Does any law student know if having low GPA at undergraduate school? Will it matter to apply to law school?

Question

if apply for law school in the United States, Will it matter if having low GPA (2.90 or less) at undergraduate school.

Answer 1

It depends on the law school. If your ultimate goal is to go to law school, there will be some out there that will accept you even with a low GPA. It is the same rationale as with college admissions.

When you apply to law school, the admissions committee looks at the total package, not just your GPA. If law schools wanted to, they could fill their entire incoming class with nothing but people with 4.0 perfect academic records in undergraduate. But, we know they don't do that, because they want a "well-rounded" population of students. So, when you apply to law school, they will look at the information on your application, your college transcripts, and most importantly, your personal statement. Even if you have a low GPA, your personal statement is a better indicator of what kind of law student you are going to be. This makes sense because the material that you study in law school is very different from the classes you took in undergraduate. You could excel in undergrad and then find that you are a total idiot when it comes to learning about the law. Or vice versa.

The cynical side of me says this to you - the school gets your tuition money whether you stay or drop out. So, it's to their benefit to let you in, if only to give the professors an opportunity to break you. You still need to repay your loan even if you don't stay.

What it comes down to is this - is your GPA low because you have bad study habits in general? If yes, don't go to law school, because those same bad habits will be your undoing. Do you want to go to law school because you don't know what else to do with your life? Don't go, because law school costs too much to act as a mere solution to boredom. Do you really know what the practice of law is like? Find out first, before you commit to that $120,000 in debt. The practice of law is nothing like what you see on television. In fact, it is nothing like what you learn in law school. Personally, I loved law school but hated the business of practicing law.

I actually address one incident in my law practice in the latest episode of my podcast, Episode 23. Listen to that story and then ask yourself if you can cut it.

The White Collar Ruckus
http://whitecollarruckus.libsyn.com

Answer 2

Law schools, like other professional schools, compete for the best students, while the less popular schools will take anyone who wants to come, and if they work hard, they can make it. So don't look at the first string schools like Stanford, Hastings and Boalt Hall, but maybe one of those that is accredited just for your state and not well known or popular. Perhaps one that has a night school, where they are less fussy.

It's not impossible, but it's certainly not going to be easy, because however the school goes, you will still have to pass the bar exam and that will be going against students who went to the better schools. But again, it depends on what state: I suspect some are less fussy than others. I'm in California, which has way too many new lawyers per year, and the competition is fierce. Maybe in a less populated state, you'll have better luck.

Answer 3

Yes. If you want to go to a tier 1 law school you'll need to have a high GPA OR score really high on the LSAT.

Answer 4

Simply put, YES! When evaluating law school applicants, they'll look at your transcripts, your LSAT scores, etc. Law school is highly competitive and admission isn't just granted to anyone.

Answer 5

You could probably get in somewhere. Maybe not a place like Harvard, but maybe University of Virginia? I think it's got a nice law program.

Answer 6

That's very low. You should try to bring it up before applying.

Answer 7

Yes, it matters. I'd suggest applying to work at your local Mcdonald's. There you can meet all the other illegal aliens.

Answer 8

yes it will matter.....no matter what you were majoring in having a low GPA is an impediment to higher degrees....

Answer 9

yes schools look at your GPA when considering you for acceptance.

Answer 10

yes!! esp depending at which law school your applying to!