<p>My first semester of college, my work ethic was completely absent and I failed a class after getting caught cheating. The cheating did not go on my academic record but I failed the class. I took the class as a pass/no credit, meaning it doesn't factor into my GPA. However, I believe law schools will calculate it as an F regardless. Given that I expect to graduate having taken about 36 courses, I think it will only technically drop my GPA by 0.1. However, I'm mainly wondering whether the mere sight of a failed class is enough to make admissions turn away. </p>
<p>Outside of this incident, I am doing pretty well. I have around a 3.6 GPA at a top 10 school, have good work experience and expect to do very well on the LSAT. However, I'm not sure whether a 3.6 GPA is considered good in college, or whether going to an "elite" school makes a big difference in law school applications. </p>
<p>Also, any advice on how I could try to make up for this blip? </p>
<p>I would greatly appreciate some insight. Thanks</p>
<p>(Additional question: what does "unhooked" mean in admissions lingo? I'm new to CC)</p>
<p>LSDAS will count it as a F but what matters to a law school is overall GPA/LSAT first and, only at the edges of acceptance will minutiae be scrutinized further.</p>
<p>For most law schools, including the majority of T14s (I hope you’re not aiming for Yale or Stanford) a 3.6 is a 3.6, even if there’s an F in it.</p>
<p>Going to a elite/non-elite school makes no difference re: how law school adcoms treat your GPA. A 3.6 is a 3.6 whether it’s from Dartmouth or Podunk State. </p>
<p>I would do some research about when that cheating incident will need to be disclosed: do law school applications require disclosure, and do bar applications? I don’t think so, but to me that is more important than the F.</p>
<p>agreed–you should look very carefully at the questions on law school applications to see if you will have to disclose the fact that you cheated, and talk with your college’s prelaw adviser about whether they will be including this on the disciplinary record many law schools ask them to send. If it’s disclosed, I would frankly double the number of law schools you apply to, and double the rankings (so if you were only applying in the top 20, apply to the top 40). Law schools take cheating EXTREMELY seriously and it will likely cost you admission at several places you otherwise could have expected to get into with the same GPA and LSAT score. You also need to know that this is likely to come up on your bar application. It might not keep you from being admitted, but it will be unpleasant. I had something much more minor (I was sued in small claims court my 1L year) and it came up on both of my state bar applications. I expect it would come up any time I hope to get barred in a new state. Your academic dishonesty is a much more major problem than your GPA.</p>
<p>While the incident may not have gone on your academic record, don’t think that it does not exist. I agree with Stacy, see your law school advisor and see your academic dean. Many schools ask for a Dean’s Certification during the admissions process (others ask for it before you enroll). The form typically verifies an applicant’s academic record and helps law schools to determine whether any actions were taken against the applicant by the undergraduate institution. </p>
<p>All grad/professional schools take academic honesty as a given. Such an infraction is perceived as much, much worse than many legal charges that might be on the police blotter. </p>