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Have to make a decision by tomorrow morning. I just graduated UG in May and have taken the LSAT 1 time.

Background: 22 years old, dual degree grad, took LSAT once (161 score)

Option 1: Attend T2 state school in Oklahoma and graduate debt free, take job in fathers firm (He does not own the firm but is a senior partner), maybe try to do well and transfer after 1L? Father also wants to invest in some real estate deals with me as a side venture.

Option 2: Take a year off and retake the LSAT (PT in the upper 160 low 170s range now), fill time with a BS job and I guess just kill time, defer the scholarship. Same offer on the table a year later from T2 school. Try to go to a better school or one ranked in the 20-30s on scholarship.

Questions..... Do I want to stay on OK? I am 50/50 on this, I am very unsure
What I be happy at T2 state school? I would manage


If you were me, what would you do? Any constructive advice is greatly appreciated.

Dude, ITE, if that job with your dad pays relatively well and is relatively reliable, there is no question whatsoever: Option 1. This is the perfect formula

1. Go to law school for free
2. Get guaranteed, well-paying job at dad's firm
3. ?????
4. Profit

Edit: The options don't change from 1 to 2. Are you only considering the T2 no matter what? It sounds like #2 involves applying to more prestigious (see: expensive) schools.

Is anyone else having a hard time deciphering the title of this thread?

Option 2 would be retake and go to a better school, yes.

Title may have been a bit dramatic? My mistake, haha.

bilbobaggins wrote:Is anyone else having a hard time deciphering the title of this thread?

I understood it, but it did make me think, "really? Any advice? Literally? So, if I said bake me a pie and mail it to me..."

Appreciate the votes thus far, does anyone wantto add on to their vote?

You realize there's only one state law school in Oklahoma, right?

If you can pull a 165+, you can do a lot better, but if your Dad is keeping the corner office open for you, do you really need to?

Thanks for the response. There is no guarantee of a job, a good chance, yes. However, no guarantee. It is a tough decision but I am not sure what play to make.

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I still think the job would be there. According to him a 32 year old is making 220 plus bonuses this year. He went to OK but he is quite good according to my father

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I agree with the last poster. These choice aren't really mutually exclusive. If you believe that you can increase your score, then study for it and take it again.

I would say option 1 because the main point of going to the best school possible is to have a better chance in an extremely competitive job market. One of the downsides of this is large debt. But if you already have a very good chance at a job without having to do take on debt, then you should take it. Say you improve and end up going somewhere better-ranked. Chances are you'll go back to OK to work because that job is still there for you. You could try to get a job at a firm where your school is by going through rigorous interviews, or just go back home where the whole process would be much less stressful. I understand that going to a new place is enticing, but the words "debt-free" mixed with "job" just sound very desirable at least to me.

Best of luck with your decision

I say option 2. The reason- time constraints. You have a couple of hours before you must make the decision, a very important decision, and your mind is not made up yet. Take a year off, do the best that you can on the lsat ( if you can increase your score, do so) and enjoy being 22 years old. School, and your fathers help will still be there a year later. Rushing to make a major life changing decision is not a good plan. It seems you are not totally confident in either option, so take the time to weigh out what is important in your life. IF you are not sure if OK is where you want to stay, then use the time to explore and research other places where you think you may want to live and go to school.

Nepotism is your friend. Additionally the real estate venture sounds interesting.

When I apply my LSAC gpa will be a 3.4 if that makes any difference?

WLWL wrote:When I apply my LSAC gpa will be a 3.4 if that makes any difference?

With this GPA and a 165 the best you're probably looking at is something 20-30, which hardly guarantees your legal future in this economy. I guess there's no harm in trying - you're young and I can understand not wanting to rush into working for dad's firm. Maybe you feel like living somewhere else, trying to make it on your own, etc. All understandable but also risky. If the job is really there when you come back I suppose there's no harm in trying.

I was really hoping to get money at a school like W&L or something.

Will the real estate investing involve frequent trips to Hawaii, Fiji & Switzerland ?

If your PT's are at the 170 level, I'd say the best choice is number 2. You could either get into some great schools, which will open up other opportunities, or get a larger scholarship to defray your debt. As for some BS job you'll have to take for the year... you don't think you'd be able to get a paralegal position of some sort with the firm?

Haha, real estate would be owning rental property etc.

I would also like to get into local politics and my father has been a politician in the area for 20 years. He feels he could help me get elected to a local position my first year out? However, who knows if that is true? Would going to Oklahoma look better for politics?

Total Litigator wrote:If your PT's are at the 170 level, I'd say the best choice is number 2. You could either get into some great schools, which will open up other opportunities, or get a larger scholarship to defray your debt. As for some BS job you'll have to take for the year... you don't think you'd be able to get a paralegal position of some sort with the firm?

I would probably get a job is business as I have 2 business degrees from a top UG. I would try to earn as much cash as possible while living at home.

Going to Oklahoma will look better for Oklahoma politics.

CanadianWolf wrote:Going to Oklahoma will look better for Oklahoma politics.

Really? That much better?