<p>Ok, so I'm coming for some advice. I have been on this forum in the past and received helpful input, so I am back.
I started college very poorly. I got 6 fs, a d and a W during my freshman year. Now I am back home at a community college about to transfer back out. After my freshman year, I did alright, but not great, however for the last year I have gotten straight A's, taking course loads up to 17 units, I have done extensive volunteer work at an elementary school, been accepted to Phi Theta Kappa (honors society for 2-year schools), am on the presidents list and I really have a defined direction for where I am going.... Even with my recent good grades, I still have a cumulative gpa of about 3.0, however my community college gpa, with 31 units taken, is 3.9.
I will be majoring in economics and finance, or just econ depending on where I go. I plan on going to school for law after graduation which will likely be in 1.5- 2 years. I am hoping I can get my GPA up to 3.3 or 3.4 cumulative by then. Anyway, I am applying to NYU, USD, UCSB, UCLA, and UCSD. realistically, I think I will get into UCSB and USD. So my question is, where should I go to better my chances for a good law school?
I would like to go to UPenn, NYU or Berkely for law school.
My father is alumni for ugrad and med school at NYU, and I have ALOT of family that has been through UPenn, so that is why I think I may have a decent shot at those schools, given that I get above a 175 on my Lsat.
Anyway, that is my background. Here is why I ask this question:
If I go to a UC ie UCSB, I will have a very high UC gpa, because only my community college classes will transfer or count towards my UC gpa. And, upon applying to berkely, that is the gpa I will be able to give them if I am not mistaken. I have heard of people that get horrible grades, and then transfer to a UC and only the classes their are calculated into their GPA and then they get into UCSD or UCLA for med school, even with a bunch of f's on their record like I have.
On the other hand, I feel that I will get a better education at USD, and my GPA will start over upon starting school there, however My cumulative will still be pretty low if I count all of my grades ever received into it, and I wont have that kind of safe zone for getting into bBrkely.
I am thinking that UCSB will be my best bet, because I will only major in BIZecon, I will graduate sooner, I will have a better gpa (classes are easier) and I probably have Berkley as a safety. ( My current UC gpa is what my Community college gpa is, 3.9, so I will be able to graduate with something around there). My previous classes from CU Boulder will still count towards my degree, but not my GPA.
Anyway, If anyone has any helpful input, that would be great. I just want to make the best decision, and I will hopefully be getting acceptance letters in the following months, so I am trying to get my info in line. Im sorry for the long post, but I am sure some of you have been where I am before. I might have left some info out, but Im hoping this thread turns into a decent discussion that I can gain some insight from, so feel free to ask me questions, tell me Im an idiot, whatever you want..... Thanks again for any help.
Other notes: My good grades started my 4th year of college, however I will take about 7 to graduate. My last 3 will be perfect. (F's to A's upward trend) and when I come to apply to law school, I will be about 25.</p>
<p>1.) Alumni don’t matter unless it’s the law school.
2.) “Given that I get above a 175” – really, it’s best not to speculate about such matters.
3.) Your entire GPA will be counted, whether your degree-granting university recognizes it or not. LSDAS will incorporate everything in. (As does AMCAS, for medical school.) In no circumstance will your actual GPA “start over.”
4.) UC Berkeley (notice the spelling) has a law school which is famously selective when it comes to the GPA of their entering class.
5.) If you are not graduating for 2 more years, it is premature to suggest that those two years of grades “will be perfect” – especially since you will be starting at a new school! Such transitions can never be perfectly predicted.</p>
<p>The branding prestige of your undergraduate school matters very little. Your grades will not start over in any case, and all grades will count no matter what school you attend. Your decision is relatively neutral for the admissions game, and you should therefore pick whatever school you think you can do best at.</p>
<p>Thank you for the reply… I had it spelled right, but my spell check said that was the correct way.
Anyway, thanks, that was exactly what I was looking for. Good info.</p>