Scholarship conundrum Forum

[Ruxin1]

The longer you work and stay out of law school the more you will distance yourself from that UGPA

[futurejdgirl]

Does anyone know the actual impact research can have on law school admissions? It is law related.

Also, working is not an option because I cannot find a relevant valuable job for the life of me that will hire me.

[Ruxin1]

Does anyone know the actual impact research can have on law school admissions? It is law related.

Also, working is not an option because I cannot find a relevant valuable job for the life of me that will hire me.

I never said it needed to be relevant, damnit you are dense.

[futurejdgirl]

Does anyone know the actual impact research can have on law school admissions? It is law related.

Also, working is not an option because I cannot find a relevant valuable job for the life of me that will hire me.

I never said it needed to be relevant, damnit you are dense.

I said that because for me deferring would only be worth it if it was relevant work. I clearly articulated that requirement in my other posts in this thread.

[Ruxin1]

Does anyone know the actual impact research can have on law school admissions? It is law related.

Also, working is not an option because I cannot find a relevant valuable job for the life of me that will hire me.

I never said it needed to be relevant, damnit you are dense.

I said that because for me deferring would only be worth it if it was relevant work. I clearly articulated that requirement in my other posts in this thread.

Yes, but you are wrong, would you rather be making 40k in 3 years while paying off a shitload of debt, or make a pittance now and set yourself up for a legal career? The information is out there, if you choose to ignore it that is your own prerogative.

[Band A Long]

I like American enough to stay there for three years (hopefully getting more scholarship the second and third years) but I will see if circumstances permit me to transfer as well.

This seems to be an unwise perspective heading into law school. Conventional wisdom would seem to err against going somewhere with the enormous assumptions that you will be able to a) increase your scholarship (what incentive would American have to do such a thing?) and b) transfer to a different school.

Also, working is not an option because I cannot find a relevant valuable job for the life of me that will hire me.

What is "relevant?" What is your UG major? Do you have any other work experience? Are you only looking for jobs in your local area / do you live by any major metropolitan areas? Understandably there is hustle involved in getting a job in tough economic times, but non-ideal law school at close to sticker price will only delay the inevitable...

The longer you work and stay out of law school the more you will distance yourself from that UGPA

Work experience reduces negatives associated with GPA. Retaking may provide increase scholarship opportunities. Doing both of these things allow you to fulfill your research goals, perhaps even to your further benefit of your law school softs (e.g. opportunity to get published, positive recommendations). For all of your frustration at the recommendations of some TLS users, there seems to be a good nugget of advice here...

[futurejdgirl]

I'm not going SOLELY on the idea that I want to transfer or that I'll receive scholarship. I talked to numerous students while I was there (random ones) who told me that American does provide more scholarship than other law schools in the interest of retention, because a lot of top performing students do transfer to better schools in DC. So its not an impossibility but its also not a guarantee and I realize that.

International Relations is my major and I looked for ANY job, even clerical that would get me in at a nonprofit or law firm but haven't had any luck. Sent out maybe 100+ applications. I don't imagine it will get any better. The only thing that could possibly work is a program to teach English abroad that I received an offer from but I don't know if it would help me that much. It's not exactly going to help me career wise. I know the personal experience would be awesome, yet it still isn't a good reason to defer law school.

Again, work experience will help me out if it is relevant, so...back to square one. I understand the suggestions but if those helped me out, I wouldn't have posted a thread, because there are millions offering the same advice to others.

[Ruxin1]

I'm not going SOLELY on the idea that I want to transfer or that I'll receive scholarship. I talked to numerous students while I was there (random ones) who told me that American does provide more scholarship than other law schools in the interest of retention, because a lot of top performing students do transfer to better schools in DC. So its not an impossibility but its also not a guarantee and I realize that.

International Relations is my major and I looked for ANY job, even clerical that would get me in at a nonprofit or law firm but haven't had any luck. Sent out maybe 100+ applications. I don't imagine it will get any better. The only thing that could possibly work is a program to teach English abroad that I received an offer from but I don't know if it would help me that much. It's not exactly going to help me career wise. I know the personal experience would be awesome, yet it still isn't a good reason to defer law school.

Again, work experience will help me out if it is relevant, so...back to square one. I understand the suggestions but if those helped me out, I wouldn't have posted a thread, because there are millions offering the same advice to others.

I wonder why that is?

[CanadianWolf]

I agree with Mal Reynolds advice posted above.

Concentrate on your research project. Reapply. Your resume &, hence, your law school application should be stronger due to an enhanced resume & another year of growth & maturity. Whether or not you retake the LSAT is up to you. Even without doing so, your results should be better both financially & in number of higher ranked options.

[Band A Long]

International Relations is my major and I looked for ANY job, even clerical that would get me in at a nonprofit or law firm but haven't had any luck. Sent out maybe 100+ applications.

What is your end-game here? Diplomat/governmental service? CIA/FBI? Space law? Also, re-asking the question I had earlier — how wide is the net you are casting for employment, geographically speaking?

Concentrate on your research project. Reapply. Your resume &, hence, your law school application should be stronger due to an hanced resume & another year of growth & maturity. Whether or not you retake the LSAT is up to you. Even without doing so, your results should be better both financially & in number of higher ranked options.

Mad ampersands, homie.

[sundance95]

I know the personal experience would be awesome, yet it still isn't a good reason to defer law school.

Actually it is. Not being K-JD will not only help you succeed in law school, it will also make you a more well-rounded person.

Another good reason is that you are setting yourself up for a future of debt+nojerbpwned pain.

I sincerely hope you don't do this only to bitterly regret not deferring after your 1L/OCI.

[Ohiobumpkin]

So are you trying to go into international relations/government work with a J.D.? I would recommend that you also consider that unless you end up in the top of your class at a government feeder school (some top-14, plus AU maybe), you are likely in for one hell of a struggle trying to find employment in the D.C. market. I would recommend that you choose the school that offers the best bang for the buck, and work your tail off in order to get into the top of your class. Also, I understand where you're coming from with the desire not to work a job you could have gotten with just a high school degree or less, but honestly, you should bite the bullet like a lot of people. I'm stuck working a manual labor job for a year between college and LS, but I have a steady income, have new references, and I get a little pride by at least being employed. Trust me, you can afford to take an unappealing job for a year, retake the LSAT, and get into a top LS that will maximize your IR world domination plans (if your really determined D.C.+IR is the only way)!

[IAFG]

Translation: I'm unemployable due to my unimpressive degree. I plan to correct this with another unimpressive degree that leaves many unemployable.