How much does work experience count? Forum

[username99]

How much do law schools really take work experience into account? I have a good resume, but will it matter much? By the time I go back, I'll have a White House internship and four years managing a department of a major law firm. Will this have much of an impact? I don't imagine that it will put me into a huge reach school or anything like that, but can it maybe push me into a school my numbers wouldn't have gotten me into? Thanks for your advice.

[rman1201]

It really helps with Yale, Stanford, and most notably Northwestern. It can give you a very slight bump just about anywhere else, particularly if your numbers are borderline.

[09042014]

How much do law schools really take work experience into account? I have a good resume, but will it matter much? By the time I go back, I'll have a White House internship and four years managing a department of a major law firm. Will this have much of an impact? I don't imagine that it will put me into a huge reach school or anything like that, but can it maybe push me into a school my numbers wouldn't have gotten me into? Thanks for your advice.

It won't take you anywhere your numbers won't. But it will probably help at schools where your numbers are borderline.

[username99]

How much can it affect things with Northwestern?

[09042014]

How much can it affect things with Northwestern?

It's a defacto requirement at Northwestern. 98% have 1 year, 80% have 2 years, and something like 50% have 3 or more years.

What are your numbers.

[username99]

167, 3.47 (3.63 actual, but 3.47 after lsdas)

[PoliticalJunkie]

My W/E got me into many of my reaches (ie schools that I was below both LSAT/GPA 25% and in some cases not even in the range).

Don't underestimate how interesting and non conventional W/E can help your admissions cycle. Too Many people on TLS advised me that "it would only help for a borderline cases." That is only true if you were an accountant, a legal assistant, etc. If you're going to do, or want to do something non conventional, that 'wisdom' doesn't apply.

[username99]

Thanks! I'm hoping to have a shot at GW, BU, Emory, Fordham and then it would be awesome to have a shot to reach to like Cornell, UCLA or Northwestern. Hoping it can work out.

[09042014]

167, 3.47 (3.63 actual, but 3.47 after lsdas)

You'd have no shot unless you got to 170.

[username99]

For which

[09042014]

For which

Northwestern.

You need to be at or above at least one of a schools medians.

[username99]

Yeah I figure but I'll try to charm the pants off them and perhaps buy them a flower. How about for the others I mentioned?

[09042014]

Yeah I figure but I'll try to charm the pants off them and perhaps buy them a flower. How about for the others I mentioned?

GW- You've got a shot, maybe 1/2 chance

Emory- In with around 60K

BU - Good shot, but not nearly certain

Fordham - Probably in.

[username99]

Great, thanks for the thoughts! I'm surprised about the 60K at Emory. That'd be sweet. What about like Cornell/UCLA/TX/USC? Any chance?

By the way, US needs to score soon.

[bankruptedcasino]

My W/E got me into many of my reaches (ie schools that I was below both LSAT/GPA 25% and in some cases not even in the range).

Don't underestimate how interesting and non conventional W/E can help your admissions cycle. Too Many people on TLS advised me that "it would only help for a borderline cases." That is only true if you were an accountant, a legal assistant, etc. If you're going to do, or want to do something non conventional, that 'wisdom' doesn't apply.

TITCR. But I have to emphasize non-conventional. In the eyes of an adcomm, if they perceive your WE to be as, or more, rigorous than being a 1L at their school it would give you a bump. Think: IB, management consultant, top producing broker at a major investment firm. Also, bumps come from a strong MBA-type resume with a track record of promotions into supervisory roles and increased responsibility over a number of years. Conversely, being the friendliest person on the waitstaff at Applebee's or earning Employee of the Month at Home Depot won't help you at all.

And, as usual, Desert Fox is credited. It doesn't matter if you're any of the "bump" careers before law school - if you're a 3.0/150 you're not going to Yale.