Hey all!

I've been hiding away doing applications. I hope everyone did well on the December test and if you didn't, Feb is around the corner and I know you all will kick ass.

So this hasn't actually come up until today but one school I'm applying to asks for an explanation if your second LSAT score is five points or above your last one. I improved by five points and wasn't sure how I should approach the explanation.

Three main reasons for why I increased:

So I'm not sure if I should explain all of this or if it makes me look like a slacker. I don't want the school to think I can't handle stress or change.

Any thoughts?

Thanks and love this site!

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I ran my LSAC GPA and estimated that I will have a 3.29. My overall UG gpa is 3.5.. Needless to say, my first two years of college I made some poor choices. Flash forward, I transferred to a state university and was able to complete the final two years of my undergrad with a 3.9 GPA.

Here is my question.. Are trends looked at during the admissions process?

I'm obviously shooting for a solid LSAT score, I'm just concerned that my GPA is going to raise a red flag and potentially get in the way of acceptances.

Thanks 7sagers!

Hi guys! I am applying for the Fall 2017 cycle and I am having a bit of a hard time trying to figure out which schools to apply to so that I have about 5 for each (reach, target, and safety). My question is, what is the difference between the three... Obviously the likelihood that you will be accepted, but what about the GPA and LSAT medians? Would a reach school be considered like 5 points below the LSAT median, or 10, or 3...? Just a little confused how much reach a reach is haha!

Hello,

So if we want to talk about interviews we had, speakers in a meeting etc, do we have to reveal their real names in PS?

In fact I forgot some of their names...

If I just say "a guest speaker" would it look weak?

Also, how gramatically strict PS should be?

I read some PS but some sound poetic like fiction novels, not like the tone of academic research paper...

Thank you!

Hi all, I need some impartial, non-attorney advice.

I've had my personal statement proofread by 3 individuals (two are attorneys and one is my husband (non-attorney, but works at a law firm) and they love the statement but have trouble with the phrase "civil twilight" at the beginning of my statement.

My PS begins as follows:

"It was the beginning of civil twilight when my eyes opened and without much thought I made a very simple decision. I was barely 16 years old when I walked out and decided that I was never coming back. I recall looking down at the clear vials with different color tops littering the elevator floor worrying about the unlocked door, but not much else. As I disappeared down --------- Avenue on that quiet morning, there was no one to witness the beginning of my metaphorical descent into my life."

One person did not know what it meant and did not bother to look up and wondered why didn't I use just twilight. Another person had to look up and said that if it comes natural then use it, but if I'm using the phrase to sound good, the use "just before dawn" or something like it. The third person said it sounded like I was trying too hard.

The use civil twilight is not unusual to me because I'm a lit major and I read a lot (I mean really read a lot!). I'm tempted to just go with it...but I also don't want to be stubborn about it and not heed advice. I'm also relunctant to change it because it ties in with my last line of my essay: ("However, I have never taken the worn path and I have never minded the possibility of an unruly dusk.")

What do you guys think?

Hi all!! I am applying for this Fall's admission cycle and my law advisor is on sabbatical so it is hard for me to find someone to constructively critique my essays. If anyone would please like to review both of these essays I would greatly appreciate it. Just inbox me or comment here and I will send it over. Thank you to anyone in advance!!

Hi everyone,

I completed my applications for three schools before writing the LSAT (Dec was my first and only take). BUT I checked today and they all show that my LSAT score is still outstanding. Do I email admissions to let them know it's available? Or is this just because they haven't updated my file online?... I don't know! PLEASE HELP! =( I am already late in the cycle and I don't want the review of my apps to take even longer.

Thanks!!!

P.S. I spoke to LSAC who said they've sent the score - it's automatic - and there is nothing I can do on their end because they've already done their part.

Hi All,

So I had to take 2 semesters off at the beginning of my 3rd year in university because I had suffered from severe eating disorder... Although I had recovered from it fully since then (and this gap year happened about 7 years ago) I am planning not to write an extra addendum unless schools specifically ask me to explain about any gap years in my education history (So far I have noticed that Cornell, Duke and NYU ask this).

Would it be ok if I just say that I developed a medical ailment and decided to treat it during the 3rd year instead of talking about the details of the illness? I just don't wanna open a can of worms if I do not have to. I've been looking for some sample addenda explaining about gap year but haven't been successful as of yet... Any feedback on this would be much appreciated!

If I enroll in premium but felt the need for more, is it possible to upgrade to ultimate? (like the LSAT course, which you just pay for the difference between the courses)

Thank you.

Hi all,

After looking through the UGPA/LSAT score search feature on LSAC, I am discouraged that even with a hypothetical 180, my GPA brings my chances of getting into the top schools down significantly.

Is it true that a high LSAT cannot compensate for a lower than average (based on school) GPA?

I am very uninformed about the entire process, and I would appreciate any help or suggestions.

I deferred admissions last fall at the in-state flagship where I currently work in secondary education. I received a small scholarship to a school that is ranked around 90, but the dominant school in the state I am 75-80% likely to practice. My December score only improved 3 points, but I am now nine points higher than their 75th, though below their 50th in GPA. However, I have a good story since undergrad and the ability to tell it well. I do not know if they will offer more with the marginal improvement.

I was accepted early admissions last month to a neighboring flagship ranked around 35. They are the second strongest school in the state where I reside, physically closer to the city where I would most like to live than the in-state school, and obviously stronger in 49 other states. Due to a childhood move from current state, I lived there for public middle and high school, college (at a small religious school), and even my first job. None of my family currently lives there.

My score is 2-3 points higher than their 75th, but GPA is right at their 25th. They claim "holistic admissions", and GPA minus one semester jumps substantially, plus I have heard it's much easier to find high GPA than high test admits.

Should I be able to at least negotiate in-state tuition? If so, how do I go about doing so?

I appreciate any guidance. I made a couple of misteps early on due to finding 7Sage late, and lack access to an undergrad advisor or anyone close to me who was been through anything similar.

I'm taking the LSAT inFenruary 2017. When is the earliest that I can start with my applications and start law school?

Will I have to take a year gap because I'm taking the test in Feb?

Hope everyone had a great Christmas weekend!

Quick question to those of you who had a chance to submit a general letter of recommendation to LSAC. I'm about to send an instruction to my recommenders on how to submit their letters etc and was wondering who they will need to address in the letter head. For example, should the address of the person / committee receiving this general letter should be that of LSAC as opposed to specific school?

Also, do you have any thoughts on not putting the date when the letter was written by the recommender? Given that these letters can stay on my record for the next 5 years and since I may be applying again after this admission cycle, I was wondering maybe I should ask the recommenders to omit the date in their letters... Really appreciate any thoughts you guys have on these questions and hope everyone has a great rest of the week :)

Hey guys,

To those who have been confused about the evaluation process around writing Dec (or previous LSAT) and potentially writing Feb (or future LSAT), I may have some answers for you.

Personally, I just wrote the December exam. But, I have indicated on OLSAS (Ontario Law School Application Service) that I will also be writing in Feb. I see it purely as another chance to improve my mark, whatever that may be, from the Dec. exam. If I am set on fall 2017 admissions, it won't hurt to try and get a higher mark, and let's face it, there is always room for a higher mark.

My dilemma was this: I would hate to be rejected on the basis of my Dec. score when I might be able to improve for Feb. I worried that schools may open my app prior to Feb, and base their decision solely on my Dec. score b/c my application would be considered complete. (Ottawa... you suck)

On the other hand, I would also hate to miss the opportunity to be accepted if my app is not evaluated until late Feb. That is, if the schools see that my application is "complete" but that I have indicated I will be writing in Feb, they may put my app on hold and therefore, not make any decision until early March.

WELL folks, if anyone was in this boat, which I know some of you were... I hope the following info on ONTARIO law schools helps. Here are the answers I obtained after calling the following schools:

1) Ottawa University - Application evaluated once opened. If there is a previous LSAT score on file, they will NOT consider future plans to re-write, even if indicated on OLSAS. (e.g. Feb. exam). ... BOO!

2) Western University - If you have a previous strong mark and they are happy with the rest of your app, they will not wait until Feb. Admission will be offered. If mark on file not strong, they will hold off and re-evaluate once Feb. mark comes in.

3) Osgoode Hall - Same as above. If you have a previous strong mark and they are happy with the rest of your app, they will not wait until Feb. Admission will be offered. If mark on file not strong, they will hold off and re-evaluate once Feb. mark comes in.

4) Queens - Left emails, voicemails. Away for holidays.

*Update* - "We will not decline applicants, based on LSAT, until after the February results. If a new score is posted that make you competitive, you will be considered then."

5) UofT - Left emails, voicemails. Away for holidays.

*Update* - Application put on HOLD if indicated on OLSAS that you are writing at a later date.

6) Windsor - Left email. --- *EDIT* @LSAT04164 has advised Windsor does not accept Feb scores. December last date accepted.

*Did not apply to Thunder Bay.

I recently received my academic summary report from LSAC, and it seems that LSAC counted a zero-credit course that I failed (long story) into my grade. Is this intentional? If so, how do they factor it in? If not, how can I get this corrected?

Thanks 7Sage!

Would anyone like to go over my PS? In my final draft, looking to make the last couple of adjustments if needed

First of all, Yale is *completely* [completely] out of my reach but I have a nice cousin who wants me to try and is helping me pay the app fee...so here's to money going down the drain.

Would anyone be down to edit my Yale 250? I would love to edit yours in return. I know this won't affect my chances too much because my numbers are already borderline, but I still don't want to submit a bad essay.

Thanks!

Some international UGs have low GPA even at the top of the class.

Is 2.9/superior better than 3.6/above-average at HYS adcomms?

Do adcomms just ignore actual GPA and only look at the LAC rating or not ?

Hi all, I'm a nontraditional (read: 42yo) student. I had talked myself out of law school 2x previously, but discovered ABA-accredited hybrid and weekend programs where I could get a "real" law degree while working/family/living. I have a strong career, so I'm basically going for personal fulfillment, with some hope of increased income and job opportunities. There are no part-time programs within 100 miles of me, so the idea of flying out on weekends for class is very appealing. The problem is, the only 2 current hybrids are Mitchell (#140) and Loyola (#72). Syracuse (#86) is coming online next year.

However...my stats are such that I'm thinking about shooting higher, biting the bullet, and going full-time. [LSAT 169, BA gpa 2.7, MS gpa 3.7] I have a tenured government position, which would mean guaranteed job through school and after, along with the public service loan forgiveness IF I stay and do the hybrid. So, full-time law school would mean resigning and hoping to get a job upon graduation. Not to mention pulling 3 years salary from savings and student loans.

Is anyone else in 7sage-land looking at hybrids? Or is anyone else riding the full-time/part-time fence?

Incredibly dense questions here--but I cannot seem to make heads or tails of the labyrinthine transcript request process. Or maybe it isn't that difficult?

I bought the Credential Assembly service, downloaded a TRF for my university from the LSAC site, as well as a transcript request form from my own school and I'm about to mail both of them to my undergraduate.

2 things I'm a little unclear about: do I request just 1 copy, or as many copies as schools I will be applying to?

I'm also seeing a box on my school's transcript request form that says "Hold transcript until" and then several options below--I have no clue what this means! I assume I wouldn't want them to hold the transcript at all?

Sorry to come to the forums for this, but I really don't want to get this wrong, considering how long the process takes for it all!

Hi guys! I had to write a character and fitness addendum in relation to an incident and I was wondering if anyone could please offer me some feedback? If you can do so, I would greatly appreciate if you would PM me and I will let you take a look. Thank you!

Here's my situation:

I've wanted to go to law school every since I was little. All of my life, things came easy to me, which is not necessarily a good thing. I got into IU and decided socializing and making friends was more important than spending the extra time I had studying, which I know is no excuse at all. I had one completely awful semester not because I wasn't trying, but because I had mono. I got a 2.0 that semester. It took me two years into my undergrad to realize I actually had to put more effort in if I wanted to have a decent GPA. Too little too late, I ended up with a 2.75. On a bright note, my GPA increasingly got better each and every semester.

Now, I took the LSAT last Dec. 2015, and did bad. I "studied" but not really because I was also taking classes at the time. I ended up with a 142. I decided to wait to apply to law school and work full time to build my resume. Fast forward to this Dec. 2016 LSAT. I feel more confident in how I did, but I truly won't know until the score comes back. I studied but probably not as much as I should have and my PT score was averaging 156. I think if I focused the next two months and took for my third and final time in February, I could do even better than that. What does anyone think about taking the LSAT for a third time? Does putting my application in that late make my chances drop even more than what they already are at?

With that being said, I have two previous professor's writing excellent recommendations for me. I am working with one of them on my personal statement and addendum's.

Obviously I know I'm not someone law school's want to admit because of my low GPA and low LSAT score, but my uGPA is not indicative of my ability whatsoever. I touch a bit on this in my personal statement/addendum. I want to stay in state, go to Indiana University, or it's sister school IUPUI McKinney Law.

I guess my question is: should I even continue applying? Will law school's take a chance? This is something I so badly want, but know it may be far fetched to think I'll get accepted... Any advice or insight will be helpful.

Thanks!

Hey guys :)

I'm currently doing my undergrad at UBC in Vancouver, Canada and hopefully will attend law school in the US fall of 2018. I'm looking at GPA entry requirements to schools and I've noticed that the GPA conversion chart used by the LSAC is very different from the one we use at my university. At my university my GPA would be a 3.3 but when looking at the LSAC conversion chart its a 2.0 which is extremely discouraging to see.

Do you know whether LSAC or law schools use your uni GPA or your LSAC recalculated GPA in regards to acceptances?

My uni counts 70- 79 as a B and 80- 89 as an A- to an A, whereas LSAC counts 70- 79 as a C and 80- 89 as a B. The class average for most of my classes range from 66- 70 as well so it would be extremely rare for someone to get 90+ and maintain a 3.5 + GPA. Do universities take this into consideration? Thank you <3

I applied ED to WUSTL. According to their website they should send a decision within two weeks of the application. I applied two weeks ago as of Dec 13. Does it mean they denied me with no notice? Is there still a chance that I will get in?