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Rated as Below Average
sweetalison007
Free Trial Member
Hi guys,
It was just as I has predicted. I have a Below Average evaluation. That is tantamount to a D.
I seriously need some opinion/advice on whether or not to apply to law school at all even if I get a good LSAT score.
A D evaluation will be regarded as not passing by law schools, so I think my application will go to the bin regardless of LSAT scores.
I am targeting T3/4 law schools, but those won't be possible and might be a long shot.
Advice much needed.
Comments
Why are you interested in law? What type(s) of law are you interested in?
I think the answer may largely hinge on the answer to those questions.
I am interested in law - mainly family law.
Have you thought about writing a statement explaining why you received a below average? If there were extenuating circumstances it would be helpful to note them.
Why are you interested in law? I guess I'm trying to gauge why becoming a lawyer is important to you. I think it may give me some more insight to give you better advice on how to proceed from here.
If it's something that you were put on this earth to do and nothing is going to stop you, then there may be something we can figure out. For example, any chance at retroactive withdraws of some of the classes you bombed? This could help boost your GPA! Have you already gradated -- if your GPA set in stone? If not, it's never too late to pick strategic classes and secure a great GPA this fall.
I don't have failing grades. I passed all papers. Its just my marks are full of C/C- and B-. I just have a poor GPA ( 2.3 ) or so which appeared as poor or below average.
Oh, that's great news! Are you an international student?
No I have already graduated.
Nothing I can do now honestly. I had a learning disability ( undiagnosed by then) and was studying at a school with ridiculously harsh grading curve C/C-/B-.
I don't have any failing grades, but if any UK student is here - they will get me -many of my modules in my 1st two years had 3rd division marks. I made it up in my final year and secured high 2:2 in my modules but damage had been done.
I really do want to study law in USA at an ABA accredited school, but I guess that kinda impossible now.
Yes am from India. Went to a school with harshest grading curve on earth. Getting a B-in my final year took a lot of effort. Then again may be I was not smart enough to figure how to overcome the grading curve.
It's not impossible man at all. US law schools don't put as much weight on international students' GPAs for a few different reasons. They care way more about LSAT, so with a good LSAT you definitely have a chance at an ABA accredited law school.
You can always prep for the LSAT, take when you know you can secure a great LSAT, and then apply and see what your options are. That's probably the best way to go about it. International students' cycles are notoriously unpredictable and there's a dearth of data points on the internet to have a good predictor of how you'll fair.
Lastly, you can write an addendum explaining your particular situation and note your upward grade trend. I've read from qualified sources that it is commonplace for international students to write a separate addendum explaining their particular school's grading system as well as noting their class rank. You want to work on contextualizing your GPA away from just "below average."
I truly believe with a high LSAT score and a good application package, you have a very good shot at finding an accredited law school worth attending here in the states. No law school is going to throw an app in the trash if it contains a stellar LSAT score!
The good news is that the LSAC knows that the grading curves for many foreign schools are much harsher. The US is notorious for grade inflation across the board with few exceptions. So don't give up all hope quite yet. Because the LSAC doesn't have a solid GPA number to report for rankings, much of the weight of your admission will be put on your LSAT score and TOEFL if you are required to take that. I know in the past some international students were required to take that for purposes of law school admissions.
It's a big deficit for sure. I think that with an addendum to explain the grading scale and an outstanding LSAT score to show them what you're capable of, it can be overcome though. Maxing out your LSAT is the best way forward. With a high 170's LSAT, I think you can still apply to T3. With low-mid 170's, you can apply to T14. So get on it! You're in the right place if you want to master the LSAT. You'll need to invest in the long term. If you're just getting started, you'll likely need to plan for between 1-2 years for LSAT prep and applications. Maybe you can do it faster, but for most people it's a long road. Good luck, and hope to see you around!
What is the evaluation? I have yet to have all my transcripts post on LSAC, is it after they post?
Thank you. Honestly my alma mater puts institutions like Purdue, BU to shame. The closest equivalent can be Canada's U of T - where median is C/C+.
However I take the responsibility of my poor GPA myself. No point sounding like a whiny teen. There were some students who were resourceful enough to manage a B average and even a B+ at my school.
There is someone I know of who had grades similar to mine, and got through a decent law school at USA, but not gonna name him, as his story is not mine to tell.
I am gonna keep up the LSAT prep - anyways. Though logically - correct me if I am wrong - a very high LSAT will actually make law schools even more suspicious - they will pin me down as good for nothing who were on drugs throughout undergrad. Some people told me - that lower ranked law schools yield protect the hell out of people with high LSATs.
No I have gotta buck up, give the LSAT and apply with my GPA - which is poor, no two ways about it. Sounding like a whiny teen will not help overmuch.
My University actually has A, B, C for each marks obtained. Its in my transcript.
All US applicants on TLS, 7Sage etc who complain about their 3.3/3.2 GPA makes me wistful and envious . At my college most of us would have killed for that GPA. In fact the guy who was a summa cum laude at my college had a 3.4 so...
A high LSAT score will definitely not make schools suspicious. As I said above, they are well aware of the harsh grade curves that many foreign schools adopt. U of T is a great example of this. Lower ranked schools don't risk YP someone with a high LSAT score. YP generally happens at at many Top 20 or 30 schools where one's LSAT/GPA combo makes it super clear that they can gain admissions to much higher schools. Applying yo Notre Dame with a 3.9/170 would be an example of stats that may be more subject to YP.
The risk of being YP can also be addressed with a specific "Why X school" essay. So you can just explain to each school you apply reasons you want to specifically attend that school.
I have analyzed why I got a BA evaluation. Technically speaking - my aggregate would have been called average . But since I have had poor marks in my earlier modules, those damning scores took a precedence over my cumulative GPA.
Yeah -- that definitely sucks. Again, the silver lining here is how much LSAT score counts for purposes of law school admissions in the US. Focus on obtaining a high LSAT score and there will be few schools you don't have some shot at attending. Don't focus on what you can't change at this point. Put that energy into LSAT prep! The sooner you get started, the better.
I feel for that Canadian guy who graduated from McMaster's with a low GPA in Maths.
And no not all Universities in India has harsh grading scales. There are many like Delhi University and numerous private universities with relative grade inflation.
Its only a handful of Universities like mine who give out marks like Shylock the Jew parting with his money ;p.
By T3/4 do you mean top 3 or 4 schools or tier 3/4 schools?
In @"Cant Get Right" 's context he means top 3 (HYS)
@sweetalison007 - a story for comfort. I have 8 failing grades on my transcripts from a very unsuccessful first attempt in college over a decade ago (here in the US). While I subsequently went to one of the top universities in the United States these last four years and did very well (4.10 LSAC GPA), this last cycle I was accepted and given a $60,000 scholarship at a school ranked between 25-30, and I was also priority waitlisted at Georgetown. All this with a very low LSAT (for those schools). Since I knew I could do better on the LSAT I decided to re-take the LSAT this September, and re-apply this year. My point is, if you think a failing grade is going to keep you out of law school, that is just flat out incorrect. You can certainty attended a well-respected ABA approved law school and perhaps with a scholarship as well with a good LSAT. Cheer up, you can still obtain your goals. In fact, you can exceed your current expectations!
Nevadacity I have already graduated. Nothing I can do now will change the GPA. Looks like u didn't graduate and went back to college and had a brand new transcript
Since I had no failing grades, just poor ones, I never though bout dropping out. I should hv on retrospect