I've started attending some law school information sessions, and one thing that is exceedingly unclear is requirements around study abroad transcripts. I studied abroad one semester during undergrad, and per LSAC, as long as that experience is included on my undergrad transcript, I do not need to submit my transcript from study abroad (even though my grades are not shown). It seems like some schools may still require me to submit an official study abroad transcript, like BC, GW, and others. I am not really sure where to start if I need to submit it via LSAC, or just to schools directly. Further, will it recalculate my LSAC GPA, even if the grades are on the European standard?
Would love for an admissions consultant to answer this. If anyone has past experience or insight also, please let us all know! I am sure I am not alone in my confusion.
8 comments
My program was outside of my university and they required me to send the host universities transcript because I technically "transferred" even though I was still a student at my home institution.. so idk if that helps but they did end up making me so maybe have it on hand just in case.
@Kihla333 good point, thanks!
@LukeHowey2 also I wanna say they calculate them on how they appear on your home transcript beacuse they would have been transferred into your total credits for graduation if that makes sense? Could also put your transcript into the 7sage calculator to try to see
@Kihla333 They dont appear with any grades, so they werent calculated based off my undergrad transcript. I have a copy of my abroad transcript and supposedly so does my undergrad university. I guess my concern is including it with every application instead of only the ones that require it, even though the grades arent bad. For instance, Columbia says this "Candidates who studied abroad for one academic year or less are strongly encouraged to submit official copies of their transcripts if the grades do not appear on the home institution's transcript. If candidates run into difficulty having these transcripts sent from institutions abroad, then an unofficial copy of the transcript (PDF format preferred) may be uploaded in the "Addendum" section of the application. In most instances, the Admissions Committee prefers to consider a candidate's performance in study abroad courses, and requesting transcripts can often slow down the review process."
I studied abroad for a semester and am planning to send it to LSAC to be safe
@nr yeah, this might be the play. But do you know how/if they calculate it into your LSAC gpa?
@LukeHowey2 I have no idea tbh :(
@LukeHowey2 They don't, is what I have been told, unless you directly matriculated into a university for a year or so.