<p>Question for all your law school pros ...</p>
<p>I started off my undergrad at a community college in CA. I transferred to a 4 year school (UC Irvine)with a 3.8 GPA.</p>
<p>The UC system is on a quarter system ... this fall will be my 3rd quarter (but am taking 8 units of summer classes now). Technically I can graduate by my 4th quarter (Winter). Right now my GPA at UCI is 3.59 </p>
<p>Do law schools care if you graduate early? I am taking a year off to work and study for the LSAT's ... but if I can graduate early I can take the LSATs in June as opposed to October (i dont like last minute things). And I can save like 3,000 in tuition plus books.</p>
<p>I appreciate any help ... btw my reach is Boalt at Berkley... but realistically hoping for UC Hastings or USF. I would be happy with anything on the top 100 list. (my GPA would be a 3.8 from 2 years of CC with at this time a 3.59 from 2 quarters plus one summer school class).</p>
<p>THANKS!!!</p>
<p>JMHO (as individual mileage can and will vary)</p>
<p>If you can swallow the money, stay and build up your gpa you would be better served graduating in june.</p>
<p>Example for UCLA:</p>
<p>The following LSAT/GPA data pertains to the fall 2004 entering class:</p>
<p>What It Takes to get in</p>
<p>The following LSAT/GPA data pertains to the fall 2004 entering class:</p>
<p>-Median LSAT: 166 25th – 75th Percentile: 163 – 168</p>
<p>-Median GPA: 3.64 25th – 75th Percentile: 3.47 – 3.84</p>
<p>-Number of applications for 2004: 7,260</p>
<p>-Number accepted for 2004: 983</p>
<p>-Percentage accepted for 2004: 13.5%</p>
<p>Your gpa upon graduation would be below the 25th percentile. Since public schools tend to be more straight out numbers driven, this could hurt you when applying to Bloat.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.lawcrossing.com/article/pdf/bcgguide_2005_06.pdf%5B/url%5D">http://www.lawcrossing.com/article/pdf/bcgguide_2005_06.pdf</a></p>
<p>when averaging my CC GPA (3.8) and my UC GPA (3.59) I would be within the 25th percentile. When graduated, I would have more units from CC than UC so it would average in favor of the 3.8.</p>
<p>Again, I am reaching for Boalt, but don't realistically see myself going there.</p>
<p>Thanks for the advice.</p>
<p>Long-term, you'll make MUCH more money if you get into and graduate from a top school. Just keep that in mind.</p>
<p>While the balance of grades will go for the 3.8, the fact that your 3.8 is from a CC will NOT help in distinguishing you from all the others with a 3.7ish; also, at any school where you aren't in the top 25% or so for GPA, you're pretty much out, because they can take people with the same grades from Harvard. </p>
<p>Prove that you can do advanced work. Prove that you are capable of academic success in law school. That is really what admissions is all about. </p>
<p>Take classes that are small enough so that you can get good recommendations. Really spend the time studying for the LSAT, because that can make a huge difference. </p>
<p>There's no need to graduate law school at age 24. Trust me. I have friends who did it and are doing it, and they really wish they had taken time off. It's very hard to do that once you get on the hampster wheel - and nearly impossible to take time off once you've graduated from law school, esp. if you want a really prestigous job.</p>
<p>Sorry I meant to say median.</p>
<p>Keep in mind when you put in your LSAC transcript you will have a gpa for each year in addition to your overall gpa. </p>
<p>Your LSAC transcript would reflect a downward trend as you take more rigerous courses where IMHO (again, individual mileage may and does vary)
you would be been better served if you were showing more of an upward trend ex: you started out with a 3.59 in CC working your way up to a 3.8 taking more rigerous and higher level courses at the senior college.</p>
<p>maybe you can take some senior seminars or sign up for a honors thesis</p>
<p>Thanks for all the advice, any and all is welcome.</p>
<p>Again, I would be fine attending a law school that is in the top 100 at the bottom of the list in CA. (I have a chance with those right??). I know I would make more money graduating from a top 10, but I am not going into law for the money ... I just want to make a decent living and be able to pay off my student loans before I die ... haha ...</p>
<p>I do plan on raising my GPA before I graduate ... I got screwed by a few professors 2 quarters ago, and it is not going to happen again. </p>
<p>I just want to know if law schools look down on applicants who graduate early.</p>
<p>The difference between a top 10 and a top 100 is HUGE. The doors that are open at a really good school are more than just for top money-making jobs; they are for everything.</p>