<p>I currently attend a competitive state school in New York and I found out I can save the money of attending the Spring 2009 semester (and graduate early) if I take a 3 credit elective at a local college during the winter session as a visiting student. This would get me to exactly 120 credits for my BA in Political Science. Basically, is it OK to only have six semesters in college? Additionally, I took 13 credits, 13 credits, and 12 credits for my last three semesters. Do top schools (excluding HYS) care about taking 4 challenging courses in a semester? My LSAC GPA is still a 3.6, so is this all that counts?</p>
<p>Also, the grade I get in the winter course won't count for my GPA at the school I'm graduating from. Does this single grade need to be submitted to LSAC, and will it count for their calculated GPA?</p>
<p>eric
I'm a NY Mom so I'm gonna respond from that perspective</p>
<p>are you saying you can complete your studies at the "home school" by December and take a winter session course (dec/jan) and you would have met ALL graduation requirements?? Is graduating in 6 semesters due to AP credit and doing last 3 credits at local school??</p>
<p>Please double check with your advisor to make sure those last 3 credits will be applied accordingly and you would meet ALL graduation requirements. Do not do anything in haste and do not take any info on this board as gospel. This needs to be reviewed and agreed to by your home school.</p>
<p>other thoughts. Are you psychologically ready to leave school in 8 weeks?? What are you gonna do after graduation?? Are you planning to work or take LSAT ASAP and apply for next year?? And also keep in mind, once you stop taking 12 credits or more a semester, you loose health insurance if you are on your parents health plan. Trust me, health insurance ain't a heck of a lot cheaper than another semester AT SUNY.</p>
<p>ps- I think your grade from other institution needs to be submitted to LSAC. May not go into your homeschool GPA- but will count towards law school GPA.</p>
<p>My gut feeling is not to do anything in haste. TALK TO YOUR ADVISOR re: meeting graduation requirements.
nother gut feeling. If you have met your graduation requirements, I don't think law schools will be too concerned re # of courses you took last semester. But they may consider what you did with your time after graduation. So come up "with a plan" as to what you'll be doing 1/09 and later.What you do with your life after college will be considered by the law school. Hanging out at Jones Beach and working in Roosevelt Field may not impress the Law school admission counselor (we live on LI too)</p>
<p>and as you probably know- you will need around 172 or higher for HYS with a 3.6 SUNY or anywhere else.</p>
<p>Good luck</p>
<p>ERIC- I was just reading your other posts. Just a thought. Can you do a semester internship?? Maybe work in Albany or for a local representative. Politicians love to get college students who will work for free. Call Peter King's office (I think he represents Massapequa) or another local official. That may be a way to bolster your political science credentials- give you more time to plan for the future and can save some money by living at home for your last semester.
I spent my last semester from Oswego working on a presidential campaign. Got 15 credits in political science and spent one less winter upstate.</p>
<p>Thank you for the suggestions. I know about the whole health insurance dilemma--it would cost $7,200 to go here another semester, plus I wouldn't be earning any money; I can deal with a lapse in insurance before finding a job with coverage.</p>
<p>My original plan was to take 2-3 years off and work before applying anyway (while simultaneously preparing for the LSAT with a target score of 170). I took a Kaplan course over the summer--I have a lot more practice to do, but i scored 163 on the last 2 old exams I took. </p>
<p>I am more than ready to graduate, and it's frustrating to pay for an extra semester because I failed to take one extra class. The Dean's office has already approved the plan and the paperwork is pending--it will be in writing in a few weeks, so that isn't an issue.</p>
<p>Based on some older posts I was reading on this subject, it seems like working for a couple of years mitigates the immaturity stigma associated with early graduation. And with money being a major factor, who doesn't understand financial considerations and hardships in the current economic crisis?</p>
<p>Good Plan Eric
as long as it has been approved by your school and you do plan to work for a few years (I do think maturity and life experience are viewed positively by law schools), I think everything will work out just fine.
D # 1 graduated in May and is planning to work for 2 years before law school. She'll probably be applying next fall . She wanted a bit of a break between UG and law school.
Good luck with the LSAT.<br>
marny</p>
<p>and please try to get the health insurance ASAP- I've heard too many horror stories about healthy kids who went short periods of time without insurance- and something unexpected happened. You may get a few months extended coverage after graduation- but that usually ends within 3 months.</p>