What the hell do I do? Forum

[dood]

Just make up ties bro

LOL is this a new meme from autoadmit? if not, lets start its use

[Grizz]

Just make up ties bro

LOL is this a new meme from autoadmit? if not, lets start its use

Credited, d00d

[lostlawman]

I didn't say 158 would be my max score, just that I feel if I were to retake it I think I could only gain a few points. I am not sure if taking a year off to retake the test to get a few points would be worth it in my opinion. I want to get started as soon as I can.

[IAFG]

I didn't say 158 would be my max score, just that I feel if I were to retake it I think I could only gain a few points. I am not sure if taking a year off to retake the test to get a few points would be worth it in my opinion. I want to get started as soon as I can.

Get started with what, and why? Never go to a law school that cannot get you a job you want from median.

[cinephile]

I don't understand. Even just a few points improvement is a huge deal. A few more points either means a new range of schools are available to you or it means more scholarship or both. One point more and I would be at my dream school this year. Every point counts.

[romothesavior]

If you can't go to one of these schools for free, don't go. Your odds of getting a full-time, permanent lawyer job will probably be < 50% at any of them.

[SchopenhauerFTW]

Just make up ties bro

LOL is this a new meme from autoadmit? if not, lets start its use

Credited, d00d

LOL, just LOL.

[Titleist]

I feel like if i were to retake it i could only increase a few points at best. That's what i was getting on my practice tests and i feel as though i would have to take a year off just to retake it so i wouldnt have school and work and have enough time to study. I mean I already increased 7 points from my diagnostic so taking a year off just to get another point or two doesn't seem worth it to me

You should consider retaking. Another 2-3 months of studying would do wonders. My first LSAT and diagnostic were only 6 points off. However, my second LSAT was 13 points higher than my diagnostic. Really reconsider retaking it could do wonders for you in regards to scholarships.

To answer you original question I would advocate Texas Tech. I'm from Texas and Tech has a decent reputation especially in the DFW area. Texas has not been hit as hard during this recession so job prospects are not as bleak as some areas. Plus Tech has a very good trial advocacy program.

Good luck and RETAKE!

[lostlawman]

i am greatly considering texas tech. i have read that if they offer you a scholarship of $1000 or more, that you automatically qualify for in-state tuition? is that true? the only thing that is a downside with texas tech is the clinic availability. they have 6 clinics with only 50 spots total for a class size of 236

[Titleist]

I do not know about. I am actually going there this weekend for a UG moot court tournament. I will try and find out more about it. You might also consider South Texas College of Law. They place better than Tech in regards to employment. It is located in Houston which is a huge legal market.

[paratactical]

Beyond the problems with your numbers, which are serious problems, you don't seem to actually understand what you're getting yourself into employment wise.

Even if you could go to a great school, civil litigations that pay serious money are not practices that put you in the courtroom as much as you seem to want. There are a few exceptions, small firms that take claims to court and manage to get big money, but they're rare. You could shoot for a big firm (but not likely at all with the schools you're looking at - as in you would probably need to be number one in your class and employers are unlikely to care much about your clinics without being very high in you class rank) that actually goes to court, but for the first several years that you're out of school, you'll be researching and drafting papers, not going into court. And those big firms are where the money is.

Criminal practice, especially in a PD or DA office will get you court time, but it won't make you big money.

You need to seriously reconsider, especially with your numbers and goals. Get a job, take some time away from school and go back to the LSAT later and see how much higher you can score.

[romothesavior]

I do not know about. I am actually going there this weekend for a UG moot court tournament. I will try and find out more about it. You might also consider South Texas College of Law. They place better than Tech in regards to employment. It is located in Houston which is a huge legal market.

Just because it is a big city with a big legal market doesn't make it a good place to be for employment, especially if you go to a bad school. D.C. and Chicago are much bigger legal markets than Houston, and they are BRUTAL for jobs, especially for people at Kent, Loyola, JMLS, etc. Your assumption that because a school is close to a big market it is a good school to go to for job placement is way off.

Also, I don't think Houston is big enough to absorb all the STCL, UH, UT, smattering of SMU kids, etc. who are flocking there. It's not about the size of the market, but the number of openings compared to the number of job-seekers. Houston can't possibly absorb all of those students, and the city is certainly not a haven for high-paying jobs that would allow a STCL student to pay off their debt.

I admittedly do not know much about the TX legal market, and maybe STCL is an okay choice if you get a full ride. I just want to point out that your assumption is dangerously incorrect.

[Titleist]

I was not trying to say just because South Texas is in Houston it is a better school with better job prospect. However it certainty does help in Texas. Statistics back this fact up. Many reports and data you read show the pecking order as this:
1. UT
2. SMU
3. UH
4. Baylor
5. South Texas

Obviously nothing is guaranteed these days, not even in Texas, but it seems by these reports (if you believe in them) that South Texas has better job prospects than Tech.

[lostlawman]

but for the first several years that you're out of school, you'll be researching and drafting papers, not going into court.

You need to seriously reconsider, especially with your numbers and goals. Get a job, take some time away from school and go back to the LSAT later and see how much higher you can score.

that is why JAG is a serious possibility for me after law school. some of the best experience you can get and puts you right into the court room. i am greatly considering taking a year off to figure out what i want to do, fully dedicate myself to studying for the LSAT so i can hopefully increase my score and then trying to get another internship. but will 2-3 points on the LSAT make that much of a difference as far as scholarship money?

[somethingdemure]

but will 2-3 points on the LSAT make that much of a difference as far as scholarship money?

YES. Yes yes yes. Spend some time poking at lawschoolnumbers.com and you'll see the different treatment between your 158 and a 160-161 at your target schools.

and don't assume it will only be 2-3 points, I know people who improved 20 points after taking a prep course.

[Grizz]

but for the first several years that you're out of school, you'll be researching and drafting papers, not going into court.

You need to seriously reconsider, especially with your numbers and goals. Get a job, take some time away from school and go back to the LSAT later and see how much higher you can score.

that is why JAG is a serious possibility for me after law school. some of the best experience you can get and puts you right into the court room. i am greatly considering taking a year off to figure out what i want to do, fully dedicate myself to studying for the LSAT so i can hopefully increase my score and then trying to get another internship. but will 2-3 points on the LSAT make that much of a difference as far as scholarship money?

Dood JAG takes something like 2-3% of applicants, IIRC

At least large and medium sized firms will hire half of the kids from my school

[ilovesf]

I scored a 158 the first time I took the LSAT then scored a 165 the second time. It's too bad I didn't have TLS then, because then I definitely would have taken the LSAT a third time. You should study hard and retake. You'll end up going to a much better school and you won't regret it.

[paratactical]

but for the first several years that you're out of school, you'll be researching and drafting papers, not going into court.

You need to seriously reconsider, especially with your numbers and goals. Get a job, take some time away from school and go back to the LSAT later and see how much higher you can score.

that is why JAG is a serious possibility for me after law school. some of the best experience you can get and puts you right into the court room. i am greatly considering taking a year off to figure out what i want to do, fully dedicate myself to studying for the LSAT so i can hopefully increase my score and then trying to get another internship. but will 2-3 points on the LSAT make that much of a difference as far as scholarship money?

Do you have a history of military service?

[lostlawman]

but will 2-3 points on the LSAT make that much of a difference as far as scholarship money?

YES. Yes yes yes. Spend some time poking at lawschoolnumbers.com and you'll see the different treatment between your 158 and a 160-161 at your target schools.

and don't assume it will only be 2-3 points, I know people who improved 20 points after taking a prep course.

The thing is, i did take a prep course. I took a prep course for the june lsat and only increased 4 points til my last diagnostic so i decided to study some more and wait til the october lsat. I was then able to increase my score another 3 points. Thats why i am concerned i will not increase much even if i did take a prep course again

[lrslayer]

but for the first several years that you're out of school, you'll be researching and drafting papers, not going into court.

You need to seriously reconsider, especially with your numbers and goals. Get a job, take some time away from school and go back to the LSAT later and see how much higher you can score.

that is why JAG is a serious possibility for me after law school. some of the best experience you can get and puts you right into the court room. i am greatly considering taking a year off to figure out what i want to do, fully dedicate myself to studying for the LSAT so i can hopefully increase my score and then trying to get another internship. but will 2-3 points on the LSAT make that much of a difference as far as scholarship money?

from what i have read, jag is more competitive than even some of the most competitive firms.

[BarbellDreams]

*Didnt read most of other replies.

I had your exact stats and your exact softs. I went to Pitt at close to sticker.

Speaking as someone who did pretty well during 1L and have a job lined up: Retake or dont go. I have friends that are top quarter who do not have jobs right now. Its really that bad. Like romo said, you have easily less than a 50% chance of landing anything that pays above 30k a year, if that. People are graduating unemployed left and right.

Retaking really really sucks, I understand that its a year of your life that you cannot get back. Reason I didnt retake is because I had undergrad loans that would gain even more interest and would lose their grace period. With that said, even that probably wasn't a good idea. I made it out, but by blind luck to be honest with you. I know people who studied just as hard as I did and put in just as many hours and ended up with nothing. Everyone thinks they'll make a journal/be top x%/ get "at least a small firm job but the reality is over 50% won't. Don't make this mistake.

If you absolutely refuse to retake: Pick 10 locations you won't mind living in that have lower end T2's or TTT's. Apply to all of them. Attend whichever school will leave you with the least amount of debt. Your ideal aim is no more than 50k at graduation. Your "absolutely no way in hell more than" aim is 75k.

Good luck.