Going back - A little older, a little wiser?

[steelerfan82]

My apologies mj600cbr, for borrowing his theme.

I got into a 4-tier school in spring of 2006. I later withdrew after 2 semesters. (The school itself had three, so I had not finished my 1st year. After long thought and several years in the workforce, I have decided that, I'll be starting the whole process over again.

My numbers are as follows:
UGPA : 2.6 (graduated June 2005)
LSAT: 149 (taken October 2005)

I know that they scary to begin with. My UGPA was a result of a horrendous beginning (Barely keeping a 2.00 for the first few years) and a somewhat better end (3.55 for the last two). I initially figured that if I applied to some target law schools, and stressed my second half of my undergraduate career, I'd know what to do. But this economy (more applicants, which would diminish my already shaky chances), and my previous 1L experience made me think otherwise.

My plan is now to redo both my UGPA and my LSAT. The only way to improve/replace the GPA is to get another undergraduate degree. I was initially aiming for as early as 2010, but obviously once I do the second degree, I'll be pushing that back. I'm not going to take some bs major either. I'll be taking a different major that'll at least allow me to get a job afterward, assuming this whole thing I'm doing fails (that's my Plan B), which I highly doubt but it's better to be prepared. doing a second undergraduate degree would be the best of my options at this point.

I figure that I'm 26 years old and law school's not going anywhere. I'd be pretty happy with being 34 and done with LS (also remember, tempus volat - "time flies" for non-Latin speakers). I'll work to improve the LSAT as well. My only question is when, considering that by 2010, my 149 will be erased.

As for the applying to LS, That's a whole different can of worms. I won't be as selective as I was last time (I only applied to one school that I knew I'd get in, and I did not bother to apply elsewhere - I know, very stupid). I have both the fortune and misfortune of living in NY. I'd like to stay, but numbers-wise, I'd be at disadvantage since . I'm open to going elsewhere for LS but I just don't want a repeat of my first 1L experience. I have a few cities in mind. But that obviously takes a follows improving my UGPA

I'd like some advice on this. Is there anything that I should look out for, etc. I've thought this through long and hard, so it'll not be something that one could easily convince me from doing otherwise. (But you're free to try  ).

Thanks for reading. I await your input

[steelerfan82]

and also

Does anyone disagree with my conclusion that my numbers wouldn't be workable to apply right now (even for tier 4)?

Thanks again.

[Jamie Stringer]

You can't redo your UGPA.  Once you get a bachelor's degree, that is set in stone.  Any additional coursework taken now, even if you got a second bachelor's, would not be counted in your LSAC GPA.

[steelerfan82]

You can't redo your UGPA.  Once you get a bachelor's degree, that is set in stone.  Any additional coursework taken now, even if you got a second bachelor's, would not be counted in your LSAC GPA.

Thanks for the quick response. I thought I'd wait until tomorrow.

Would I be able to supplement it with the second bachelors? After all, a graduate degree would be useless, no? I figured that even if I couldn't remove it, at least I could argue for an emphasis on my later years.

[Jamie Stringer]

What do you mean supplement it?  The grades will not count.  The schools still want to see the transcript from a second degree, but it in no way has any bearing on your GPA.  A graduate degree would probably be worth more than a second bachelor's.  But neither has any bearing on your GPA.

[steelerfan82]

What do you mean supplement it?  The grades will not count.  The schools still want to see the transcript from a second degree, but it in no way has any bearing on your GPA.  A graduate degree would probably be worth more than a second bachelor's.  But neither has any bearing on your GPA.

Oh, I see what you mean. I'll keep that in mind.  Considering what you said am I doing anything wrong? I have a BA in Political Science. I'd be crazy to go for a masters in it (I don't want to go for a Ph.D program - other wise I'd be doing it right now). I'd decided that my second degree would at least get me a job elsewhere assuming that I do something else.

[linquest]

As already noted, there's nothing you can do to change your GPA as calculated by LSAC.  I don't think a second degree will help you much in terms of law school admissions.  The only thing you can do is improve your LSAT score.  My guess is that you'll probably need to score 160+ to get into an accredited school.  The good news is that they don't average out scores anymore.  Also, keep in mind that most law school apps ask whether or not you've been in law school before.  It will not look good that you dropped out somewhere else so you REALLY need to focus on LSAT. 

Some unsolicited input- from your few posts (esp w/regard to getting a grad degree before applying to law school), I get the sense that you're not entirely sure what you want to do as a career.  Have you sought career counseling/testing?

[Luxhx77]

Another problem is when enrollment is high, schools do not usually allow students to get an additional undergraduate degree.  You would have to research that.  I also believe law schools would require your transcripts from your previous stint in law school.

[steelerfan82]

As already noted, there's nothing you can do to change your GPA as calculated by LSAC.  I don't think a second degree will help you much in terms of law school admissions.  The only thing you can do is improve your LSAT score.  My guess is that you'll probably need to score 160+ to get into an accredited school.  The good news is that they don't average out scores anymore.  Also, keep in mind that most law school apps ask whether or not you've been in law school before.  It will not look good that you dropped out somewhere else so you REALLY need to focus on LSAT. 

Some unsolicited input- from your few posts (esp w/regard to getting a grad degree before applying to law school), I get the sense that you're not entirely sure what you want to do as a career.  Have you sought career counseling/testing?

Thanks for the input. Considering my history, the LSAT score's really important now (not that it wasn't before).

My second degree idea was not out of confusion. It was to bolster my argument that unlike the first time, that I am able to the work. The only reason why I mentioned my "doing something else" is. Suppose that what I'm doing doesn't work. It's mainly a planning issue. Nothing more.

I'm pretty sure I want to do this. This is not something I picked out of the blue. As for the career counseling, I haven't tried before. But then again, you can't knock something if you haven't tried it.

I'll be modifying my plan as over time. At this point. I'm not picky. I'm applying as an new 1L, mainly for full-time, but I'm open to part-time. The three to nine months (or more) preparing  for the LSAT will do a world of good on my end.

[Miss P]

If you can get your LSAT into the low-mid-160s, you should be able to get into a part-time program at a second-tier school in New York.  You'll also need to write an addendum explaining the difference in scores and why you want to go back to law school now, and I bet there are people around here who can help with that when the time comes.  Good luck, steelersfan.