Top Law Schools

I plan to take 1~2 years off if I'm accepted to the school of my choice (I'm a rising senior).
Let's say, hypothetically, I get into Cornell. After paying my deposit (securing my spot) and taking a leave of absence or whatever procedure that is appropriate, I hope to work/volunteer.

My question is:

1. Will I still have access to the law student email account? (xxx@law.cornell.edu, for example)

I feel that having such email address will be a convenient preliminary verification when looking for employment.

2. Would you introduce yourself as a 1L who's taking a leave of absence, or a 0L who deferred enrollment?

3. Would you be able to put your expected law degree on your resume?

I'd really appreciate any feed back from those who took gap years. Cheers!

I am not a deferred student but here are my responses:

1. Ask your school. They will know the definite answer to this, it may even vary from school to school.

2. 0L for people who know. I got the sense that 0L is more an unofficial term so I don't see why you would use it to introduce yourself anyways. I wouldn't consider somebody a 1L till they started classes.

3. I don't think this is disingenuous. Just put expected enroll date, expected graduation date, and a line saying acceptance deferred to 201X.

bk187,

thanks for your response.

The reason why I asked about the student status is becasue in some parts of the world (East Asia, for ex.) taking a gap year is a very alien concept and I wouldn't have the easiest time explaining what 0L is ("So, you aren't accepted yet?") Taking a year off even before I actually begin my first year wouldn't necessarily be the norm there.... of course, your definition that a 1L is someone who started classes makes perfect sense...

I just want to find a way to conveniently introduce myself in cover letters, etc without compromising my integrity.

kangbookboy wrote:bk187,

thanks for your response.

The reason why I asked about the student status is becasue in some parts of the world (East Asia, for ex.) taking a gap year is a very alien concept and I wouldn't have the easiest time explaining what 0L is ("So, you aren't accepted yet?") Taking a year off even before I actually begin my first year wouldn't necessarily be the norm there.... of course, your definition that a 1L is someone who started classes makes perfect sense...

I just want to find a way to conveniently introduce myself in cover letters, etc without compromising my integrity.

"My name is kangbookboy. blah intro blah i want a job blah. I have been accepted to XXX Law School and have deferred my admittance until the fall of 2011 when I will be joining the class of 2014. Blah blah blah."

Seems pretty convenient to me.

(Though not applicable in this case, hopefully, when you said you would refer to yourself as a 1L (I assume in professional cases), you actually meant you would use the phrase "first year law student." Many people would be just as confused by the term "1L" as the term "0L.")

manbearwig wrote: "My name is kangbookboy. blah intro blah i want a job blah. I have been accepted to XXX Law School and have deferred my admittance until the fall of 2011 when I will be joining the class of 2014. Blah blah blah."

Seems pretty convenient to me.

(Though not applicable in this case, hopefully, when you said you would refer to yourself as a 1L (I assume in professional cases), you actually meant you would use the phrase "first year law student." Many people would be just as confused by the term "1L" as the term "0L.")

Agreed, this is probably the best way to go about.

Schools do allow deferment but some of them are clear that its on a case by case basis meaning they defer you if there is a 1 or 2 year program you have already been accepted to and want to do. Imho, I think if you are accepted and say "hey im not ready yet or i want to look for a job"....I don't think that's looked favorably upon.

I could be wrong so someone feel free to correct me.

Yeah, I don't know if you can defer w/o a solid reason. You probably have to have a job/program lined up before you ask to be deferred, and depending on the school I believe that some can/will refuse if the reason's not good enough.

Why don't you get a job/volunteer first, apply second?

kangbookboy wrote:I plan to take 1~2 years off if I'm accepted to the school of my choice

I'm a deferred admit, and I don't think any good school will allow you to defer to "take time off."

2ofspades wrote:

kangbookboy wrote:I plan to take 1~2 years off if I'm accepted to the school of my choice

I'm a deferred admit, and I don't think any good school will allow you to defer to "take time off."

Eh, Harvard gives you a deferral for basically anything if you write it up nicely, and Stanford gave me one to travel. I think it depends a lot on the school.

Still, if you do something interesting, it may help your applications.