<p>I go to a top 10 undergrad university. My mom was diagnosed with advanced breast cancer the summer before my freshman year. Should have taken some time off but didn't. As a result got really bad grades, until I was on academic dismissal (sophomore spring) for a semester/and needed time off for myself. on the semester off was diagnosed with major depression, which was part of the reason I was so unable to focus. Came back, and my grades have been getting better and better. I'm at a 2.2, and I think I can pull it up to a 3.0 by the time I grad (fall 2010), and think i can pull off a 170. I'm involved with a lot of things, including a start up non profit on campus, and am currently interning at a non profit.</p>
<p>and i graduated from andover (phillips academy) with honors, so i’m not stupid (though i know its a numbers game) just got off to a really really bad start.</p>
<p>Well, nothing works until you have an actual GPA and LSAT to evaluate. Right now you have a 2.2/0. Just start studying for the LSAT, do your best, and we’ll see how it turns out.</p>
<p>Stop coming up with excuses to cover up your poor academic performance.</p>
<p>There are tons of people who struggle through similar hardships and yet manage to do well. </p>
<p>How does the fact that your mom got breast cancer before you started college explain your poor academic performance?</p>
<p>Were you visitng her at the hospital EVERY DAY of the week?
Were you SO DEPRESSED that you couldn’t even do the most minimal work, which would have safely landed you at least 3.0?</p>
<p>wow that is very harsh. don’t you have the slightest bit of sympathy. if i was in the position of the accionara i think i would react the same, if not worse. i dont think its fair to say that he/she is coming up with excuses to cover up.</p>
<p>To answer the original question, however it is impossible to guess what schools would be best fits until your hypothetical numbers become real numbers.</p>
<p>SKG, what’s wrong with you? He’s not looking for judgment about his GPA, he’s only asking for what schools are realistic at this point. Get lost.</p>
<p>As for your actual question, I know undergrad schools take into account personal hardships to explain [temporary] dips in academic performance. Perhaps law schools do the same? But I wouldn’t expect too much forgiveness from admissions…</p>
<p>Good luck on everything, and hope you can pull up your GPA.</p>