Is it worth waiting one more year? Forum

[JohnnyHop]

Hi guys, I've been lurking around here for about a year, but now that I have my LSAT score I finally have a question that I hope you guys can help with.

My situation
GPA: 3.7
LSAT: 176

Graduated from school in May and I'm currently employed in an administrative job at a largish hedge fund. Its a job I enjoy but there is not a lot of growth potential for me and my plan was always to head to law school shortly after anyway.

My big question is, will the added WE of waiting one full year affect my chances of getting in, or more importantly getting a little bit of extra money at one of the schools that ends up taking me. I know WE can be useful for admissions, but I've never heard about how it affects financial decisions, which is really what I care about more at this point. I'm willing to work a bit longer if it means school is a bit cheaper, but if its not a major factor than I figure I'll just apply this cycle.

Thanks

[WaltGrace83]

Disclaimer: 0L

I think most would say that the admissions boost would be negligible. The real question is, would the added employment be a bonus to future employers? Would it help you pay for school (if you are solely going for YHS)? Otherwise, you are sitting pretty on a lower T14 full ride and potentially even much more than that (much MUCH more?)

[FSK]

Your numbers can get you anywhere, so whats your career goal? Why do you want to go to law school? If you're only job is going to be this one, and you want to general BIGLAW, then just apply. If you have something more unicorn or odd in mind, you might want to consider getting WE relevant to that. Espc. since the score is good for a few years.

[JohnnyHop]

Waltgrace83: Weirdly enough working an extra year won't actually make school cheaper for me (I would have to move out of my parents house so the cost of rent/transport/food/other for two years would equal the amount I would save by living at home for one year, I can't do one year at home and one out because the people I would be living with are moving soon.)

I've talked to some lawyers who said the WE is definitely a thing they look for during hiring, but I'm not sure if 2 years WE is going to help more than 1.

flawschoolkid: that was my line of thinking as well, I just wanted to run it by some people first (and most people I know aren't really informed enough to give me useful advice in this situation.) My plan was originally two years WE no matter what, but I thought my LSAT was going to be low 170's high 160's and that the WE might help push me into a slightly better school. Wanted to make sure my reassessment post score made sense.

thanks for the help guys

[bugsy33]

Disclaimer: 0L

I'd assume that the 2014-15 application cycle will be the absolute bottom of the law school enrollment decline. I would apply during that cycle for the largest advantage. I'd also consider that every year you delay law school with an LSAT such as yours is a large loss in opportunity costs. If you can't make six figures right now I'd go to LS straight away.

[NYSprague]

Disclaimer: 0L

I'd assume that the 2014-15 application cycle will be the absolute bottom of the law school enrollment decline. I would apply during that cycle for the largest advantage. I'd also consider that every year you delay law school with an LSAT such as yours is a large loss in opportunity costs. If you can't make six figures right now I'd go to LS straight away.

There is absolutely no evidence that enrollment decline is ending. You are just making that up.

There is absolutely no certainty that OP will end up making 6 figures, which is actually 5 figures after taxes.

OP: work experience can help you get a full ride at NU. I don't know if the extra year matters. But where work experience will help you the most is at getting a job. I would learn everything I could about hedge funds and make friends with every one you can. Get to know their in house lawyers, etc.

[JohnnyHop]

NYSprague: I agree that this probably isn't the end of the trough for applicants and that even if it was, applying next cycle wouldn't be a huge difference. I'm working the compliance /legal department already (as an admin) so meeting and making connections with the lawyers is definitely a priority. I guess I'm wondering if working with them for two years vs one year will matter to much in terms of networking. My gut instinct is if they like me enough to remain in contact when I leave after two years they probably felt the same way after one, but I'm not sure how true that is.

I'm also not completely discounting the opportunity cost of waiting another year. I am not making that much and even though I know I'm not guaranteed a high paying job out of school it still can be used as a factor in my decision.

Do you know if No would look significantly more favorably on two years We over one? I know they emphasize it the most but I don't have a good feel for what that means practically.

Thanks

[FSK]

NYSprague: I agree that this probably isn't the end of the trough for applicants and that even if it was, applying next cycle wouldn't be a huge difference. I'm working the compliance /legal department already (as an admin) so meeting and making connections with the lawyers is definitely a priority. I guess I'm wondering if working with them for two years vs one year will matter to much in terms of networking. My gut instinct is if they like me enough to remain in contact when I leave after two years they probably felt the same way after one, but I'm not sure how true that is.

I'm also not completely discounting the opportunity cost of waiting another year. I am not making that much and even though I know I'm not guaranteed a high paying job out of school it still can be used as a factor in my decision.

Do you know if No would look significantly more favorably on two years We over one? I know they emphasize it the most but I don't have a good feel for what that means practically.

Thanks

Is there any chance you can move from admin to front/back office at your hedge fun? That would be valuable work experience. From HYSCCN, that would help you go into non-law finance careers after the JD, if that's your thing.

[JohnnyHop]

Doing that would require working here ~9 months at least. And it's not something that would be ideal for a variety of reasons. Since I don't really want to work an nonJD finance job I think it probably isn't worth the effort in my situation. That being said I will hopefully be in a more substantial role after a year regardless (although I may also be out of a job it's sort of an up or out type deal.)

[bugsy33]

IIRC, In most of the NU literature they talk about how most of their students have at least 2 years work experience.

[Yardbird]

Work experience probably won't help you get in unless it's something super interesting, and then really only for H (the only other T14 that really cares about work experience is NU and you're well above their numbers). The work experience will help with OCI at whatever school you end up at.