How do you get into a prestigious university with a low gpa?

Question

When I started college I was not very motivated and did not do all that well. I droped a lot of classes and also got a lot of F's and D's. I now have found motivation and have a desire to do much better academiclly. My semester grades are A's and B's now. However my over all gpa is still around a 2.1. I want to go to Law School but I doubt any decent school will admit me with that low a gpa. The university I attend will not allow me to repeat the courses I got F's in and keep the new grade. Does anyone know how I could get in to a decent law school? I know that a strong LSAT can compensate but I have been told that with my situation more may be needed than a strong LSAT. Any advice?

It was asked in one of the answers which university I was attending. The answer is McNeese State University in Lake Charles, Louisiana. They really do not care about students here. Faculty in the Department of Liberal Arts shoved through a change to make it to where all repeated grades got "averaged" with the first grade. Thus the best you can hope for is a C grade. That is not acceptable work for most law schools. The university could care less!!! The entire thing was pushed through for reasons which have nothing to do with quality education. I reality it makes me an "academic felon". Murders on death row have more oppertunity for redress than I do at this point. I would appreciate any assistance or advice possible.

Answer 1

Unless you can bust a 168 or more on the LSAT right now, you'll most likely be looking at a Tier 4 (per US News, blah blah) school or something kind of iffy. This is not always bad, but know the limits of the degree you get before you go. I'll venture a guess and say that you'll need a 160 to get in anywhere that's worth going. Beware any school that accepts you right now with less.

Here's how to move up: wait a few years before you apply. Work at a law firm as a paralegal or similar. (Or join the army!) Take a few continuing ed classes or some other night school type thing. Get As. If you have carried serious math and science classes as an undergrad, if you have tech skills, maybe you can position yourself to take the patent bar by taking some drafting or elec engineering classes now. That would be a good move, trust me. Do something that shows you wanna be a lawyer. Can you volunteer to screen calls for a legal aid clinic or something?

Only time well spent puts those old, crappy grades to rest. Explain the grade up-swing and "new man" stuff on your admissions essay.

Also: with your crap GPA you must rock the LSAT. You must rock it the first time you take it --many schools do not consider averaged scores or highest score on multiple takes. Think 160. Yes, 160. Test yourself. Make sure you can get the score. Consider dropping $1000 on one of those prep classes. I never took one, but I know some folks that benefited greatly. It's all about the "games" section.

Picture yourself four years from now. I see you getting into the top 100 schools if you work a good plan.

Please note: none of this applies if you just got your 2.1 GPA from Yale, Harvard, Cornell, Amherst, etc. If this is the case, just apply to a mid-range law school and be willing to pay tuition.

about me: grad top 10 liberal arts college 2.4 GPA (majored in bong hits)...2 years of overseas volunteer work in human rights...4 years of project mgmt consulting...163 LSAT...got into a few top 50 law schools. Went lower and got a decent, cheap JD. Now I work in consulting (again).

Answer 2

Well... you are in a spot that is not quickly recovered from - you just can't change what has been done and the 2.1 GPA.
What you would be advised to do is to get into the best school you can (it may or may not be a university) and do a great job. Then look to transfer to a school you would rather be at once you have some strong college level work.
You don't say where you are but perhaps look into one or two (make phone calls or visits to admissions) local, or say state universities and tell them what you have shared here. At least you will know but don't be disappointed if you have to work up to it.
Start with the end (your goal) in mind, and each day, each task, do your very best and you will do great things. I was told that the time will go by either way so when it does you will have the college completed or you won't - so grab on to it - it's yours! So is graduation some day.

Answer 3

Are you sure about not being able to retake courses that you failed? That doesn't make sense. . . . if a course was required for your major you would have to pass it and if you didn't pass it the first time you would have to attempt it again.

Perhaps the policy is that they do not replace the F with the new grade but instead they average the two? I think you should double check this fact because it could make a big difference overall. Even if they did average the two grades, going from 0 for 3 credits to 2.0 (averaging A and F) would pull your overall gpa up if you've done very well in other courses.

I know that doesn't answer your law school question, but it still could make a difference. I would talk to the registrar's office. Or you might be able to talk to the office of student affairs and see if there is any recourse to that poor start now that you've proven yourself.

Answer 4

My daughter had a 2.7 GPA and didn't get into any law school--she applied to 5. Her LSAT score was decent but not stellar. She had the world's most awesome references, but it was all about the grades.
Her friend (he was college class president, and my daughter was class secretary) had exactly the same GPA and LSATs. He worked for a couple of years and reapplied every year and finally he did get into law school. It took 3 years. (my daughter decided that she really did not want to go to law school after serious reflection and so never applied again.)
All either one of them needed was an interview, but at first they didn't get one. I guess finally her friend got that interview, and of course the rest is history. Maybe it was just that he had great references from his jobs, or more likely, someone he met when he was class president went to bat for him with the Admissions Committee.

Answer 5

A 2.1 average is not what I would consider to be so low. It's more in the high-average range. I think the fact that you've done such a big turnaround, and you seem to be sincere and motivated, would definitely be in your favor. Don't give up without at least trying. Pick out the university you are interested in and talk to the Dean of Admissions. Tell him or her of your circumstances, and your true desire to be in law. I don't see any reason why they wouldn't at least give you a chance. I have a very good lawyer who couldn't pass the bar exam until he took it three times. You don't have to be a genius to be a lawyer, you just have to be cagey! You'll find that out when you reach the top. Good luck on your LSAT and your quest to find that perfect school for you!

Answer 6

Define "decent"? I thought Cooley was a great school (US News ranks it low) and you get in there.

Answer 7

Money, and lots of it....