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Some hard decisions, would appreciate a fresh look.
Posted: Sun Jan 03, 2010 6:45 pm
by politics
Background:
Senior in UG
Took LSAT in December and got a 160
GPA = 3.45 (Econ and Management degrees)
Was PTing at the 169-171 range
I studied for the LSAT for 3 months, hard, but I was extremely time crunched due to a hard class load and I just mentally lost it all semester
My parents would like for me to go straight into LS and come take over my fathers large practice/jump into politics. My father has a very profitable practice and is already well established in politics and I am entertaining this idea, but I am not 100% sure this is what I want to do with my life seeing as where I am from is not a very desirable place to live and I am not 100% committed on politics. (about 50/50 on whether this is what I want) I also do not want to take a year off for nothing which would be the case if I come back and do what was mentioned above. I have already been offered a scholarship at my states TTT LS but I am aware that a degree from this LS confines me to choosing the pre-proven path.
I was entertaining the Feb. LSAT to see if I could do better and would know if I reached my max potential or not but I go back to school in 10 days and have a very hard last semester so I can not really devote a lot of study time for the retake.
I am just looking for a fresh set of eyes on the situation so all thoughts are appreciated.
I am contemplating on the following:
1. Take the year off and restudy for the exam
2. Take the scholarship and just go home and take over the established life
3. Apply and pay sticker at a school in the 40-60 range
Re: Some hard decisions, would appreciate a fresh look.
Posted: Sun Jan 03, 2010 6:50 pm
by Sauer Grapes
....
Re: Some hard decisions, would appreciate a fresh look.
Posted: Sun Jan 03, 2010 6:52 pm
by Sourpunch
Why is this decision hard man? Find a school in your area and go to it. Fuck the rank it doesn't matter. When you graduate, take over your dad's firm and you will get your reputation through work rather than school.
Re: Some hard decisions, would appreciate a fresh look.
Posted: Sun Jan 03, 2010 6:54 pm
by politics
I really felt like I undershot for UG and really had a dream to go to a great LS and keep my options open. I do not want to be confined to working in my home state after I receive my degree. Hard choice for me. I scored low because I was so burnt out and tired when I took the test due to my school work load and trying to study as much as possible.
Re: Some hard decisions, would appreciate a fresh look.
Posted: Sun Jan 03, 2010 6:54 pm
by gocubs2010
politics wrote:Background:
Senior in UG
Took LSAT in December and got a 160
GPA = 3.45 (Econ and Management degrees)
Was PTing at the 169-171 range
I studied for the LSAT for 3 months, hard, but I was extremely time crunched due to a hard class load and I just mentally lost it all semester
My parents would like for me to go straight into LS and come take over my fathers large practice/jump into politics. My father has a very profitable practice and is already well established in politics and I am entertaining this idea, but I am not 100% sure this is what I want to do with my life seeing as where I am from is not a very desirable place to live and I am not 100% committed on politics. (about 50/50 on whether this is what I want) I also do not want to take a year off for nothing which would be the case if I come back and do what was mentioned above. I have already been offered a scholarship at my states TTT LS but I am aware that a degree from this LS confines me to choosing the pre-proven path.
I was entertaining the Feb. LSAT to see if I could do better and would know if I reached my max potential or not but I go back to school in 10 days and have a very hard last semester so I can not really devote a lot of study time for the retake.
I am just looking for a fresh set of eyes on the situation so all thoughts are appreciated.
I am contemplating on the following:
1. Take the year off and restudy for the exam
2. Take the scholarship and just go home and take over the established life
3. Apply and pay sticker at a school in the 40-60 range
are your parents going to pay for it? are they trying to force you to go to the state law school? if you can go where you want, you might as well retake and go to a school that you really want to attend. you could probably be just as helpful to your father's political career by taking the year after you graduate to study for the lsat and work for him. gives you some experience. maybe meet some lawyers who graduated from wherever you want to go to law school and get a LOR.
Re: Some hard decisions, would appreciate a fresh look.
Posted: Sun Jan 03, 2010 6:58 pm
by BaiAilian2013
If you take a year off, study for the LSAT, and get a higher score, you will get into higher ranked schools and get more money at the lower ranked schools, which will open up some more options for you if you decide you don't want to take over your dad's practice. Personally, I would be wary of putting myself in a position - the position, for instance, of having paid sticker at a T2 - where working for my family might end up as my only option.
Re: Some hard decisions, would appreciate a fresh look.
Posted: Sun Jan 03, 2010 7:12 pm
by politics
The opinions thus far have been much appreciated everyone.
Re: Some hard decisions, would appreciate a fresh look.
Posted: Sun Jan 03, 2010 7:17 pm
by Sourpunch
Man don't make the mistake of not taking over your father's firm. You will be able to make good money and I'm sure where you live now isn't that bad.
You just don't have a better option if your LSAT sucks balls.
Re: Some hard decisions, would appreciate a fresh look.
Posted: Sun Jan 03, 2010 7:23 pm
by straxen
I am not 100% sure this is what I want to do with my life
Then do yourself a major favor and take time off. You are too old to be making decisions based on what your parents want you to do. Find out what it is that
you want to do before you make a life-changing decision. Time off will help you figure that out. I am immensely grateful that I took time off (2 years) between undergrad and law school. By the way, those years go by very fast.
If you go to law school now, particularly one that is ranked far below what you might otherwise be able to pull off, you will have very limited options later. You don't want to fall into a miserable life because of your parents' pressure. And I certainly wouldn't make a life plan based on a political career. At the very least, if you're sure you do want to do law, restudy and nail the LSAT and you'll have better alternatives from which to choose.
Re: Some hard decisions, would appreciate a fresh look.
Posted: Sun Jan 03, 2010 7:31 pm
by politics
I am not ruling out returning home after LS. I would prefer to go to a school that allows me to have options after I graduate. I am sure if I return a year later than expected his practice and politics would still be there. I just want to know if I am thinking foolishly.
Re: Some hard decisions, would appreciate a fresh look.
Posted: Sun Jan 03, 2010 7:37 pm
by straxen
politics wrote:I am not ruling out returning home after LS. I would prefer to go to a school that allows me to have options after I graduate. I am sure if I return a year later than expected his practice and politics would still be there. I just want to know if I am thinking foolishly.
You're not foolish, at least you're asking the question. But you've already answered it. Unless you know 100% that you want to take over your father's practice, the answer is to take time off, figure out what you do want, and do everything in your power to nail the LSAT presuming that still involves law school. Then you'll have more options in hand at the end of your school against which to weigh taking over your dad's practice.
OTOH, if you were 100% sure you wanted to take over your dad's practice, the advice would be completely different. Go to any school that is decent and do it.
Re: Some hard decisions, would appreciate a fresh look.
Posted: Sun Jan 03, 2010 7:44 pm
by vanwinkle
I'm going to suggest you talk to your parents, tell them that you're not 100% sure what you want to do, and that you'd like to take time to think about things, retake the LSAT, and have the chance to go to a better law school. TELL them this is what you'd like to do, and that it'll only push things back by a year. I bet they'll be okay with that if you tell them it's what you really want, and it sounds like it is.
Re: Some hard decisions, would appreciate a fresh look.
Posted: Mon Jan 04, 2010 10:59 am
by politics
Thanks for all the responses. All the advice was much appreciated and as much as I want to sit for the February test, I believe that it would be a mistake. I do not feel near as ready as I should and I am pretty damn tired.
Re: Some hard decisions, would appreciate a fresh look.
Posted: Tue Jan 05, 2010 5:15 pm
by politics
Anyone else want to add anything? I believe I will prep again this semester and retake in June/September. A 160 is a just an awful score.
Re: Some hard decisions, would appreciate a fresh look.
Posted: Tue Jan 05, 2010 5:24 pm
by jarofsoup
Apply see where u get in and study for retake. If you get higher take a year off.
Re: Some hard decisions, would appreciate a fresh look.
Posted: Tue Jan 05, 2010 5:54 pm
by NayBoer
Go for it again in Jun or Oct and see what happens.
Consider getting some kind of internship with your dad's firm after the LSAT, so you can see if you would hate working there. Try to keep it in perspective, by which I mean most people kind of hate their jobs (thus, they require compensation to show up).
T14 may not be worth the extra cost if you end up running the family firm. Whether it will help politically depends on the area. It will hurt in some places to go to a far-away 'snobby' school.