Master's degree GPA

jyjy4141

Does LSAC include Master's degree GPA?
Or does it only calculate Bachelor's degree GPA?

SufficientCondition

Master's not included, sadly. I would love to hear from admissions professionals here whether schools will ever re-assess the relationship between CAS GPA (as currently figured) and law school and/or professional success!

brookegojazz

This podcast came out last summer/fall and I found it super helpful. I have a lower uGPA and a higher master's GPA and was worried about the same thing. For this podcast at least, they mentioned that trends are important so even if you struggled at the beginning of your undergrad, if the trend is upward, including through your master's, that matters, and can help.

VerdantZephyr

@brookegojazz Thanks so much for that link, I'll enjoy listening to it.

So, personal anecdote, but I applied to 13 schools with a 174, a 2.x undergrad GPA, (upward trend) and a 3.8high graduate GPA (and no grade below an A-, so there was strong consistency). This cycle was probably the worst ever to apply with stats like that, but I have thus far not been admitted anywhere. Denied by Northwestern, Michigan, Cornell, Georgetown, Texas, and Boston. Waitlisted at WashU, Emory, and Washington and Lee. Still waiting to hear from Columbia, Virginia, Duke, and Minnesota.

Aside from my personal experience this cycle as an extreme supersplitter/non-trad with a phenomenal graduate GPA, I think that scholarships are always hard to come by for super splitters because we don't boost the rankings of schools. Universities can claim that scholarships are "merit based" but what they typically mean is "you scratch our back, we will scratch yours." If you are above their 75th in one stat but below median in the other you aren't a net positive for the school's rankings. Getting straight A's in graduate school means that a school that is hoping to raise their LSAT score might admit me when they never would without it, but they are hardly jumping all over themselves to do it.

@SufficientCondition Not an adcom, but if only.

jyjy4141

Thanks everyone for sharing your input!

SufficientCondition

@VerdantZephyr if you can't beat them, join them! Your commentary here is always illuminating.

VerdantZephyr

@SufficientCondition Thanks, I have been honestly feeling like my comments aren't as useful as I hope. I also tend to ramble unfortunately.

I would actually really enjoy admissions or advising work, if that's what you meant about joining them. I certainly haven't beaten them. We are all fish swimming upstream this year.