Hello, I am going to add one of these threads to the sea of them already populating the board.
The Good: 174 LSAT (only one attempt)
The Bad: 1.646 GPA from 2003 combined with a 3.92 GPA from 10 years later, averaging to a cumulative 3.27.
The [irrelevant] Good: 3.94 GPA in an MA/PhD, pending a successful defense next week
I know the LSAT score is good, and I know the cumulative GPA isn’t terrible. However, it certainly isn’t great and makes for a strange split when considering the time gap. I also know that my graduate work is, in theory, not considered for admission. I am just concerned that such a negative mark from my time as a 15-year-old college student will be such a red flag that it will severely hinder my chances of getting into a top school. Any input?
Law schools won’t care about the MA/PhD. You’re a splitter, which means your cycle will be unpredictable. Apply broadly. I expect some of the lower T14 will pay to get that 174, even with the 3.27. What are the MA/PhD in?
Theatre/Performance Studies. Also, I am not overly concerned with which schools will “pay.” The cost is a nonfactor.
Why are you going to law school with a PhD in theater?
Also, why would cost be a nonfactor? Even if you’re independently wealthy that’s no reason to pay extra for a law degree.
I have no “reason” to pay for any degree. I have no financial need to work ever in life. That being said, my reasoning for wanting to go to law school (although entirely irrelevant to the question I asked) is because that has been the plan from the start. My research work for my MA/PhD in Performance Studies was directly-related to preparation for law school and a legal career. It isn’t as though it is an afterthought or just something else to mark off a checklist. That path was curated specifically with my end goal in mind.
So this isn’t a question about whether or not I should go to law school. I’m going. And where ever I go, the cost will not even be a consideration. I was simply asking for input as to whether or not I should bother applying to the top schools or not waste the time with it.
The cumulative GPA may prevent admission at some of the T14 but I am guessing that you’ll be admitted into some of them.
^I’m a little more optimistic – I’d guess that you’d get into most of them with well-crafted essays (including the extra questions) if you apply early (late September). Professional schools just love non-traditional students.
Agree with @bluebayou. Your application may be sufficiently interesting to negate your GPA.
You have a high LSAT score so there is definitely a chance. However, you should also apply to lower tier 1 schools as safe schools just to be safe.