December Graduate Forum

[manillabay]

I graduate December. A lot of Top law schools obviously prefer some work experience before attending. Will having effectively what amounts to 7-8 months of work experience qualify in this "some" category . Or are they really referring/looking for you to have flown your wings a bit more than this....(like say 1 normal academic year +). I guess the question boils down to will this give me a boost that a normal K-JD would be without..

[Dr. Mantis Toboggan]

Law schools generally don't give a shit about work experience. Your time would be best used studying for the LSAT. Don't be fooled into thinking that LS admissions is anything but a numbers game.

[manillabay]

Law schools generally don't give a shit about work experience. Your time would be best used studying for the LSAT. Don't be fooled into thinking that LS admissions is anything but a numbers game.

I'm graduating in December regardless of LSAT or anything else, barring I don't fail a class/get arrested or have a family member die, etc. I understand that but only 25% of HLS's entering class was K-JD and that black haired lady adcomm said herself they prefer people with work experience..

[mx23250]

Law schools generally don't give a shit about work experience. Your time would be best used studying for the LSAT. Don't be fooled into thinking that LS admissions is anything but a numbers game.

My cycle would clearly beg to differ. Softs do matter a lot to some schools in terms of admissions. I agree, though, that 7-8 months is hardly "work experience" and is more like an extended internship. Even for schools that love work experience (Northwestern), anything less than 2-3 yrs doesn't really qualify in their eyes as giving you much of any work experience.

[copingtrope]

Law schools generally don't give a shit about work experience.

I strongly disagree. For top schools, numbers are usually necessary but not always sufficient. For adcomms, work experience often signifies maturity and a greater depth of life experience in general, and it makes you a more interesting candidate for interviews. Of course, only 7 or 8 months of work experience probably isn't that great, but work experience in general can be very helpful.

[drawstring]

If I graduate in May, start a full time job at that time, then apply in September, will I be probably be looked at as someone with a few months of WE or someone who will have about 1.5 years of WE upon matriculating (i.e. NOT a K-JD)?

[Tiago Splitter]

If I graduate in May, start a full time job at that time, then apply in September, will I be probably be looked at as someone with a few months of WE or someone who will have about 1.5 years of WE upon matriculating (i.e. NOT a K-JD)?

1.5. Back when Northwestern cared about work experience they'd have let you in.