Self-study
I know most of the folks here are more concerned about their LSAT scores than their GPAs, but I'm on the other side of the spectrum. University was a really rough point in my life due to some family stuff and my GPA was heavily affected by it. I saw a post today about how law schools are really going to come down harder on their cut-off points for LSAT scores, and I'm concerned the same will be true for GPAs. Any advice/insight?
Are any other folks in the same boat?
I just started LSAT prep about a month ago, and my PT average is 160, so I think I'm in a decent place to start, but I honestly don't want to spend my time, energy, and money on the LSAT if my GPA is gonna keep me from getting into a law school anyway.
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7 comments
I think it really depends on the school. But lots of high quality schools accept 'splitters' or folks who are close to but not quite at both medians.
Also, keep in mind that GPA addendums exist, and lots of schools appreciate receiving those if you have concerns about your GPA. Check with your schools of interest for specifics, but most I've seen ask for the following:
Up to 2 pages
Honesty (the real reason for the GPA)
Taking Responsibility
On those last notes, if you were dealing with health (physical or mental) concerns, having to financially support yourself/others, dealing with caretaking responsibilities, facing other adverse circumstances, chose the wrong major, or perhaps went into college too young and weren't mature enough, say that! Just be honest. For situations like the last two (major or maturity) it helps if they can see that things improved with time.
You've said you were dealing with family issues, so you can tell them that. You don't have to be super specific or tell your deepest secrets, unless you want to. You could say "I was dealing with an adverse family situation that put stress on me and led to my academic performance suffering" (or whatever the case may be). If it is clear in your transcript when/if that situation improved, you can point to that as well. You can also add additional details if you feel that is helpful and you are comfortable with that.
My GPA is not great in my opinion (3.26) and I am scoring at a low point for the LSAT too (around 153 currently.) It is totally scary but I would really like to think that if you have a good enough LSAT score you can get into a school that reflects your educational capabilities. @TimothyNguyen made a great point in the comments too, about transferring once you gain admission to a school. I guess the question becomes how low your GPA is. If i recall correctly, there was a discussion post I was reading on here, it should be under most voted under the admissions tab, of someone with a 2.8 GPA gaining admission to Northwestern. Granted, their LSAT was rather high and they had great softs (military experience), but still, I think it goes to show that ANYTHING is possible.
Well, can't do anything about it now. Law schools accept splitters all the time; don't let it discourage you if this is what you want. 160 is a great place to be, especially one month in.
LSAT is the most important AFAIK. If your concern is that doors have closed to you because of your bad GPA, the best path is probably to get into the best law school you can, and then transfer to the one you want to be in for 2L-3L once you have the grades to prove you belong somewhere else. But that is a tough act to accomplish.
LSAT is more important! It's the law school admissions test, and it's written to be an indicator of your potential success in 1L. If your undergrad GPA is low, that's tough for sure, but that's what addendums are for!
I have the same concerns. I dropped out of college for family reasons, and then I earned my bachelor's degree through self-study process, so I understand your concern very well. I was anxious about it too, but keep going — at least give it a try.