Self-study
Hey, heres some background before I get into my question. I completed a 3 year Geomatics Engineering Diploma here in Canada which saw my GPA go from 1.56 to 2.38 over those 3 years. But now I'm doing my Survey Engineering Technology Bachlers here in the US and I've only done one semester so far but my GPA has improved significantly (3.71 GPA). If I keep this up over the summer term and next two semesters after which I'll graduate. Will the upwards GPA trend look good to US law schools? Also, I used a GPA calculator and even if I get an A in the rest of my courses till I graduate my cGPA will still be under 3.00. Most of the schools I'm planning on applying to schools that are ranked between 35 and 100 for your information.
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5 comments
One point of clarification for you! Was your Geomatics program in Canada a Bachelors program? And did you complete it?
I ask because your LSAC GPA only includes those classes taken towards your first Bachelors degree. Heavy emphasis on those words at the end!
So if that was a collegiate program and if you completed it and got a BA, then your LSAC GPA is locked in already. Your present work in the States wouldn't change that.
If it was a collegiate program but you didn't complete it for a BA and now your present work will complete your BA, then - yes - the upward trend would look good.
If it was not a collegiate program that could have led to a BA (ie, it was more of a vocational program), then the grades may not count. The only grades that would count would be those taken towards your first BA (ie, your current work in the States).
@JacobBaska No it was not a Bachlers program and yes I completed it, but my credits from that were transferred and counted towards my Bachlers. Also, the credits that were transferred from my Geomatics program are only credits the grades attached to those credits do not count towards my US college GPA.
@shyamvip Sounds good! So - while acknowledging that we're kinda having this conversation anonymously on the internet without taking a look at the transcripts at hand - it sounds like:
You did a Geomatics program in Canada that did not lead to a BA.
But since the credits from were transferred and count towards your present BA program, the Geomatics courses are going to count in your LSAC GPA.
I hear what you're saying about the Geomatics grades aren't showing up on your US transcript. That's pretty normal - School B may accept credits from School A for the purposes of awarding you a degree from School B, but School B isn't going to factor your grades from School A into your GPA at School B. But here's the thing - LSAC counts everything from School A and School B.
Sorry to take a deep dive into the weeds here! I just wanted to make sure you knew what LSAC will and won't count!
The upward trend will absolutely look good! Applications also have an option to add an addendum, so if there were extenuating circumstances that led to the lower earlier grades, you can address it there as well. It sounds like you have a great opportunity to talk about how you improved your study habits/whatever it is you did that prompted your upward trend!
Upward trend is good but GPA medians are around 3.6-3.9, I'm at a 3.3 hoping to get to a 3.5 by graduation and I'm pretty worried about my GPA. We're both definitely gonna need to lock in and get elite LSAT to do good in law school admissions.