I’m going to address an easy topic today: your academic transcripts.

As you know, you need to submit your transcripts to the Law School Admission Council (LSAC). For complete instructions on how to do so, please check out the LSAC website: www.lsac.org. On the home page on the left, click on the "Transcripts" button, and you’re on your way.

Now is a good time to request your transcripts. It takes very little effort to do so, and during the time it takes for your academic institution(s) to mail your transcripts to LSAC, you can be working on the rest of your application. As I mentioned in an earlier entry, it is your responsibility to track online that your transcripts have been received by LSAC.

Once LSAC receives your transcripts, it recalculates your GPA. Sometimes the LSAC GPA differs from the one noted on your official transcript. A common occurrence is the university that allows you to retake a class and will use only the more recent grade when determining your GPA. On the other hand, LSAC may include both grades in calculating your GPA, creating a discrepancy between the two.

If the two GPA’s differ, call LSAC to inquire why. Then all you need to do is write a brief addendum, pointing out to the Admissions Office why the two don’t match.