A Couple Questions

[Monkey555]

I plan to apply to Top 14 Schools.

I majored in Finance at Loyola College in Maryland, graduating #1 in my class with a 3.98 GPA. Does the lack of prestige of my Undergrad School put me at a disadvantage?

I am doing a Fulbright Scholarship in Germany this coming year, taking a couple Grad Business Classes (not enough time for a degree) and doing a project on International Trade. How much of a boost do you think this will be to my application? Also, the grading system here is 80 and above is an A. However, they list both the number and letter grades on your transcript (so if you receive an 82, you have an 82 and an “A” on your transcript). How do you think these will be factored into my application? Are they going to look down upon that 82 and will it actually hurt me? Should I just audit the classes so as not to take this risk (I had wanted to take the courses for credit to show I can do Graduate-Level work). Also, would taking an introductory (yet still Graduate) level Economic course as opposed to a challenging Statistics course make any difference in the Admissions Officers’ eyes?

Thank you very much for your help!

[rpost]

Thank you for your questions. Your undergraduate institution does not put you at a disadvantage. On the contrary, an admissions committee will look at your undergraduate grades, coursework, and how you compare with you peers from Loyola College.

You should take the graduate courses for credit. Most transcripts from foreign institutions include a grading scale on the back of the actual transcript. If this is not the case at your current institution, you can request that an official grading scale be provided with your transcript. In terms of which course to take, from a law school perspective, it truly does not matter as long as it is a graduate course and you perform well.

Good luck,
Renee

AdmissionsConsultants
703.242.5885

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