LSDAS GPA

[WashLaw]

people on this board have talked about the LSAC GPA calculator. is this an actual thing on the LSAC website or just private calculations based on LSAC's system?

[Gone]

people on this board have talked about the LSAC GPA calculator. is this an actual thing on the LSAC website or just private calculations based on LSAC's system?

This is what they're talking about:

http://officialguide.lsac.org/UGPASearch/LSATGPA.aspx?ref=inline&sidstring=

[Scentless Apprentice]

Has anyone else done Academic Renewal?

I searched the board & came up with nada. I'm freaking out about how my LSDAS GPA is going to turn out.

Academic Renewal is when you are able to wipe a grade if you meet certain requirements, usually if 2 years has passed, and you've completed 30 units since at a certain GPA level).

I've wiped like 6 F's from failure to withdraw when I was a youngster. They don't count towards my cumulative GPA right now...but I read the LSAC manual & it didnt look good, although they did not directly mention Academic Renewal.

[sheltron5000]

I think that would depend on whether those grades show up on your official transcript. The only way to find out is to take a look at your transcript. Usually the university will send them to you for free, or a only a small charge.

Request your official transcript. If the F's are still there, then LSDAS will count them if not, they will never know.

[Lzero]

Wow, I never knew this about the GPA thing. I have a 3.79 at UT Dallas earning a BS in Economics; however, I had an extremely low (~2.something) at UT Austin when I majored in neurobiology and was having a hell of time juggling everything. I attended my first Powerscore class last night, and the instructor dropped this bomb that LSAC incorporates all grades, not just the ones on your UG transcript. When I started at UT Dallas, I had had some classes transfer as credits, thinking that I could disregard the grades. After switching to the economics major, I ended up doing pretty well.

What should I do?? My instructor mentioned in passing that you could ask "the committee" to alter your GPA? Are there any mitigating factors, such as switching majors? I'm PTing in the 160's range right now and am reasonably confident I can breach the 170's by the end of the course. However, with such a subpar GPA, is it even worth continuing??

[meggo]

Yes it's worth continuing since a lot of people with great LSAT's and low GPA's go to top schools. Also, a lot of schools are pretty aware that when you change schools AND majors and start improving that your first UG school/major wasn't the right fit. Simply right an addendum explaining the situation or the reason behind your move and you should be fine, of course depending on your LSAT.

[Lzero]

Yes it's worth continuing since a lot of people with great LSAT's and low GPA's go to top schools. Also, a lot of schools are pretty aware that when you change schools AND majors and start improving that your first UG school/major wasn't the right fit. Simply right an addendum explaining the situation or the reason behind your move and you should be fine, of course depending on your LSAT.

Thank you, meggo. Please don't take this as skepticism, but when you say that "a lot of schools are pretty aware that when you change schools AND majors . . . ", do you know this through first-hand experience, anecdotal, or from a concrete source? I would love to believe this, but oh man, you would not believe how misled I've become by going off anecdotal advice. For example, for the longest time, I believed by LSAT of 163 was absolutely abysmal when I've now learned that it is actually pretty decent.

Also, when you say write an addendum, do you mean on the personal statement or directly to an LSAC candidate service rep?

Thanks again!!

[meggo]

This is from school's admission sites (like UChicago), anecdotal evidence from LSN, and Anna Ivey's and Richard Montauk's books. By addendum, I mean including an additional short written statement (usually a pargraph or so) with your application package that explains the low first year grades or the discrepancy between your LSAC gpa and your UG gpa.

[Gone]

If your grades changed completely when you transferred schools, law schools would see that and surmise that the first school was not a good fit for you, so an addendum that explains that might not be necessary. However, it might not look good that you had to transfer "down" (no offense but UT-Dallas is just not considered to be on the same level as Austin) to get good grades, so you might want to explain your reasons for transferring - that Austin was not simply too hard for you. What law school would want you if you can't perform at a challenging school?

[Lzero]

If your grades changed completely when you transferred schools, law schools would see that and surmise that the first school was not a good fit for you, so an addendum that explains that might not be necessary. However, it might not look good that you had to transfer "down" (no offense but UT-Dallas is just not considered to be on the same level as Austin) to get good grades, so you might want to explain your reasons for transferring - that Austin was not simply too hard for you. What law school would want you if you can't perform at a challenging school?

Good point. I had actually transferred to UT Dallas because I had to move back home to take care of my mom. I could've easily just changed majors and stayed at UT Austin. My mom's deteriorating condition contributed to my shoddy grades at UT Austin (not to mention it was a much harder major), but I don't want to use her health as an excuse. It just sounds so typical, you know? Would you recommend doing this?