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High LSAT v. GPA during the Admissions process.

rakinalikhanrakinalikhan Alum Member
in General 329 karma
fairly simple question, how much more would a law school be willing to accept a student with a high LSAT score but a low GPA?

for some background: currently my GPA is a 2.0 with a year and a half's worth of credits underneath my belt and 2 and a half years left to go (7.5/20 credits to graduate; 5 credits a year). i was in a flux with my first three years of college not knowing what to do and underachieving/dropping classes. ever since i decided to go to law school last summer i made a serious effort to change my life around and completely became a different person. i also addressed my ADHD, depression, anxiety, and sleep problems so im in a much better position than i was before. Now i do whatever it takes to get my grades as high as i can so i can go above a 3 at least. in order to graduate on time to start law school by next august i basically have to do 2.5 years of school in 1.5 years. apart from school i study for the LSAT whenever i can and also be more involved with my fraternity.

with that all said, my dream law school is Vanderbilt Law. i havent been able to visit being all the way from canada but from my research it just seem ideal for me in terms of location, atmosphere, environment, academic quality, etc. I also know that the schools tuition alone is ~$50,000. because of that i have committed myself to scoring over a 170 on test day. its higher than the 75%ile of 168 but i want to earn a full ride. i am confident that if i study, and work hard i can get the score.

My fear is that even with a high lsat score i wont be accepted or wont get the kind of scholarship money im going for (i fall under under represented minority but i dont use that as a crutch). Am i overthinking this or am i reasonable to worry? (i literally cannot go a day anymore without thinking about being accepted to the school, its that bad) any sort of guidance would help please!!
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Comments

  • MrSamIamMrSamIam Inactive ⭐
    2086 karma
    It would be in your best interest to submit an addendum explaining your story - essentially what you posted here.
    Whether or not a high LSAT score will make up for a low GPA depends on the school. I've heard it go both ways. However, most of the representatives that I spoke with mentioned that they REALLY like seeing high LSAT scores.
  • Jonathan WangJonathan Wang Yearly Sage ⭐
    edited March 2016 6874 karma
    To answer your question directly, a hypothetical 3.0/170 has a pretty reasonable chance to get you in at Vanderbilt, but I'm very skeptical about the prospects of a full ride, even as a URM. That said, you're putting the cart waaaaay ahead of the horse. It's unreasonable to just assume that you'll definitely get a 97th percentile LSAT score (or that you'll definitely raise your GPA a full point, for that matter), and therefore it's unreasonable to worry about anything further down the line that relies on those things. It's like worrying about whether you'll win a race you aren't even entered in yet.

    tl;dr: Get your numbers in the first place before you worry about where they'll take you.
  • Cant Get RightCant Get Right Yearly + Live Member Sage ⭐ 🍌 7Sage Tutor
    edited March 2016 27902 karma
    I’m concerned that you've possibly underestimated how much work it takes to get to that level on the LSAT. It’s worth putting in the work, and by all means go for it. But if you’re planning to score in the 170s on the LSAT, bring your CGPA up an entire point, and have a social life, all within 1.5 years; you need to realize that that might sound overly ambitious to most people who do actually score in the 170s. I’d just seriously advise you to reconsider your timeline. Focus on your GPA for now. Bring it up as high as A’s from here on out will bring it. Then, plan to take a year off to study for the LSAT. That may seem excessive from where you’re at, but if you want the 170s, that’s kind of just the reality of it. And for a lot of really smart people, even that isn’t enough.
  • runiggyrunruniggyrun Alum Inactive Sage Inactive ⭐
    2481 karma
    I know it's very difficult to not let anxiety take over, but this is going to be a long journey, and agonizing about what's going to happen IF you get your GPA to 3.0, and IF you get your LSAT to 170 will burn you out and stand in the way of actually hitting those goals.
    It's pointless to worry whether you have a 20 or 30% chance of getting into Vanderbilt and how likely you'd be to get a scholarship with a 3.0/170, because you don't have a 3.0 or a 170.
    I don't know your particular circumstances, so please take my comments with a grain of salt, but it seems like it would be counterproductive to try and cram 2.5 years of schoolwork into 1.5 years while trying to raise your GPA and get a kickass LSAT score. Why not spend 2.5 years finishing your coursework, really focusing on nailing those grades, and creating a strong, cohesive narrative about how you had some issues in your first years of college but you put them behind you, and you can show a few years of consistent performance doing something that interests you. Then worry about the LSAT. Maybe even take a year or two after school to get some work experience and put some distance between the new, mature you and the 2.0 GPA you. Work experience helps a lot, especially for splitters (high LSAT, low GPA).
    Take a deep breath, and take it one step at the time. You have youth on your side and a couple extra years to secure your future is an investment worth making.


  • stepharizonastepharizona Alum Member
    3197 karma
    @rakinalikhan said:
    Now i do whatever it takes to get my grades as high as i can so i can go above a 3 at least. in order to graduate on time to start law school by next august i basically have to do 2.5 years of school in 1.5 years.
    First, Id like to ask what is the rush? Law school will always be there. I think if you slowed down, and took the 2.5 years, even 3 years (add in a few easy classes) you can get your GPA up. Really consider 3 years with an easy semester and take that time to dedicate to your LSAT studies. Then not only will your GPA be higher, but you will be much better positioned for the LSAT.

    You have commitments to your fraternity and to yourself, there is now need to rush into Law School.

    Trying to pack 2.5 years of school into 1.5 years plus manage LSAT and other things is a recipe for disaster, and there is no need to create that kind of dilemma for yourself. You can still meet your goal of attending law school, just take your time doing it. Not rushing will help you prepare in the most impactful way possible.
  • anthony_carandanganthony_carandang Member
    4 karma
    Im not one to comment on posts ever but I saw this post and I understand where your coming from. The reality is its not a matter of if you can do it but rather when. Correct my if i'm wrong but the problem you might be having is that your not taking it day by day. Imagine your goal everyday then take the steps you need to one day at a time. Have faith in yourself rather than worry about all of it now. Then each day you can appreciate the progress rather than constantly worrying about the end result. Fear is not real it causes you to imagine things in your head that have not happened and if you let it consume you then it becomes reality.
  • UsernameChangeUsernameChange Free Trial Member
    349 karma
    To be brutally honest you have very little chance of getting a full ride from vandy if your gpa isnt at or above their median regardless of your lsat score. Even then its not easy to get them to give you a lot of money.
  • Sheri123Sheri123 Alum Member
    1196 karma
    On law school numbers Colts1810 (URM) GPA 3.11, LSAT 161 accepted to Vanderbilt $0. Jessicakes90 (URM) GPA 3.09, LSAT 168 accepted to Vanderbilt $90k. My point and I did have one. As the others have mentioned taking your time, not overloading yourself in undergrad & excelling versus over-extending yourself & selling yourself short not only with your GPA but also some wonderful life experiences that only come around once & mostly when you are young. It really seems like an easy choice for someone who worked full time, went to school full time w/18 -23 credit course load per semester while being a single parent caring for my son with chronic medical issues. Trust me when I say it would have been easier to do it all before getting married, having a child, divorce, and full time job. Slow down and enjoy the journey. It is likely you will come out way better than you expect if you take your time. Good luck to you.
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