Screwed Up, trying to get back on track.

Graduate School Law School
1

<p>OK, so i am an undergraduate (sophomore) working toward a 5 year accounting MS. I have essentially slacked off the past year and a half and now have a 2.8 GPA, and no extracurricular involvement. I understand that this is TERRIBLE, but it is the reality of my current situation.</p>

<p>Naturally, I am working to reverse this, or I would not be here in the first place. It is my personal goal to make the dean's list (3.7 gpa) this semester. I am also looking into joining a pre-law society and getting involved on my campus.</p>

<p>Assuming I CAN turn this around and get a 3.5 GPA for the rest of my college career, I would end up with a 3.275 GPA for my undergrad and would finish a year later with an MS in accounting and sit for the CPA exam</p>

<p>I understand a 3.275 GPA would not place me into top law schools, but would a CPA and a masters in accounting help me get admitted?</p>

<p>essentially, I am asking if my law school dreams are a thing of the past, since i screwed up so badly these first few semesters, or will admissions appreciate my upward turn and specialized degree?</p>

<p>Any advice on how to approach the situation going forward would be greatly appreciated.</p>

2

<p>A 3.2-3.3 GPA (undergrad) is not “fatal” for T30 schools, assuming a sufficiently high LSAT score. Look at the self-reported data at [Browse</a> Law Schools | Law School Numbers](<a href=“Recently Updated J.D. Profiles | Law School Numbers”>http://schools.lawschoolnumbers.com/) and [TLS</a> Stats - Law School Application Statistics](<a href=“http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/stats.php]TLS”>Top Law Schools - TLS Stats - Law School Application Statistics), and the estimating tool at lawschoolpredictor.com to see what might be feasible. </p>

<p>I do not know how admissions offices look at specialzed undergrad degrees (accounting) and candidates with an MS and certifications. Might be a plus for tax law but IANAL so take with a box-car of salt. Your campus pre-law group and talking with some law school admissions deans might give you some insight.</p>

3

<p>wow such bad information. your 3.2-3.3 gpa is actually fatal in that you will have to 100% reach or beat the 75% percentile LSAT for any of the schools in order to have a chance at admissions. also, they won’t care what you majored in and if you grades improved. Law school admissions is a bottom line business.</p>

4

<p>What if, say, the UG was to re-take a class he got a 1.8 in and replace it with that 3.5? What effect would that have?</p>

5

<p>from what i remember, law schools look at your transcripts and put the data into their own system to calculate their own GPA. i am fairly certain that they count both the bad grade and the better grade.</p>

6

<p>Wow! That’s bad news for non-traditional students, I’d imagine.</p>