Most law school applicants find that their LSAT scores and undergraduate GPAs both fall within a group of schools’ ranges for each statistic. Some applicants, however, are considered splitters, meaning that one of their two statistics is at the high end of the range for most schools, while the other is at the low end of the range for most schools.
In this week’s post, we’ll discuss two things that splitters should do when tackling law school applications.
[Check out law school admissions trends to expect this cycle.]
Find Ways to Make Up for Your Weakness
In order to have the most success as a splitter, it is essential to both accentuate the stronger of the two statistics and find ways to make up for the weaker number. This requires a careful tailoring of the content in your application.
If your GPA is low but your LSAT score is high, tailor your application to highlight parts of your profile that indicate your ability to perform well academically. It will also be important to find academic recommenders who are able to speak compellingly about your academic success.
A recent client of mine was advised to seek out former professors who gave her very high grades and for whom she submitted significant and memorable academic work. If you are in the same situation, make sure to remind your professors of the work you did for them in their class or classes so that they can directly reference it in the letter of recommendation they write.
If your LSAT score is low but your GPA is high, find ways to accentuate your analytical skills. If you have excelled academically in fields such as formal logic, mathematics and natural sciences, make sure to mention those successes in your applications. One great opportunity to bring up such successes is in supplemental essays, particularly essay prompts that invite you to discuss an aspect of who you are that is not discussed in other parts of your application.
[Follow five steps to craft a great law school personal statement.]
Writing addenda is another great way to make up for a weaker LSAT score or GPA. If there are any extenuating circumstances that contributed to a low LSAT score or GPA, make sure to write an addendum that addresses these situations.
For example, a recent client suffered the loss of a parent, which significantly affected his grades one semester, causing his overall GPA to dip significantly. We worked with him on an addendum to explain the lower GPA and demonstrate that his GPA is not a good representation of his academic performance.
Research Schools and Apply to a Broad Range
Although most admissions committees place slightly more value on LSAT scores than GPAs when considering an applicant’s candidacy, some schools place a higher weight on GPAs than others.
For example, from what I’ve seen, the law schools at Stanford University, the University of California–Berkeley and the University of Chicago tend to place a greater weight on undergraduate GPA than most schools. Make sure to apply to schools whose LSAT and GPA ranges indicate that they favor the stronger of the two numbers in your application.
[Get insight into how law schools view LSAT scores.]
Some schools more strongly consider factors other than LSAT scores and undergraduate GPA, particularly job experience after college. For example, Northeastern University‘s law school places significant weight on an applicant’s employment history when evaluating its candidates.
Many schools, including Northwestern University‘s law school, also strongly encourage their applicants to interview with the admissions office. Splitter applicants should make sure to take advantage of this additional way to distinguish themselves.
Finally, since being a splitter makes it more difficult to predict your admissions results, it is important to cast a wide net when it comes to school selection. Make sure to apply to at least a few schools for which the lower of your two statistics falls within the range of admitted applicants.
Do you have additional questions about what to do if you are a splitter? Let me know in an email or tweet me.
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Manage a Split in GPA, LSAT Scores as a Law School Applicant originally appeared on usnews.com
