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178, 3.51/3.91 (UGPA/LGPA discrepancy)

Posted: Thu Feb 18, 2016 3:36 pm
by Smibea
My LGPA (all college courses I've taken) put my LGPA at a 3.91; this is drastically different from my UGPA of 3.51, which is only the classes I took at my (top 5) undergraduate university. I took a lot of community college courses, which significantly boosted my LGPA. LSAT is 178, softs are decent but not outstanding.

My major issue is that due to undiagnosed but relatively severe ADHD, I withdrew from 9 classes from my undergrad institution. I took a year off to be diagnosed and readjust, during which time I took the community college classes. I'm a female but not a URM. Should I explain the 9 withdrawals and the UGPA/LGPA discrepancy? What are my chances?

Re: 178, 3.51/3.91

Posted: Thu Feb 18, 2016 3:41 pm
by jumbo2016
mylsn.info will give you your chances if you don't have any super unique softs.

But seriously, enjoy Harvard

Re: 178, 3.51/3.91

Posted: Thu Feb 18, 2016 3:41 pm
by cbbinnyc
Far as I know, the LGPA is the only thing that matters. You should get in pretty much everywhere and get some big money, though Y and S are always crapshoots.

Re: 178, 3.51/3.91

Posted: Thu Feb 18, 2016 3:43 pm
by Smibea
jumbo2016 wrote:mylsn.info will give you your chances if you don't have any super unique softs.

But seriously, enjoy Harvard
Haha thank you! I guess my biggest softs are some relatively decent experiences. I worked as a paralegal for 6 months, and then interned for the ACLU for 6 months. I feel like those aren't very significant?

Re: 178, 3.51/3.91 (UGPA/LGPA discrepancy)

Posted: Thu Feb 18, 2016 4:09 pm
by Smibea
Should I explaim the reason for the withdraws and year off?

Re: 178, 3.51/3.91 (UGPA/LGPA discrepancy)

Posted: Fri Feb 19, 2016 1:19 pm
by totesTheGoat
Should I explaim the reason for the withdraws and year off?
9 withdraws isn't particularly high. I've seen people with 20+. I don't think you need to explain the year off. If they ask, you can explain it, but graduating in 5 or 6 years instead of 4 isn't really uncommon, and i don't think it would put up too much of a red flag.

I took 3 or 4 semesters off during UG to go work and make some money, and I didn't even mention it on my application. I just put "Undergrad University 2006-2011" and nobody even batted an eye.

If it took you 8 years to get through UG, maybe that's a different story. If you're at 5 or 6 years, it's not a big deal.

Re: 178, 3.51/3.91 (UGPA/LGPA discrepancy)

Posted: Fri Feb 19, 2016 2:38 pm
by KiltedKicker
Smibea wrote:Should I explaim the reason for the withdraws and year off?
I would explain it. They might be curious and certainly aren't going to fault you for explaining. Especially someone as high-achieving as yourself, it's reasonable that they would be curious about what happened. And you have a good explanation, so I would give it in a short addendum.

Re: 178, 3.51/3.91

Posted: Fri Feb 19, 2016 4:16 pm
by njkga
Smibea wrote:
jumbo2016 wrote:mylsn.info will give you your chances if you don't have any super unique softs.

But seriously, enjoy Harvard
Haha thank you! I guess my biggest softs are some relatively decent experiences. I worked as a paralegal for 6 months, and then interned for the ACLU for 6 months. I feel like those aren't very significant?

Not particularly significant, no. Good softs are those that distinguish you from other applicants - and among the law school applicant crowd, paralegal work and internships with law related orgs are relatively common softs.

Don't get me wrong, they're good experiences to have, but they're not going to factor significantly into any decision making on the part of adcomms.

Your LSAT score and GPA are excellent though, so I don't think you have anything to worry about. You'll get into just about anywhere.

Re: 178, 3.51/3.91 (UGPA/LGPA discrepancy)

Posted: Fri Feb 19, 2016 9:45 pm
by Smibea
Thank you all so much! This has been helpful and reassuring. Obviously one can never be sure of anything, but knowing I have even a chance a T6, and a shot at any of the T3, is a HUGE relief. :)