<p>I am a senior undergraduate. I'll have all my requirements to graduate by the end of spring. Unfortunately, I have a GPA of 3.49 and my practice LSAT's are in the mid to late 150's. I'm considering taking another year of classes beyond what I need in order to raise my GPA and further prepare for the LSAT and gain legal volunteer experience. I would like to apply for my degree and apply for a different school where I'd want to live, then take another year of classes. I'm not sure if this would be possible, but it would be ideal. The other alternative would be simply to not graduate yet and either transfer or stay in the same school. Would this be helpful or is it a bad idea overall? </p>
<p>I'm definitely willing to spend another year in classes. It looks as though the 3.49 is a result of the really bad first two semesters I had. They may be due in part to an unexpected passing in my immediate family the summer before I began school. In addition, last semester, I received a D. I will retake that in the spring and replace it. The D sticks out pretty strongly amongst my other grades, especially within its major, which I've gotten all A's for. I did not expect to receive a D; No grades were given until the transcript, and I thought I was doing well. Nonetheless, I do believe I can receive an A next time as I'm otherwise very skilled with Latin. I don't want to use excuses for either of these. I simply want to put them behind me and perform better, which I have reason to believe that I can with effort. In high school (which is easy, I know) and beyond my first year, I've overwhelmingly gotten high grades.</p>
<p>I'm determined to become an attorney. I would like to be a public defender. My original choice of law school was George Washington University, but I believe my grades have undermined that. Nonetheless, ranking is not of vast importance to me as I don't expect to make a lot of money in life. I understand the field is massively saturated and it's difficult to find employment. It's simply always what I've had a passion for.</p>
<p>The only thing that matters is GPA from all the classes for your bachelor’s; so if you can extend your time to degree for another year and raise your GPA, that would be ideal. (Courses taken after your receive your BA/BS won’t count for LS purposes.)</p>
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<p>While your college may replace that grade, LSAC will not (likely). All grades count for LSAC GPA.</p>
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<p>After you graduate, do nothing but study for the LSAT.</p>
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<p>That’s a wonderful attitude but LS is extremely expensive, and unless your family is wealthy, assuming a lot of debt to attend a low-ranked LS is financial suicide. (Your chance of obtaining a legal job from low/un-ranked law schools is slim.)</p>
<p>All right, I suppose there is no real reason I would need to have my degree sooner.</p>
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<p>…Shoot. This would lower my GPA even further. I’ve retaken a few of my freshman courses and replaced them with A’s, I was also counting on replacing that D.</p>
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<p>Thanks for the advice. I was planning on taking an LSAT course throughout this year as well.</p>
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<p>I know, I know, I’ve read all of this, and you’re absolutely right. I’ve been researching since early high school. I always thought I’d be getting into T14. I mentioned difficulty getting hired in an earlier edit, but the site ate my entire post after I submitted the first time. Nonetheless, I know I’m far from guaranteed an attorney job, but it’s something I’ve passionately wanted to do since I was a kid.</p>
<p>Passion is great, but it will not pay your student loan bills. Unless you can afford to pay for law school out of pocket it would be incredibly foolish borderline suicidal to take on that amount of debt for a lower tier school, if you’re planning to possibly not even work as a lawyer or not use your degree. Law school is not something one typically pursues as a passion or interest for “fun”. It’s a means to an end, that end being employment.</p>
<p>I know. I’ve done the research since being a freshman in high school. I’m not going in blind and I’m aware of what I’m heading into. I’ve expressed my worry about this issue. Thank you for your concern, though. Passion does mean that I do not largely care. Having funds ahead of time is helpful.</p>
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<p>Employment as a lawyer, which is exactly my goal and passion. See above.</p>
<p>I’m hoping a high LSAT can carry me. I’ve been studying independently, but I think long-term in an LSAT course might get me there. The highest I’ve gotten exactly once was a 162, but I’ve been studying independently, and certainly not for a year. Although, I know practice test =/= real test.</p>