What to Do with a 1.71 GPA at a <T4

[Which section of the LSAT is the hardest?]

Which section of the LSAT is the hardest?

Logical Reasoning

 9 (29%)

Reading Comprehension

 5 (16.1%)

Analytical (logic games)

 16 (51.6%)

They are equally hard

 1 (3.2%)

They are equally easy

 0 (0%)

Total Members Voted: 24

[jd2b06]

Hi,

I voted for you to apply for a restart.  You have a legitimate disease in alcoholism and this would look favorable in front of a re-admit committee.  You obviously wanted law school bad enough otherwise you wouldn't have gone to a Tier4 wanting to "work your way up."  There's also the financial investment. 

The good thing about life is there's always second chances.  Good luck ... Chin up!  Don't give up on your dreams.

[midnight thursday]

Hi,
I voted for the restart as well. Depending on the curve at your school that GPA could be anywhere from slightly bad to really, really bad. Either way it's not good and you're gonna have to bust a$$ to bring it up.

There's a guy I know that had a really bad 1L year. He made it through the whole year, bombing out in the 2nd semester; family trouble, not his fault. Anyway, his GPA was so bad they told him he'd have to get like all A's or start over. He's starting over.

He has one advantage over the all the new lLs: he already knows the material. This year has been a breeze for him and all the profs already know him and he's got all his old classmates notes.

Anyway, if you can afford it, start over. If you really think you can get your act together, hang in there.

[eray01]

I wonder if alcoholism is a valid excuse or would serve as an extenuating circumstance?  Probably not.

Without getting into details, I think claiming alcoholism could be a good strategy if you played it right.

[aloha737pilot]

Have you considered enlisting in the Marine Corps? A few months in boot camp will do you some good. You will be able to set your priorities and a new course for your life after three short months. I am not suggesting this in jest. Alcohol can be a detriment to anyones life, but you have to get on with it. You have the education and the drive to choose law school as your current endeavor. What in your life can you compare your law school experience to?

I find the greater challenges have to be met head on, do it or don't do it. No excuses, no reasons to slack off or make a half assed effort. I applaud your desire to seek help, but all the answers you seek are going to come from you. I look forward to hearing how you are doing in 2L and beyond. I may need your advice soon. Hang in there.

Ken

[racheles05]

To the poster above me: The military is not rehab and I would highly discourage anybody for joining for those reasons. I've served with people who joined the military in order to escape a substance abuse problem only to realize that you can't really run away. You can get into big trouble if you're caught drinking at work and may even get stuck with a dishonorable discharge (I've seen it happen).

[lipper]

To the poster above me: The military is not rehab and I would highly discourage anybody for joining for those reasons. I've served with people who joined the military in order to escape a substance abuse problem only to realize that you can't really run away. You can get into big trouble if you're caught drinking at work and may even get stuck with a dishonorable discharge (I've seen it happen).

not to mention, the military sucks. can't wait till im out.

[T. Durden]

the cold honest truth is that a 1.74 is a terrible gpa - and that fact it came from a t4 (or 3? i can't remember) isn't helping your cause. not to toot my own horn but i am a 1L at T20 with a high class rank and if i have learned anything thus far it is this: this is a *brutally* competitive field to be involved in. i have sent out over 30 resumes and cover letters - the vast majority of which have not received a response of any sort. the responses that i have received have not been positive: remember the platitude-filled rejection letters of yesteryear? well if not then be prepared to be reminded - firms, etc. use the exact same format for their letters ... the resemblance is almost uncanny. but anyway i digress and back to my original point: there is absolutely no point limping through 3 years at a t4 to come out with a miserable gpa and a graduate degree only then to realize that you are completely unemployable in any profitable context

yeah sure you could probably be a public defender or something like that but then again that is probably not what you have gotten into the profession to do. i know that there are other things going on in your life - alcoholism is no joke - but law school unquestionably demands your full attention and you are kidding yourself and jeopardizing your future by believing otherwise ...

i think that the time to "drop out" might be now - get your priorities straight, sober up, figure it out how it is that you are going to return to law school and how you will be successful when you do so. the law school curriculum is not of the sort where you can give 50% of your attention to and expect to be successful .. it's just the nature of the beast, and though some may claim otherwise, your performance in law school really determines, at least with regards to the immediate future after completing law school, where it is that you will be able to work

[nonamesleftforme]

Hey there,

I feel for the origional poster.  It sucks to get bad grades, but the reality is that most people are not happy.  I ended first semester with a 2.3.  Yuck!

But, if this is what you want to do, I think you should stick it out for at least another semester.  You never know, you could turn it around completely.  At least at the end of the year if you don't do well, you know you gave it your best shot.  (At least that is the way I look at it)

All the jokes about C students being lawyers, or making the most money, do have a grain of truth.  I worked for an attorney before coming to LS who went to a T4 school, failed the bar once, and worked part time his first year of practice (due to family commitments) by putting out his shingle.  The guy made 80K his first year, PT.  Not bad.

On graduation day, it's the same JD for you as that magna cum lade guy next to you.  And you may have better social attributes than that guy anyways.  Your ability to network and make good contacts will carry you far as well as your grades. 

Make us proud.   

[Roadscholarus]

You are awesome for having the smarts to even consider leaving!I have seen students struggle, and then get kicked out their third year. Law schools will gladly take your money, and give you lip service about 'potential' and 'applying yourself'. If you have a 1.71 at a 4T school, get out, get the refund, re-evaluate and go from there. YOU DO NOT WANT TO BE $100K in debt with no J.D.!!!! And if your school is money hungry, they may give you just enough of a gpa throughout your 3-4 years, and then flunk you out your last semester! (Don't believe for a second the administration doesn't have some bearing on your grades)

[ApproachTheBench]

i have sent out over 30 resumes and cover letters - the vast majority of which have not received a response of any sort. the responses that i have received have not been positive: remember the platitude-filled rejection letters of yesteryear? well if not then be prepared to be reminded - firms, etc. use the exact same format for their letters

Not to be a thread hijacker, but 30 resumes is just not enough (especially as a 1L not at Harvard, Yale, or Stanford.)

That's why I wrote AtB, especially as a 1L you need to get your resume out there to as many firms as possible as fast as you can.  I'm talking 100 resumes, I'm talking 500 resumes!  I wouldn't push it so hard if it wasn't such a big deal, getting that job means an offer for 2L summer and $25k extra in your pocket (almost enough for a year of tuition.)

Sorry for the spam (but it's really an issue I care about a lot, I see people dig these big debt holes [especially at T3s and T4s] and have to work in the summers for free because they didn't get enough resumes out there, this is a numbers game at some point and $50k for 2 summers makes a big difference), back to the thread. 

I still think that this guy should quit school immediately and get treatment for his alcoholism and it's not even remotely close.  I don't think that there's any argument to be made for any other position, this guy has a serious life problem that needs to be fixed immediately.