GPA gaps in Undergrad

[Trupolitik]

My cumulative GPA is 3.02. it would have been much higher however, my second to last semester I burned out and went to Europe for a month and did not officially withdraw from the courses. I received all Fs and my GPA dropped from a 3.4 to a 3.0...the following semester I scored a 3.8. and graduated.
This occured 6 years ago.

Will the law schools be hesitant to accept me if they fear I will burn out again? and any suggestions on how to minimize the damage in my Personal Statement??

Thanks

[CH]

I hate to tell you this, but yes, your GPA is going to hurt you.  I faced a problem where I started school as a science major, planning on going to med school.  Well after two semesters of deciding that was not what I wanted to do and killing my GPA, I switched to Political Science, where every semester after that I had a 3.7 or above.  My LSAC GPA is still just a 3.2 and that is what a school is going to look at.  The fact is I made a choice, as did you with Europe, and those choices have consequences.  Ammedums are good to do to an application like that, but it will still hurt you.  I had an excellent LSAT high 160's, thus making me in the 75th percentile for my top choice, my GPA was in the 25th percentile though, thus right now I am holding my breath on a wait list, that looks like it might move at the end of the month.  The whole admissions game is very stressful and sometimes just a big pain in the butt, but hopefully you can do well enough on your LSAT and write a good ammendum to your GPA.  I would also recommed meeting personally with the admissions directors at the schools you are applying to let them know what kind of person you are.  Good Luck.

[Trupolitik]

Guest...let me know how it turns out. I also am hovering at the 25% on GPA but 75% on the LSAT for my schools.

Since school I have worked in Software (nice recomendations coming) and now I own my own business and a couple of patents. Does anyone know how much this will help to coutner the GPA?

[Ivy_Hopeful]

Luckily being at the 75% LSAT and the 25% GPA is much better than at the 75% GPA and the 25% LSAT.  Since at most schools the LSAT is weighted quite a bit more than GPA although they state time and time agian that it is 50-50 yeah right.  Look at those admitted It's more like 60-40 or dare I say it 70-30.  The point is you busted your ass to get your GPA (in some cases) but it's a marathon attempt. The LSAT is a sprint but accounts for the supposed idealistic qualities of your grades in Law School. (I don't totally agree). Be happy your in the LSAT 75 and hold on for the good news