This a somewhat hypothetical thread. I haven’t taken the LSAT yet (that’ll happen in October – I’m studying now), but I have my cumulative UGPA calculated using the tool on Law School Predictor. The number it returned was ugly: 3.40. However, I’m relying on my personal statement (explaining medical circumstances leading to low grades in my early years) and strong upward trend to tide me over. By upward trend, I mean that once everything was resolved, I received straight A’s. My GPA at the school I graduated from (transferred twice) was a 4.0.
Softs include service trips through school-sponsored programs, leadership positions, PBK (I know that’s not a big deal, but everything helps), and at least part-time work throughout entire college career.
A lot of what I’ve read has suggested that a poor UGPA is completely damning, regardless of the circumstances surrounding it. Is this true, or just people being pessimistic? Do law schools put only marginal consideration into upward trends in conjunction with medical circumstances like those I listed above?
As far as where I’m looking to go – obviously the higher the better. T50 for sure, with an eye on UNC (I’m a NC resident). T14 would be awesome, but after seeing what the predictor spit out I think my chances are shot. I’ll never know until I try, but I’m trying to decide whether it’s even worth trying.
Speculation is pointless without a real LSAT. A good LSAT can help offset that GPA. You aren’t locked out of the T50 by any means, but your PS and medical reasons won’t mean a whole lot.
Don’t be afraid. Use TLS and the other resources available to you to prepare for the exam. If you’ve done less than a couple hundred hours, you could probably still improve. Plenty of time until October if you commit to 2+ hours a day. TLS is full of threads with people who got low diagnostics and then managed to get high 160s or even better on the real thing. 170+ breaks you into the T10, so the stakes are high!
Nail the LSAT and you’ll still be in decent shape for many top schools. If you’re looking to stay instate, pull a 170+ and ED to Duke. Mid-160’s will get you UNC.
I’m an NC resident as well planning to apply to UNC this cycle (with a LSAC GPA around yours). UNC is a more GPA oriented school, but a 3.4 doesn’t put you that far below their median, so I’d have to agree with your chances being pretty good with a score in the mid 160’s.
Law school predictor is a useful to play around with to figure out what LSAT you’ll need to get into X school with your current GPA. They never activated the state residency feature, but it only gives you a “Consider 53%” with a 3.4 and 165; I think your chances with those numbers as an in-state resident are a good bit better.