<p>I am currently a third-year student at UCLA, and while my undergraduate GPA is solid (3.7) I took some community college courses in high school and didn't do so well in them (3.1, including one D). I was 15-16 at the time, and want to accurately convey to law schools that I was stupid kid without proper direction so that they place my undergrad gpa on a much higher plateau. What is the best way to approach this issue? Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.</p>
<p>Don’t explain or make excuses. The law schools will also get copies of your transcripts and they will see for themselves that you were in high school at the time you received these grades.</p>
<p>You can add an addendum just explaining briefly the situation. Unfortunately, it probably won’t help you too much.</p>
<p>What makes you say that? If I graduated “cum laude” from the second-best public school in the country, surely that has to carry some amount of persuasion with it? (sorry, I hope my tone doesn’t seem arrogant)</p>
<p>I didn’t explain that too well. What I meant is law schools will view your GPA as what the LSAC GPA is. I’m assuming it won’t bring your GPA too far down. So if your GPA is 3.6 or something, it will be viewed as a 3.6, not a 3.7 with justification for being a 3.6. And no law school cares that you go to UCLA. As stated numerous times on this forum, undergrad institution does not matter.</p>
<p>I reread my post and that was just stupid of me. I didn’t mean to insult you or say that your GPA was inadequate for law school, I meant an addendum will not significantly add to your application.</p>
<p>My son included a short Addendum to explain lower grades as a freshman (he also had a 3.7 at the time of admission, which was lowered when lower freshman grades at a different school were added in). My son had attempted to be a science major, which clearly wasn’t his forte. It’s impossible to know whether it made a difference, but it couldn’t hurt.</p>
<p>So according to the CC I can retake the course and have the grade replace the old one when calculating the GPA on the transcript. However, the first grade will still show up. Do you guys recommend doing this?</p>
<p>You are thinking of retaking a course you took in HS just to replace the grade? Nah- not going to prove anything. Just continue taking classes, getting the best grades possible.
Maybe a one or two sentence addendum bringing attention to the fact that you were a high school student when you took these courses at “Apex community college.” --keep it real short and sweet
And to retake this course- is just a waste of your time and may have more of a negative effect. Maybe a higher level course in that area of study to show your growth and maturity- but not the same course.</p>