Were you Happy with your choice to take a gap year(s)? Forum

[eye]

What did you do in your gap year(s) and why did you decide to take a gap year(s)?

[dakatz]

What did you do in your gap year(s) and why did you decide to take a gap year(s)?

My gap year is going well. Went on two vacations, a cruise with my family, and a road trip with my friends, soon after graduation. Then started my LSAT prep course. So two months were blocked out for LSAT. After that, I started playing copious amounts of video games, watched a ton of movies, went out drinking with friends, etc. Also got a part time job to make some cash. Going on another trip this summer, this time with my girlfriend. So yeah, not a bad off year.

[beesknees]

I am SO glad I took the time off. I was able to travel, study for my LSAT and increase my score several points, and work and save up money. Also, it gave me a year to reflect on the decision to go to law school. I'll be going into school this fall refreshed and committed.

[steppenwolf]

Yes, definitely.

But most people, no matter what they do, find justifications for their actions after the fact.

[PlugInBaby]

My gap year didn't go as planned....couldn't find a job. Did visit some schools and friends across the country though. However the second half is going better. Still no job though, but I do dedicate my spare time to June LSAT prep as well as exercise. Been at my lowest weight in years and still losing!

May have another gap year coming...

[amclane]

I worked at a law firm for two years... I'm happy with the decision because I wasn't ready to make the commitment for law school, but now I feel ready. I'm unhappy about it because I thought the work experience would give a boost to my apps, but I don't think it did. My job was relatively low paying and stressful, and sometimes I wish I had done something else for two years.

[Panther7]

i work two jobs and my time working at a homeless shelter has been amazing, i'm really glad i took time off after undergrad. I got to add to my resume and experience life in a way I'll never be able to again.

Although moving back in with the parents sucks big time.

[kaydish21]

Worked very well for me, I was a 07 grad so if I went to law school I would be graduating this year in the worst legal economy ever. Instead I've done Teach For America the last 3 years and loved it (for the most part) and feel much more prepared to continue my own education now. Lucky on multiple levels but the years off certainly helped.

[eye]

These posts are inspiring!

[heyguys]

Take a gap year.

[OrcinusOrcas]

I have mixed feelings about my off year. I could not find a new/good job, so I worked at the same part time job I had in college / retail, only full time; so yeah, that pretty much sucked. It paid the bills (barely), but after all that work I really have nothing to show for it savings-wise. It also was a big time and energy drain.

Yet, it did give me more time to prepare for my LSAT the second time around and really boost my score. It also gave me a lot of time to work on my applications.

I'd say this off year was about 10% awesome (nailing the LSAT, getting into my top choice school with scholarship, a few other personal victories), 90% bored-out-of-my-mind/gruesome/humiliating/not unlike herbicide for the soul (doing customer service nine hours a day only to go home and pinch pennies/ not able to move back home and missing all of my family and friends). Every day at my job since the LSAT has been kind of like Chinese water torture because the days are like carbon copies of each other. It's about as exciting as nine daily hours of taking clothing orders over the phone can be after you've done it for three years.

I'm excited for the upcoming change of pace, to say the least

[eye]

bump for more feedback

[Pearalegal]

I worked for two years in a biglaw paralegal big that basically ended up being a 9am to 12am job. It taught me many, many things about myself.

I try to tell everyone that working before going for a professional degree is the most important thing an average college student can do for themselves. Almost everyone I know in a grad program (the ones who went straight through and the ones who worked before going in) says there is a marked difference in the confidence and perspective someone who took time off before going back to school brings into the classroom.

Working gave me way less time to work on my LSAT, but way more time learning about myself in a office setting, making connections in the legal world and allowed me to truly know what being an attorney would be like. Invaluable. Plus, all of the hiring partners I know say a candidate they know can handle/are knowledgeable regarding the rigors of a firm is much more attractive than someone who had a few internships in college.

[Cupidity]

I'm still a 0L in undergrad, however I have a friend who took a gap year and was miserable, worked in a firm and hated it for a whole year. Now at florida coastal.

[Panther7]

if there's anything a gap year is useful for, it's to put things in perspective for you. You really mature a lot your first year out of school, as you pay bills and work full time and the such.

[hellokitty]

This thread makes me feel much better. I'm glad so many people enjoyed their gap year/s and did some very productive/fun things. I had never really planned on taking a year off until the LSAT made me its bitch in September and December, ruining my cycle!

[zozin]

The sole purpose of taking a year off for me is to destroy the Oct. LSAT... everything else is gravy.

[eldizknee]

.

[eye]

I'm 50/50 on taking a gap year. This thread is enough to tilt my decision towards taking a year off!

I really need to put things into perspective.

[kinch]

if there's anything a gap year is useful for, it's to put things in perspective for you. You really mature a lot your first year out of school, as you pay bills and work full time and the such.

+ 1 soooo hard. I'm only working part time and I don't pay too many bills as I'm living at home with my parents, but I got so much perspective from taking a year off.

And the 8 extra points on the LSAT help, too.

[js87]

Took the LSAT and applied while in undergrad and was unhappy with my choices. Was literally just about to put a seat deposit down on a choice I would have deeply regretted when I decided to retake the LSAT and completely reapply. This meant taking a year off after undergrad.

During the final months of my senior year I began studying for my retake, and during the summer after graduation I studied for the LSAT like a full time job. Also worked a part time internship that I enjoyed. Brought my score up 10 points.

Cliffnotes on the rest of the year:

* Applied to all new schools.
* Last year the best school I got in to was Cardozo, off the waitlist, at sticker. This year I got in with a full scholarship. If I decided to go to Cardozo this year, that means this one year off would have been worth $140,000. (more, actually, since that doesn't account for interest on loans).
* Got in to great schools I had no chance of before, including T14s, and will be attending Georgetown with a merit scholarship.
* Worked at a 'real' post-college job and saved a good chunk of money.
* Started a nonprofit organization
* Spent time with my friends and girlfriend and got to travel a little.
* Got a MUCH better idea of what direction I'd like my life and career to go in post law school.

So yeah, taking a year off (to reapply) was probably the best decision in my life to date.

[ApexChaser]

I decided I wanted to go to law school in taking a gap year.

Things in my gap year:
-Realized I didn't want to stay in engineering
-Vacation in Asia
-Worked at a cleantech start-up
-Applied to take the patent bar (pending USPTO approval)
-Volunteer sports coach
-Slept in
-Drank/Drinking/Will drink
-Hanging out with other contract-ended/laid off folks
-Vacation in Europe (planned for June)

Taking a gap year was the right option for me. I was definitely a bit burnt-out from engineering, and I needed some time to recharge. The year off continues to provide fun memories and experiences, and I've found new motivation in deciding to attend law school. My year off is panning out to be 85% awesome and 15% wish-I-had-more-money.

Gap years are very personal. Some people love them, and some hate them. I initially kept thinking about working, but just having down time to reflect on the direction of my life has been great.

[eye]

last selfish bump!

[hannibalhamlin61]

if there's anything a gap year is useful for, it's to put things in perspective for you. You really mature a lot your first year out of school, as you pay bills and work full time and the such.

You definitely mature, unless you do this....

What did you do in your gap year(s) and why did you decide to take a gap year(s)?

My gap year is going well. Went on two vacations, a cruise with my family, and a road trip with my friends, soon after graduation. Then started my LSAT prep course. So two months were blocked out for LSAT. After that, I started playing copious amounts of video games, watched a ton of movies, went out drinking with friends, etc. Also got a part time job to make some cash. Going on another trip this summer, this time with my girlfriend. So yeah, not a bad off year.

[j.wellington]

I must be part of that strange group for which "gap years" are known as "real life."