<p>I had a really rough semester and halfway through decided to change my major because my heart was just not into it. I was biotechnology and now I have switched to psychology; however, when I switched I was still taking pre-reqs for bio. I really struggled with Chem II and after the 1st test I went to the professor to seek some advice. He wasn't helpful but told me just to hang out and see how the second test went. My second test went a lot better and I got C. I thought that I could bring things around but I ended up failing the last two tests and my final. I HAVE NEVER failed a class before like this and now I'm devastated. I didn't even know grade forgiveness was an option (I couldn't withdrawl because I am on a scholarship and didn't have the money to pay back for the class). I have scheduled an appointment to talk with an adviser but I'm really worried. My GPA after this semester will be considerably lower than a 3.5 (what I have now). Since Chem II is technically not required for law school or my new major will I be ok? I don't want to complete ruin my chances with a horrible grade on my transcript. I know I can bring my GPA back up.</p>
<p>One grade is not a disaster. My kid started out college as a science major and discovered the hard way that it wasn’t the right program. The poor grades from that semester did factor into an overall GPA, but it was possible to bring it up. Even Community College classes will factor in to the LSAC calculation of GPA and your index score.</p>
<p>Your goal will be to bring up your GPA as much as possible, and you obviously need to do well on the LSAT and in your new major. You can consider adding another personal statement explaining the circumstances and what you’ve learned from it. </p>
<p>There are some great web sites where you can see how students with different GPAs and LSATs have fared in the admissions process at the law schools.</p>
<p>Listen, all classes you take are going to be weighted the same. Whether its intro to communications or advanced molecular biology. That said your overall GPA from all schools attended is what matters. Even if you don’t do as well this semester if you can keep an overall above a 3.5 you can get into a good law school with a a good lsat of course. Basically just work as hard as possible to get as high a gpa as possible and knock out your lsat.</p>
<p>Failing a class in college is really not a disaster. You did what you should have, switched majors thereafter. That class was your awakening. Don’t dispair. So, not everyone is cut out to be a chemist or biotekkie – most people are not. Anyone, including law schools, will know that. Will the F hurt you in law school admissions, it likely will. I would cross off your list law schools like Harvard and Yale, etc., which like straight A’s (coming from those schools does not make you a good lawyer, by the way. Such a degree only proves that you got good grades in college and did well on the LSAT). But there are plenty of other law schools that will accept you and take your money. Also, there are plenty of non-chemists and non-biotekkies in law school. The more important question to you and anyone else reading this is “why are you even intersted in law school”. Do you even know what lawyers do? Do you really want to do that? Or is it just because your parents want that for you? Or you think that they want that for you? Or because you can’t think of anything else to do, and senior year is coming?</p>
<p>thank you all for your responses. they helped out a lot. i was really worried but now i realize it’s not the end of the world…like i thought it would be. i really appreciate the input.</p>
<p>i want to be a lawyer because i’m interested in law, i want to make a difference in this world and i want my career to be intellectually challenging but not to the point where i am bored to death solving chemical equations. i wanted to go into medicine for different reasons and the switch to law is a personal choice not the choice of my parents. my parents haven’t pressured me into anything, this is all my own decision. the more and more i read about law school the more and more i think it is for me.</p>