A senior with a low GPA but with high expectations for his/her senior-year grades, may want to delay applying to law school for a year so that the senior-year grades are calculated into the GPA. An alternative is to make sure that the first semester senior-year grades are included in the applications.
A senior with a high GPA but expectations for lower first-semester senior-year grades, may want to consider applying to law schools early enough in the fall semester of their senior year in order to prevent the senior-year grades from being calculated in the CAS GPA. If perchance you do better than you had reason to expect, you may change your mind and have the first-semester senior-year grades calculated in your CAS GPA.
In calculating the grade point average, CAS excludes all grades awarded after the first undergraduate degree is received. If this poses a problem, note that graduation can be delayed (usually not applying for graduation will do the job); if not, postponing a required course will certainly do the job).
If you have a low GPA when the time to apply to law school rolls around, make sure to maximize your effort on the LSAT. If this effort does not pay off, see our ranking of the LEAST SELECTIVE law schools or RETAKE THE LSAT.
The University of Notre Dame Prelaw offers the following useful advice: "If your GPA is really hurting your chances, taking several years off can help. The more distance you put between you and your undergraduate GPA, the lesser its negative impact on your application. If your GPA is low, but your LSAT is high, you might want to consider this option seriously. Letters of recommendation from professors who attest that your ability is not reflected in your overall GPA may also help.
Arizona State University Pre-Law indicates that "For those who have been out of school for more than a year or two, undergraduate GPA will be less important. Law schools will give greater weight to your LSAT score and accomplishments since leaving school."
University of Michigan Prelaw gives an answer to the the question, "My GPA is low but I really want to study law. What are my options?" Their answer is: "If you are truly interested in studying law, there are several law schools nationally where competition for admission is not as great. This does not mean that the programs at these schools are easier, simply that they have different admissions philosophies that allow more subjective evaluations of your ability to be successful. The pre-law advisor can help you to identify schools to optimize your chances of admission." |