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Hi folks. Here I am again, the guy who was busting your balls about URM status.

Right now, my credentials are such that I might end up in a top 100 school, or I might end up in a top 10 school if I'm lucky. This is because I haven't taken the LSAT yet and because I still have some classes left so my GPA could fluctuate.

I'm lucky to be graced with the opportunity to return to Libya after the revolution and volunteer in the reconstruction. How much would this help with my prospects of getting into a school? How much would it help if I served in the local government there, such as a city council or provincial government seat? These are both somewhat realistic opportunities. It would, however, delay my application by about three years. I don't know whether that is relevant.

Additionally, how important are internships with legal or lobbying organizations? I attended a conference recently where CAIR and MPAC both attended and solicited internship possibilities and volunteer opportunities (in other words, I can definitely volunteer but there may not be internships available near my residence) from them. Would it be worth my time? How big a difference will it make?

How big is the difference between, say:
3.55 GPA
168 LSAT
Minimal volunteer work.

vs

3.55 GPA
168 LSAT
participation in Libyan reconstruction. Participation in Libyan local government.
Volunteer for CAIR.

?

How about working for the current Libyan government. That is, for Gadhafi.

Usually, for this range of GPA/LSAT, schools are number whores. But being able to demonstrate a substantive involvement with the Libyan reconstruction would, I think, get you into territory you might otherwise not be able to get into. You might score on MVP, maybe even CCN if you're role in the reconstruction is really serious. But going back and doing some minor construction to repair shelled buildings isn't what I'm talking about.

Otherwise, enjoy Cornell, WUSTL, and GW. Maybe even Vandy.

I'd step back and really consider whether you want to look at these volunteer opportunities as a means to an end.

PinkCow wrote:I'd step back and really consider whether you want to look at these volunteer opportunities as a means to an end.

I don't. I intend to travel to Libya anyways. My options though are to teach English, or to pursue a more governmental role. Teaching English pays the bills though in addition to benefiting my compatriots, so I'd stick with that unless government has some other benefit (such as helping my law school app).

afitouri wrote:

PinkCow wrote:I'd step back and really consider whether you want to look at these volunteer opportunities as a means to an end.

I don't. I intend to travel to Libya anyways. My options though are to teach English, or to pursue a more governmental role. Teaching English pays the bills though in addition to benefiting my compatriots, so I'd stick with that unless government has some other benefit (such as helping my law school app).

Ah. I see. Well either way those are soft and are subjective and hard to gauge. Depending on your presentation, how you write your PS, DS, etc., a soft like government work could provide a good boost at certain top schools, depending on your LSAT range. But when it comes down to it, putting 3 years in to study for the LSAT and getting a 175 will do much more for you than doing the government thing and getting a 168.

So if you're really pushing for law school, numbers are nearly always more focus-worthy than soft factors.

PinkCow wrote:

afitouri wrote:

PinkCow wrote:I'd step back and really consider whether you want to look at these volunteer opportunities as a means to an end.

I don't. I intend to travel to Libya anyways. My options though are to teach English, or to pursue a more governmental role. Teaching English pays the bills though in addition to benefiting my compatriots, so I'd stick with that unless government has some other benefit (such as helping my law school app).

Ah. I see. Well either way those are soft and are subjective and hard to gauge. Depending on your presentation, how you write your PS, DS, etc., a soft like government work could provide a good boost at certain top schools, depending on your LSAT range. But when it comes down to it, putting 3 years in to study for the LSAT and getting a 175 will do much more for you than doing the government thing and getting a 168.

So if you're really pushing for law school, numbers are nearly always more focus-worthy than soft factors.

Thanks.

Yes, as in, I think this would get you the near-equivalent of the military bump at many schools. Nobody will question you on something like this, especially if you have a history. Honestly, who would go into a civil war for a bump on their law school application? It's a heck of a conversation-starter...

Maybe the new government would even help support your education? Are you of recent Libyan descent or have relatives in-country? They could surely use you over the long term.

Besides, who cares about law school, this is too compelling not to do. It will probably be difficult and dangerous, but it sounds like a life-changing opportunity. Our school hosts a number of Libyan LLM students every year, and it was interesting to see how they reacted as events unfolded. The one commonality is that nearly all of them wanted to go back and help make things better. Good luck.

going to libya and serving in a provincial government sounds more interesting than law school

gens1tb wrote:going to libya and serving in a provincial government sounds more interesting than law school

Both places are populated primarily by the desperate, hopeless, and unemployed.

Obviously you know much more about this than most of us, but don't assume there's going to be a non-Gaddafi government in a position to give you a stable post any time soon. It is of course a real possibility, but the situation in Libya is in great flux, and even if the capo departs there's no telling whether his current government will actually leave power. Food for thought.

legalmindedfella wrote:Obviously you know much more about this than most of us, but don't assume there's going to be a non-Gaddafi government in a position to give you a stable post any time soon. It is of course a real possibility, but the situation in Libya is in great flux, and even if the capo departs there's no telling whether his current government will actually leave power. Food for thought.

Yeah this is the primary obstacle. I'm not counting on any amount of stability any time soon.

This offers both a lot of opportunities but a lot of risk too. When things are hectic like that, a 20-something out-of-towner could rise through the ranks at breakneck speed. Or, the 20-something out-of-towner might be immediately shunned and found dead in a garbage heap when he started trying to ruffle some feathers.

I do have relatives there. I visited in 2007 and 2008 for about a total of 2.5 months.

It is exciting, but I am also apprehensive. One of my main motivations to get into a good law school is to have the understandings necessary to ensure that Libyan law never allows for a dictator again.

There's a reasonable case to be made that you should just enter school and try to work there over the summers. Also look in to policies for taking a leave of absence. The sooner you can have credentials in place the more of an impact you're going to make, and there may be a way to get that process going while leaving open the option to head there on relatively short notice.

Again, way above my level of qualification on these questions, but it sounds like a really interesting goal and it's worth thinking through some compromise/out-of-the-box options rather than leaving your fate entirely in the hands of on-the-ground developments.

legalmindedfella wrote:There's a reasonable case to be made that you should just enter school and try to work there over the summers. Also look in to policies for taking a leave of absence. The sooner you can have credentials in place the more of an impact you're going to make, and there may be a way to get that process going while leaving open the option to head there on relatively short notice.

Again, way above my level of qualification on these questions, but it sounds like a really interesting goal and it's worth thinking through some compromise/out-of-the-box options rather than leaving your fate entirely in the hands of on-the-ground developments.

this seems like a bad idea. he should spend those summers getting jobs. i don't know if employers will care what he does for libya as much as schools will.

i'll see you in Libya

flexityflex86 wrote:

legalmindedfella wrote:There's a reasonable case to be made that you should just enter school and try to work there over the summers. Also look in to policies for taking a leave of absence. The sooner you can have credentials in place the more of an impact you're going to make, and there may be a way to get that process going while leaving open the option to head there on relatively short notice.

Again, way above my level of qualification on these questions, but it sounds like a really interesting goal and it's worth thinking through some compromise/out-of-the-box options rather than leaving your fate entirely in the hands of on-the-ground developments.

this seems like a bad idea. he should spend those summers getting jobs. i don't know if employers will care what he does for libya as much as schools will.

But he doesn't care about employers, right? Stated goal is to influence Libyan law into the future. Doesn't matter what typical law school employers think of that, correct, since he won't be working with them anyways?

Edit: And again, I don't know anything. So I assume that you're right, just brainstorming.

loomstate wrote:i'll see you in Libya

Explain more

afitouri wrote:

loomstate wrote:i'll see you in Libya

Explain more

i'm fighting w/ the rebels

chomsky approves - as long as i keep in the foresight my disapproval of the shoddy US humanitarian intervention, of course.