Will one bad transcript disqualify an applicant in Law School admissions?

Graduate School Law School
1

<p>Im currently a junior at The University of Maryland, College Park. </p>

<ul>
<li>Econ/Psych Major
(Going to either pursue business or law)</li>
<li>3.95 GPA on 83 Credits (So far...98 Cr. by end of Spring Semester)</li>
</ul>

<p>The problem is, I attended Community College for 8 months after HS. I Didnt do good. I Took 8 Credits & received a 2.4 GPA. Somehow I was able to get into UMD. Im applying to Law School next year & I fear that eventhough Ive did extremely well at Maryland, my previous transcript might hurt my chances, especially when considering the competition these schools usually attract. How large of an effect would that transgression have on my application?</p>

<p>Law School Choices:
Stanford Law (Dream School!!!!!!!!)
Harvard Law
Yale Law
UPenn Law
Columbia Law
NYU Law
UVA Law
UMich Law
Chicago Law</p>

2

<p>First, there’s a separate Law school section. You’d get more answers there.</p>

<p>Next, I don’t know how these grad schools decide. Is it by LSAT plus gpa plus personal statement…do they interview too? It could also be that these schools give preference to students who have worked for awhile.</p>

<p>Then, can you simply not include that first transcript, or do you need those transfer credits?</p>

<p>Your list of law schools looks reach-heavy. Any lesser-known ones for safeties?</p>

3

<p>gpa = weighted avg. in your case it will come out to be approx 3.81 currently. this gpa would put you at the borderline for Yale,Harvard,Stanford but would be very competitive everywhere else.</p>

<p>so basically, it will have an effect, but you are not screwed. the schools will also appreciate the upward grade trend, but don’t expect a huge difference.</p>

<p>it will all come down to LSAT. if you manage to do extremely well (175) you would be in at Columbia, with a shot at YHS. If you do pretty well (170) you would have a good chance at Michigan and the rest of the “lower T14”. </p>

<p>if you get two more semesters of 4.0 then your gpa would hopefully rise to around 3.9 which would be a better position for yale, harvard, and stanford.</p>