a good idea, albeit expensive.

[midwest17]

Figure out what your LSAT will be at the end of this year, and what you think you could reasonably increase it to with a fifth year. Play around with mylsn.info (with the AA boost) and some different LSAT scores to see what the increased GPA is going to do to your chances. Then decide if the boost is worth whatever it will cost you/your family for you to stay in college for another year (assuming you don't have financial aid that will cover a fifth year.)

At the end of the day this is a CBA that no one else can really do for you (especially not without a real LSAT score). Otunga's point is good, though: try to make your extra year productive, in case you decide law isn't for you (or don't do well enough on the LSAT to get in anywhere worth going).

[Bleach7777]

Thank you all for responding, I guess it really also depends on the LSAT score as well. I'm on the lower end in terms of socioeconomic status, but despite that I have a lot of financial aid in the form of grants which makes the cost factor pretty much negligent. In the end I think I was just worried about how the adcoms would see a double major 5th year senior.

I think the question I should have asked was how would it look to the adcoms to see a 5th year senior with an LSAT of 169/170+ and a 3.7gpa, other hispanic and black urm?

It's going to be a heck of a lot of work and stress, but I think I'm just going to go for it =)

[Dr.Zer0]

Take a look at this thread: http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 4&t=195443

OP you'll get the full AA boost even if you identify as other hispanic. A 3.7 AA male with a 165 can get in at one of HYS.

ETA: Law schools wont care if you were a 5th year UG.

[Bleach7777]

Okay, thank you Dr. Zero I really appreciate that. I'm just going to have to work my butt off for those grades and LSAT score.

[outlawscr10]

A couple of points on the LSAT is probably going to be worth more than a tenth or two on your GPA. A couple points (or more) on the LSAT is probably what you're going to lose if you try to balance school work with LSAT prep. I'd spend your time doubling up on the LSAT.

[mephistopheles]

3.6x and 171+ and you're golden.