White House Internship? Take or turn down? Forum

[juevonate]

do the internship---never pass up a potentially amazing, growth-producing experience.

The sole purpose of your life should not be to get into a good law school, contrary to what some might say on this board.

You're putting even more pressure on yourself for the October LSAT--if you do poorly, you'll always wonder what doors could have been opened, and what experiences you might have missed out on.

Bottom line is that you've already put in the work for the LSAT. From here out, it's just going to be diminishing returns. Stay fresh, but don't pass up a potentially life-changing experience to study for a test you've already studied for.

[CapHillLove]

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[juevonate]

See that's the thing though---you don't know. You've already done the time for the LSAT.

[270910]

I actually had another idea I wanted to share with you OP:

Sept-Dec Pennsylvania Ave
Dec-June LSAT books and/or course
June 180
Fall 2011 HY$
Fall 2012 mad jobs
Summer 2013 30-40 grand
Fall 2014 NY TO 190

[CapHillLove]

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[keg411]

I actually had another idea I wanted to share with you OP:

Sept-Dec Pennsylvania Ave
Dec-June LSAT books and/or course
June 180
Fall 2011 HY$
Fall 2012 mad jobs
Summer 2013 30-40 grand
Fall 2014 NY TO 190

And you wouldn't have to enjoy dla piper....

[notanumber]

It's easy enough to study for the LSAT while working full-time job. You just need to prioritize properly and develop a regimented study schedule.

From your comments, though, it sounds like you want to be talked out of taking this internship. Don't spend a few months doing something that you hate just because it will be a slight positive factor in your law school applications. Figure out another way to spend your time. You only live once.

[MissSaunders]

Taking the internship does not mean you will not do well on your LSAT or that you will have to put off law school for a year. Many people study for the LSAT while working full time (I studied for it while working crazy amounts of hours per week in a very intense job, it can be done!). But it sounds like you actually do not want to do the internship and are looking for people to support your decision. Bottom line: the LSAT is no excuse, if you don't want to do the internship, don't take it and stand by your decision. It sounds like you would be happier, and the person who would get your internship spot would certainly be happy!

[270910]

Have you thought about this:

Sept-Dec Pennsylvania Ave
Dec-June LSAT books and/or course
June 180
Fall 2011 HY$
Fall 2012 mad jobs
Summer 2013 30-40 grand
Fall 2014 NY TO 190

[spanktheduck]

I would do the internship. I doubt it will give you any real boost for ls admissions or hiring, but I imagine it would be a great experience. It also should give you something interesting to talk about in interviews, especially for current or former gov't attorneys, and you might make some tangible connections. Additionally, it lets you sit out the entering the legal market for another year to see whether the economy starts to rebound slightly and whether the debt is worth it.

[Nom Sawyer]

To answer your question OP, the fact is a WH internship will not make or break any application to law school, except perhaps for HYS.

With a 3.8 you would need a 176+ to have a decent chance at those anyways... For the rest of the schools, LSAT is going to be exponentially more important then this.

Basically this internship < 1 extra point on the LSAT. If you think you'll score one more point higher on the LSAT, I say don't take the job.

[Always Credited]

Sure, take the internship. What could possibly go wrong?

[skiingimpy]

OP- What's the point of going to law school? To get a job, right? Yeah, this internship isn't going to help you significantly in getting into law school, but getting into law school isn't the end all be all. The job that you're going to get afterwards is the whole point, and this internship will help you with getting that job. If you can't balance the WH and your light studying to get ready for the LSAT, 1L is going to be a nasty surprise.

DiscoBarred has TCR

[let/them/eat/cake]

Have you thought about this:

Sept-Dec Pennsylvania Ave
Dec-June LSAT books and/or course
June 180
Fall 2011 HY$
Fall 2012 mad jobs
Summer 2013 30-40 grand
Fall 2014 NY TO 190

HAHA +3. nice.

you're going to really regret not taking the internship when you screw something else up on try #2 and are still in the middle of the app cycle. Even if June is 160 again u still can take again in Sep/Oct, and you will have had more WE.

also, just take disco's advice, bc he took the time to post it, thrice.

[mpasi]

]
White house is pretty dime a dozen. Capitol hill is pretty popular - I don't think mine gave me any sort of advantage - except that it was a great experience, allowed me to network, and helped me decide what I might like to do one day.

White House internships are hard to get, actually. I agree that Capitol Hill is far easier, and only prestigious if you intern for a high-profile member.

As for the OP...you can intern once you're in law school. Why can't you do both? Intern during the day, study at night?

[SuperFreak]

Take the internship.

/endthread

Take the LSAT in December.

[CapHillLove]

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[kurla88]

Here's my question - if you don't take this internship, what are you going to do? Studying for the LSAT and working on law school apps is time consuming but I wouldn't call it a full time job. Especially after October?

It's probably not going to make or break your app, but schools would prefer for you to be not unemployed on your remaining year off.

Also no idea what white house internships are like, but since this is unpaid, my guess is that its not going to be a high stress, often there after 6 kind of deal.

[CapHillLove]

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[rundoxierun]

dude.. the LSAT is not like a job you only need 3 hrs a day during the week if you are on some ridiculous hardcore regime... you really dont even need to do it every day. 3 hrs a day for 3 weekdays and then 4-5 hrs on the weekends should be plenty and you should def have plenty of time to study...

[DorianGray89]

Def. take the internship. I have a full time job right now and I manage to study afterwards for five to six hours, and on the weekends, and if you already took it, means you aren't starting from zero. Def. take the internship, EVERYONE and their mother has had an internship at Capitol Hill, White House Internships are very hard to come by, so do it, and study, it's only a month from when you start your internship to when the LSAT is. It's a no brainer.

[lucy77]

You'd be a fool if you didn't take the internship. You can still study in the evenings and on the weekends, you'd be gaining work experience, and you'd be making contacts that you couldnt make elsewhere. Take the internship.

[bex]

Definitely take the internship and put law school off. Apply next cycle if you need to retake the LSAT.

Congrats on a fantastic opportunity! It should really stand out!

[namename]

Depends on what you would like to do after law school. That said, you should take the internship. When you apply to a nonprofit/think tank/leg. office as an issue analyst or advocate, having WH on your resume will put you on top of the other candidates. It will also provide an incredible opportunity to network.

On the other hand, I don't know what your personal reasons are for wanting to start law school right away.

[lawschoollll]

Do both bro. The hours suck but countless people work and study simultaneously.