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

[WrappedUpInBooks]

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

+1.

I worked, I paid bills. I've had a good couple years, but it's not like I had some planned "gap year" full of fun activities and living off my parents.

It was helpful for me because I have been working at a non profit in the general field I want to be in after law school, which will help show my dedication to PI.

I also got some needed time off from that whole school atmosphere. Working full-time is different, and I actually know what that's like now. Not only am I sure I want to go to law school, but I am excited to be in school again! If I had gone right out of undergrad, I would have been so burnt out.

I have saved up enough to travel for an entire month before law school though, so I'm excited for that!

[r2b2ct]

I'm taking a year off. It's given me time to prepare for the LSAT, but it's not doing any good for my resume so far. If I had taken the LSAT during UG, I would have preferred going to law school right after UG.

[S de Garmeaux]

In my year off right now. I work during the day as a legal assistant at a small firm near UG and deliver pizzas a couple nights a week at my UG job for extra cash. I recommend doing it if for nothing else than to live not-as-a-student for a while. My parents paid my rent and everything through UG. I'm now financially independent aside from being on my dad's health plan. It's an eye opener, living off ~16,000/yr in southern california can get pretty difficult, and I couldn't be more ready to be a student again.

[Kchuck]

I really needed to see this thread.

I'm contemplating taking a year off. Does anyone know how residency is affected during a gap year, say I move out of state for a year to work/live but still have family with a house in-state can I just claim that as my residence/ keep my driver's license in state, etc. Is that possible/ allowed?

[iShotFirst]

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

Haha +1

I really needed to see this thread.

I'm contemplating taking a year off. Does anyone know how residency is affected during a gap year, say I move out of state for a year to work/live but still have family with a house in-state can I just claim that as my residence/ keep my driver's license in state, etc. Is that possible/ allowed?

As for this, it wont make a difference, you can still keep your residency (although you may to have your family's house in-state listed on your LSAC). You can keep your old drivers licence no problem. Some states have rules concerning this, for example, California states you must change your drivers licence within ten days or you get some fines, but I havent changed mine yet and Ive lived here for ten months. Just dont carry anything that would identify you as a resident in a place where a cop might see it when you get pulled over.

[ConMan345]

I'm taking a year off and working. It's been a fantastic way to figure out what kind of work I want to do, even in a very general way. For instance, I've realized that the most important thing is that I'm intellectually challenged in my job. This is crucial information to have going into law school rather than finding out after the fact. I recommend everyone take at least a year off.

Also, 95% of the working attorneys I have asked (and I've asked many) say to take at least a year off.

[ApexChaser]

Addendum to my previous post. OP, if you decide to take a gap year, I highly recommend finding a temp. job-at least for a period of the year. It shows you aren't idle, adds another swanky previous-job/volunteer exp. to the resume (basically negating any detriments of a gap year), and provides income for adventures.

If your goal is big law, you likely will not have time for month+ trips to foreign countries (excluding study-abroad) for quite a while to come. A gap year can let you travel to the places you've always wanted to go-if that's your kind of thing.

[eye]

Addendum to my previous post. OP, if you decide to take a gap year, I highly recommend finding a temp. job-at least for a period of the year. It shows you aren't idle, adds another swanky previous-job/volunteer exp. to the resume (basically negating any detriments of a gap year), and provides income for adventures.

If your goal is big law, you likely will not have time for month+ trips to foreign countries (excluding study-abroad) for quite a while to come. A gap year can let you travel to the places you've always wanted to go-if that's your kind of thing.

Yes sir! I've got a few things lined up. Hoping to figure out exactly what I want out of law school during the gap year. I'm excited having almost made my decision. Scary at the same time..

[pearl_earrings]

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[Scarletlady]

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

Ditto. Paying bills on your own is good for your character, come on people.

[rg5020]

Yeah, I don't call it a "gap year" - I call it "working."

I had a pretty intense senior year academically, so I was burned out, and I just wasn't positive law school was the best decision for me. So, with a little help from my parents, I moved out to DC and found a job on Capitol Hill. I want to work in politics, so it seemed like the logical thing to do as I sort out my future.

I don't regret it at all. As other posters have said, you mature a lot. Paying rent, bills, learning to be truly independent - these things weigh a lot more on you than you would expect. I enjoy my job, but the most rewarding aspect of it has been meeting people who have forged all sorts of careers in "politics," and I have a much clearer idea of what I want to do than I did a year ago. Plus, the network I've built will help in the future.

I've also realized how important it is for me to be intellectually engaged to be happy. I don't think that my friends who went to law school right out of undergrad don't appreciate that their job is, essentially, to learn, and how great that is. When you're working for low pay in a menial position, you have a lot more motivation to make the most of law school. You think a lot about what you want to do and what would make you happy. In UG I managed to avoid those thoughts until about a day before graduation. In the real world you can't, and it sharpens your focus.

[sandiecohen47]

I graduated in May 2007 thinking I'd get my Ph.D is sociology. I worked 18 months at a think tank in DC and hated almost every part of my job. After a year there, I realized academia was the last thing I wanted to do and that being a legal advocate is what I truly wanted. I switched jobs, took the LSAT (twice) and am now ready and excited to go to law school and become a PI lawyer. Taking "gap years" is a great idea for most people. Unless you're 100 percent sure you want a J.D. and have had internships/externships in law, I'd recommend taking time off and really exploring what you want.

[pearl_earrings]

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[ze2151]

Very happy. I graduated Dec 06 and spent that time working (a lot), getting married (once), traveling (three times), and crushing the LSAT (2nd try). I'm much more interesting as a result. Take some time off. Figure out where you fit in the world, then let that shine through in your PS. Also, kill the LSAT.

[Rock of Love]

I'm working abroad and have traveled in nine countries over the past eight months. I feel refreshed and motivated to return to academia. Best decision I could have made.

[johndhi]

I worked as a paralegal for 1 year and 4 months, up until yesterday (!!!). I loved it and it's the reason I'm going to law school.

[02122015]

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[Panther7]

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

well, yeah, my "gap year" consisted of working two full time jobs for basically minimum wage, but whatever.

[Veyron]

Do it if you've got an interesting job lined up. I did and got into a reach so I guess it must have helped some. Also ready to go back to school in a way I wasn't right after college.

[heyyitskatie]

Unless you are a non-trad student (i.e. have lots of work experience, are already a real adult, etc.), definitely take time off.

If you think about it, the best case situation if you take no time off is that you go from four years of high school, four years of UG, and three years of LS to working 60+ hours with more money than you know how to manage having never done anything other than be a student. To me, that's really scary.

It's nice to arrive at a point beforehand where you keep your things adult clean instead of college clean, pay your bills, budget, etc. Most importantly, however, I think it's important to surround yourself with people who won't be going to law school or it's educational equivalent in other fields for awhile. Most of us bust our asses for this and become pretty blinded to other options, and it's important to realize that it's not the only option and that it's a choice you should make after exploring, not because "it's what you do next."

[cali gal]

Dealing with the real world for a gap year definitely makes me appreciate and look forward to returning to the student life.

[tianzi]

I entered my University with 48 credits from high school in 2002. I was poised to graduate in August 2004...I took the Dec. 2003 LSAT....did horrific! I applied anyways...I was shut out...So I decided to spend another year at University and add another major to my degree. I graduated in August 2005 as a result.

My mom said move back home so you don't have to pay rent and you can work and do whatever you want...So I got a job in customs and border protection as a Spanish interpreter in Oct 2005 and been there ever since...

Since then...
- I've become fluent in German, advanced in Mandarin, intermediate in French/Russian
- Bought everything I'll need for law school, from basic furniture in my room to hdtvs for the computers, iphone etc.
- Went from not having a passport and never being outside the country to having spent a combined total time of 7 months over 3 years in Germany, Russia, Ukraine, Spain, Portugal, France, Italy, Netherlands, Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil, Malaysia, China, HK, Macau, Canada, India, UAE.
- Gained lots of experience through my job on the government side of immigration law.
- Gained tremendous amounts of experience in dealing with non-US Citizens.
- Got to spend tons of time with my family

Finally I've regained my energy to focus and hopefully do well in law school. I thought I was ready in 2004...but I wasn't. If I had went in 2004, I would have never probably traveled until I was old...never got to work in the exciting environment I do...not have the things I have now for law school...not learn the languages I've had time to learn. While this go-round I don't think my LSAT is stelllar...(Went to have my eyes checked and was told a couple days before the test I might have brain cancer or something) and could be better...I'm happy with schools I've gained admission to so far. Waiting to hear back from several more still.

In any case I'm extremely happy I took the time off...I'm 25 now.

[Bikeflip]

ESL in SK. Lovin' it, but I do wish I had traveled more during my time here.

[yuzu]

ESL in SK. Lovin' it, but I do wish I had traveled more during my time here.

An elderly couple goes for a drive and gets lost.
They pull over, and the lady asks a bystander "Excuse me, could you tell us where we are?"
The bystander simply says, "Saskatoon, Saskatchewan."
The lady exclaims, "My goodness, George, we must really be lost. They don't even speak English here!"

(Or maybe you meant Slovakia or South Korea )


ApexChaser - your gap year sounds very much like mine was.

[eye]

It's official, I'm taking a gap year.

Many thanks to this helpful thread. If anything, it surfaced my desire to really take some time off and get a perspective!