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Being a splitter...

DanielMacTavishDanielMacTavish Alum Member
in Law School Admissions 161 karma

The only solace that I've gotten by falling into this category is knowing that I'm not alone. I'm hoping there are a enough of you here to maybe fill me in on what I can reasonably expect with regards to law school. Perhaps my questions are better directed at admissions officers themselves, but this community is pretty supportive, so this is my first stop :)

Admittedly, my goals for law school are pretty lofty - T14 lofty. I say that because my cumulative UGPA has recently been calculated at a dismal 2.73 (as an aside, I took 169 undergrad credits and bounced between 3 different schools over my 6 year college journey). Given the context of my situation, even if I score in the 170's, am I doing myself a disservice by setting the bar unrealistically high? I have a pretty good resume, work experience, and will have 3 LOR's from great references. But as I turn over stone after law school stone, my prospects of achieving this newfound goal of mine seem to be more and more unattainable. I hope I am wrong in this assessment, but the first step would be getting into the 170s.

Thank you to whoever decides to spend their limited time on Earth reading about my anxieties and insecurities, of which they are abound :)

  • Dan
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Comments

  • MissChanandlerMissChanandler Alum Member Sage ⭐
    3256 karma

    The only thing you have to lose by applying to T14 schools is the cost of the application fee and the time spent preparing the apps. I'd say focus on the LSAT, shoot your shot, and be willing to apply broadly

  • Habeas PorpoiseHabeas Porpoise Alum Member Sage ⭐
    edited July 2019 1866 karma

    I agree with @MissChanandler! You'll likely want to include a GPA Addendum though.
    Also the admission team ( @"David.Busis" ) recently wrote about an extreme splitter situation: https://7sage.com/law-school-success-story-low-gpa/
    To quote some of the takeaways from the end of the post:

    💡 Takeaways
    - If you are a low-GPA applicant, tell the story that the numbers can’t tell.
    - Write essays that show the great things you’re capable of.
    - In your dealings with admissions offices, be proactive, persistent, polite, and ready to follow up!
    - Doing your research will give you a fighting chance when opportunity strikes.

    But like you said, you'll first and foremost want to focus on the LSAT. Keep your T14 goals as motivation to work hard! Other than the cost/time for apps, it honestly doesn't hurt to try, especially if you achieve that high LSAT score! :blush:

  • LSATcantwinLSATcantwin Alum Member Sage ⭐
    edited July 2019 13286 karma

    For splitters the LSAT is key when shooting for T-14 especially. You are not wasting your time though.

    I had a 2.83 cGPA but worked hard and coupled that with a high LSAT score. I got waitlisted at almost every t-14 I applied to, but just hung on for dear life. I got a call in mid-August of last year from Northwestern and they admitted me.

    Your journey will be harder, but it is not impossible to get into a great school. You just need to make sure every other part of your application is as strong as you can make it to help the admissions officers look past that GPA.

    Make sure you explain to them why you have the GPA you do, but don't make excuses, own it.

    With hard work and dedication your goal is completely obtainable!

  • David BusisDavid Busis Member Moderator
    7287 karma

    Thanks, @"Habeas Porpoise"!

    I'd cast a very wide net. In a sense, it's a blessing for you that schools use medians instead of averages, because they won't need an ultra-hgh or multiple high GPAs to counterbalance yours: they'll only need a single median-supporting GPA. And as it happens, high GPAs are easier to come by than high LSAT scores.

    That means, of course, that you'll need to get a median-supporting LSAT score at your target schools. If you do, you might be able to convince that admissions committee of your academic merit.

    Good luck!

  • Cant Get RightCant Get Right Yearly + Live Member Sage ⭐ 🍌 7Sage Tutor
    27823 karma

    Off the top of my head, I know two people with sub 3.0 GPAs at T14. Being a splitter sucks. Our results are unpredictable and often feel somehow arbitrary. But if you earn an above median LSAT and craft a strong app, you’ll be in the running.

  • DanielMacTavishDanielMacTavish Alum Member
    161 karma

    All great feedback. Thank you all for helping me get/keep a level head!

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