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[kwais]

Really it just sucks that you have such terrible choices. Did you bomb the LSAT or something? Anyway, better luck next time.

[yngblkgifted]

I just wanted to congratulate the OP on all of their accomplishments/options thus far. I think I (and everyone else on this website) would literally kill someone for your options. I am aware of the corporate internship that you're talking about, and I think it is an amazing opportunity, but it sounds like you started this thread to get reassurance on Brazil. If there was a poll, I'd vote Brazil, but I don't think you can go wrong either way. Good Luck!

[CMDantes]

Well that changes everything. If you have a guarantee on Yale in 2012, take the scholarship.

+1, try to defer the internship and take the scholarship.

[irie]

I forgot... if you are going to Brazil, you should also dump the girlfriend.

no need to dump her, if you can get yale to save your spot for 1 year maybe you can get her to match.

[tea_drinker]

Well that changes everything. If you have a guarantee on Yale in 2012, take the scholarship.

+1, try to defer the internship and take the scholarship.

This will be the best solution.

Honestly, if you want to go to Brazil for a year, then go. Given you graduate from Yale, you may not need that corporate law internship anyway.

[ahduth]

I forgot... if you are going to Brazil, you should also dump the girlfriend.

no need to dump her, if you can get yale to save your spot for 1 year maybe you can get her to match.

Not to point out the obvious here but... Brazilian girls?

[geoduck]

I forgot... if you are going to Brazil, you should also dump the girlfriend.

no need to dump her, if you can get yale to save your spot for 1 year maybe you can get her to match.

Not to point out the obvious here but... Brazilian girls?

Same deal as Yale. She would defer his position in her for a year and allow him to seek other experiences abroad a broad.

[FantasticMrFox]

If you want to take the scholarship, do it. It sounds like a once in a lifetime chance. Just a few caveats:

1) Remember that the mentioned scholarship comes with a service requirement that will severely limit your possible post-graduate plans (i.e. no clerkship, no biglaw).

2) Largely because of the service requirement, the mentioned scholarship isn't incredibly prestigious. If you want something to "bolster your resume" this isn't it (the work you do in Brazil, however, might be)

I'd take the internship

[tea_drinker]

I forgot... if you are going to Brazil, you should also dump the girlfriend.

no need to dump her, if you can get yale to save your spot for 1 year maybe you can get her to match.

Not to point out the obvious here but... Brazilian girls?

They may not look as good as they sound.

[rose711]

I'm not as sold on Brazil as everyone else. If that is where your future lies for sure, then I guess you should go. But, what about the corporate internship and the $$$? What will your finances be?

I think Brazil is a great chance to do something really cool - but is it going to get you some place you want to be? Will it end up costing you financially in money you can't afford to lose?

[AztecaRex]

First of all, thanks everyone for your advice, kind words, and congratulations--

Secondly, I know full well that Brazilian women are damn fine with incredible bundas, and this is partly why my girlfriend doesn't want me to even touch the scholarship

Thirdly, I was pretty much making this thread to feel better about perhaps taking the scholarship, but what a few posters (notanumber especially) stated about the lost career opportunities (particularly with regards to potential clerkships, which I am definitely interested in after graduation) are some points I hadn't considered.

So I guess my question may as well be revised to: do you guys think that having a year to de-stress, learn some cool things, and get a cool (if not extremely prestigious) feather in my cap is worth the potential girlfriend drama, lost time, and possible career changers?

N.B. If this changes anything with regards to the BRIC countries discussion, I already speak Mandarin, so if and when our Chinese overlords overtake us, I should be good on that end

[ArchitectureVince03]

Just checking out the details on the scholarship's website it does sound like you commit to something pretty specific (federal government work, their hope in some specific "priority" agencies).

It also states that you must begin fulfilling the requirement within three years of graduation (I assumed graduation from the program and not college/post-graduate opportunities). Have you checked with the program on the logistics of doing this with law school? Three years should allow you to complete law school and start a job in the federal government, but important to check about the fine print of the stipulations regardless if you haven't.

While I agreed with people's earlier sentiments once Yale gave you a deferral, I'm not so sure if it's worth it now after hearing the service requirements and possibly affecting/changing your career goals. The year of federal government work, while good experience (and you could potentially get a great position in those "priority" agencies with a Yale law degree) it could complicate or eliminate some opportunities such as clerkships, even some corporate opportunities. Maybe the job you would have for a year+ in the federal government would improve your resume for corporate law. It'd be worth trying to hear from some experts on the ability to lateral from the federal government after just a year (possibly a non-legal job, you might not have the time and flexibility to find a federal government legal job with the time and agency stipulations) into corporate law. But regardless it'd complicate or eliminate getting offers from any SA positions and the usual route of applying right after law school.

[worldtraveler]

Just checking out the details on the scholarship's website it does sound like you commit to something pretty specific (federal government work, their hope in some specific "priority" agencies).

It also states that you must begin fulfilling the requirement within three years of graduation (I assumed graduation from the program and not college/post-graduate opportunities). Have you checked with the program on the logistics of doing this with law school? Three years should allow you to complete law school and start a job in the federal government, but important to check about the fine print of the stipulations regardless if you haven't.

While I agreed with people's earlier sentiments once Yale gave you a deferral, I'm not so sure if it's worth it now after hearing the service requirements and possibly affecting/changing your career goals. The year of federal government work, while good experience (and you could potentially get a great position in those "priority" agencies with a Yale law degree) it could complicate or eliminate some opportunities such as clerkships, even some corporate opportunities. Maybe the job you would have for a year+ in the federal government would improve your resume for corporate law. It'd be worth trying to hear from some experts on the ability to lateral from the federal government after just a year (possibly a non-legal job, you might not have the time and flexibility to find a federal government legal job with the time and agency stipulations) into corporate law. But regardless it'd complicate or eliminate getting offers from any SA positions and the usual route of applying right after law school.

I feel obligated to jump into this thread because I want abroad on a Boren, twice. The "you have to work for the federal government" part of it is complete bullshit. Yes, they tell you that, but you don't really have to do it.

I haven't done my requirement. I can name at least 15-20 other people with a Boren who didn't do it either. There is no oversight. Seriously, no one checks up on it. My deadline to complete the service requirement is long gone and when I contacted them about it, they never got back to me. Similar story with all of my other friends who got one.

They don't even check up to see that you actually took language classes that you're supposed to take. I know somebody who got one to study Arabic, didn't enroll in an Arabic class and just dicked around the whole year. They never even asked for a transcript.

So yes, maybe you will end up needing to work for the federal government in some capacity, but probably not. Even if you do, you're never going to have to put off your education to go to the service requirement. If they contact you, saying "I'm going to Yale" will make them leave you alone for another couple years.

I suppose it's a possibility that someday the government will hunt me down and force me to take a job with them. That would actually be rather awesome because then I would have a job after law school.

Basically OP, don't let the fellowship requirements stop you from doing it. Go to Brazil. Once you're in law school, you're on a very specific trajectory and it's hard to get off of it. You may not get the chance to do something like this again without career repurcussions. Do it now and have a blast before you start law school.

A Boren will also increase your chances of getting a FLAS, which would help fund law school. Do it.

[geoduck]

The real question is... How serious is it?

If you aren't willing to put a ring on it, go enjoy Brazil(ians).

[yale2011]

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