Question about transcript evaluation

[Worthington]

My undergraduate cumulative GPA was a 3.36, but my LSDAS cumulative is 2.96.   LSAT is 170.  I have a question about how my transcript will be evaluated/considered at potential law schools.  I have 5 Fs and 3 Ds on my transcript.  Suffice it to say, Until the final three to four semesters in undergrad, I didn't really take college seriously. 

Is it even worth my time to apply to law schools.  I've been considering Wake Forest, Alabama, Tennessee, and South Carolina, but honestly, I don't know if they're going to take one look at those Ds and Fs and trash my application or if they're more apt to solely focus on the GPA and LSAT score.

[SaraJean]

A couple thoughts:

First, your LSDAS GPA is the one that matters, so unfortunately, you're stuck with 2.96.

Second, 170 is a very good LSAT score, and it can offset a fair number of low grades.  According to the UGPA/LSAT Search feature of the Official Guide to ABA-Approved Law Schools (https://officialguide.lsac.org/release/OfficialGuide_Default.aspx), your chances of getting into South Carolina, Wake Forest, and Tennessee are very decent.  (Your chances of getting into Alabama aren't so good.)

Good luck!

[like_lasagna]

2.96/170 will at least give you a shot at the schools you mentioned. You're not out of it by any means.

[Worthington]

Awesome, thank you all for the information.  In relation to my transcripts, my worry was that in addition to my GPA, they would actually look at the grades I received for the courses.  I know they put more emphasis on the overall LSDAS GPA, but do they factor in your actual course grades themselves when making a decision?

Currently, I'm taking one to two years off to work at a local college.  I'm hoping this experience can be an added bonus in the "soft" areas, and that if I add an addendum, I can make a convincing argument that I've matured greatly and am ready for the next phase of my life.  To be perfectly honest, I don't really have a solid reason why those two to three semesters were so lackluster (no family, substance abuse, or financial issues) other than the fact that I got kind of lazy and was more focused on my fraternity and social life than I was on academics.

On a side note, I plan to stay here in the eastern Tennessee region, so obviously UT's College of Law would probably be the best option for me.  Would Alabama or Wake Forest (I know they're more highly ranked) be good options if I plan on remaining in the area, or would UT's name recognition among local firms outweigh their higher ranking?  What about Ole Miss?  It's my safety school, and its low cost of tuition makes it a compelling option, but I'm worried about job options in East Tennessee/Western North Carolina.  I do NOT want to live/practice law in Mississippi or West Tennesssee (Memphis).

[SaraJean]

Awesome, thank you all for the information.  In relation to my transcripts, my worry was that in addition to my GPA, they would actually look at the grades I received for the courses.  I know they put more emphasis on the overall LSDAS GPA, but do they factor in your actual course grades themselves when making a decision?

I'm not sure, but I doubt it.   With your GPA, it's obvious that you're either mediocre at academics, or you had several classes that didn't go well.  Those Fs and Ds are evidence that you had several classes that didn't go well, but you did well enough in your other classes to sort of offset them.  And, if you started taking college seriously during the last few semesters, that's another trend that looks good.

If I were in your position, I might find a way to work into my personal statement an explanation of what caused my change in attitude towards my studies.

[fortook]

lawschoolnumbers.com With that LSAT you can get into many schools.