No cumulative GPA (but with degree GPA)

[notsilverr]

Hey all, I plan on completing undergrad a year early and currently have 90+ credits on file. However, I came in with a bunch of AP credits, so only about 56 of those 90+ credits were graded and I therefore do not have a cumulative GPA calculated (I would have needed 60 graded credits for them to calculate it). I do have a degree GPA of around 3.8, however.

I've heard that GPA medians are based on cumulative GPAs, so I'm worried that I might be disadvantaged in cases where my GPA would have otherwise boosted my chances of getting in or getting a higher scholarship. Note that I would certainly include an addendum talking about this situation; I'd also indicate that I'd send in an updated transcript with a cumulative GPA once my semester's grades are in.

Would my chances of admission go down if I were to apply right now? I was planning on applying early but I'm really worried and would like to know if I should wait until this semester's grades are in (I'd rather not wait another cycle, but if absolutely necessary I would consider it).

[UVA2B]

I’m a bit confused, are you saying your university hasn’t calculated a cumulative GPA, or that LSAC cannot calculate your LSAC GPA?

[MKC]

LSAC doesn't care what your college says your GPA is. They are going to recalculate it using their own method based on the credits and grades shown on the transcript(s).

[notsilverr]

I’m a bit confused, are you saying your university hasn’t calculated a cumulative GPA, or that LSAC cannot calculate your LSAC GPA?

LSAC can't calculate a cumulative LSAC GPA because they need at least 60 graded credits to do so (I have 56, and the rest of my credits are AP credits that weren't graded). My cumulative GPA for my university is the same as my degree GPA (around 3.8).

[UVA2B]

Understood, and I’d never seen that before, so thanks for bringing it to my attention. But you can also relax a bit, because while you won’t have a gpa calculated at the time of application, you can mitigate this with an addendum that gives your current GPA and reasons for no calculated GPA, which they should be able to understand that you’ll have a reportable GPA at matriculation, which is the number they will actually care about. They GPA they have to report is your GPA at matriculation, which you’ll have one by that time based on what you’ve said.

Edit: sorry, misread and thought you’d go over 60 credits before graduating. But still, you can do an addendum to explain and hope to mitigate this. Or you could take four additional credits and get that reportable GPA.

[notsilverr]

Understood, and I’d never seen that before, so thanks for bringing it to my attention. But you can also relax a bit, because while you won’t have a gpa calculated at the time of application, you can mitigate this with an addendum that gives your current GPA and reasons for no calculated GPA, which they should be able to understand that you’ll have a reportable GPA at matriculation, which is the number they will actually care about. They GPA they have to report is your GPA at matriculation, which you’ll have one by that time based on what you’ve said.

Edit: sorry, misread and thought you’d go over 60 credits before graduating. But still, you can do an addendum to explain and hope to mitigate this. Or you could take four additional credits and get that reportable GPA.

No, your initial assumption was correct. Basically I came in with 30+ ungraded AP credits and have been doing graded classes since then, and will be graduating in May.

I'll have well over 60 graded credits by the end of this semester and certainly before I graduate - thanks for clearing this up!

[LaLaLaw]

If I were you, I would try to get to 60 credit hours just so that you dont raise eyebrows with admissions if you can.

Based on what you're saying, you did 56 hours over 6 semesters. That's about 9.5 credits per semester. At most universities, you need at least 12 credit hours to be a full-time student (although your university could be different). As it is, you're asking to be admitted to law school with a far smaller number of actual college courses than most of your peers. Even associates degrees generally require 60 credits.

If I was an admissions person, all of this would raise a lot of questions and make me wonder whether you'd be able to handle the rigor of law school. On the other hand, if LSAC provided me a calculated GPA just like every other applicant, I may not even notice that 30+ of your credits are from AP classes.

[notsilverr]

If I were you, I would try to get to 60 credit hours just so that you dont raise eyebrows with admissions if you can.

Based on what you're saying, you did 56 hours over 6 semesters. That's about 9.5 credits per semester. At most universities, you need at least 12 credit hours to be a full-time student (although your university could be different). As it is, you're asking to be admitted to law school with a far smaller number of actual college courses than most of your peers. Even associates degrees generally require 60 credits.

If I was an admissions person, all of this would raise a lot of questions and make me wonder whether you'd be able to handle the rigor of law school. On the other hand, if LSAC provided me a calculated GPA just like every other applicant, I may not even notice that 30+ of your credits are from AP classes.

I did 56 hours over 4 semesters; I'm currently on my 5th semester and will graduate after my 6th (hence why I said I'm graduating a year early). The other 30+ credits came from AP test credits, which puts me at 90+ credits overall.

EDIT: If it helps to clarify my point, I was planning on going the KJD route. I came in with around 35 AP credits before my first semester of undergrad, am currently at 90+ credits, and will graduate once I hit 120 credits. However, the AP credits are ungraded and an LSAC GPA will only be calculated if I have 60 graded credits, so I don't have an LSAC GPA yet.