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Hi all,

I just took the December LSAT, and shortly after receiving my score on January 4th, I sent out my applications. Until a few days ago, I had a job opportunity slated to start in a month, which I planned to pursue until starting law school in the fall. However, this opportunity is no longer available to me (for reasons beyond my control) so I'm looking for something else to fill up my time.

Ideally, I would like a full-time position in something that would help my case for law school, but unless I am mistaken, such positions aren't eminently available for people wishing to be employed for less than a year. On the other hand, I could try to apply for a semester-long internship, but I am afraid that informing my schools that I lost a full time position and ended up taking an internship instead would look very bad. Any advice? Am I correct about both of these notions?

First tip is maybe don't tell potential employers that you're planning on leaving in half a year.

Also find a job in a field that interests you and/or pays well, and see where it goes. Maybe re-assess the whole law school thing entirely - your LSAT score isn't going to expire any time soon and law school will always be there.

Playing devil's advocate: the economy might implode this year, making it a great time to go to school....

passedge wrote:Playing devil's advocate: the economy might implode this year, making it a great time to go to school....

That's like jumping off a leaking boat onto the Titanic.

passedge wrote:Playing devil's advocate: the economy might implode this year, making it a great time to go to school....

Because what the country needs when the economy is imploding is everyone to hide in law school and take on additional debt.

asdfdfdfadfas wrote:

passedge wrote:Playing devil's advocate: the economy might implode this year, making it a great time to go to school....

Because what the country needs when the economy is imploding is everyone to hide in law school and take on additional debt.

This is pretty much what happened after the 2008-09 crisis. The 2009-10 application cycle saw the greatest number of law school applicants in history. Although it isn't great if everyone seeks refuge in higher education all at once, it isn't necessarily irrational for an individual to do it, if the alternative is being unemployed (and they have even a moderate interest in what they're studying).

Aeon wrote:

asdfdfdfadfas wrote:

passedge wrote:Playing devil's advocate: the economy might implode this year, making it a great time to go to school....

Because what the country needs when the economy is imploding is everyone to hide in law school and take on additional debt.

This is pretty much what happened after the 2008-09 crisis. The 2009-10 application cycle saw the greatest number of law school applicants in history. Although it isn't great if everyone seeks refuge in higher education all at once, it isn't necessarily irrational for an individual to do it, if the alternative is being unemployed (and they have even a moderate interest in what they're studying).

Indeed, nothing fixes an economy like it's citizens fleeing to it's educational facilities to study a field that doesn't produce any goods to litigate, may I add for egregious prices to somehow pay their student loan debt back, for businesses that aren't there or that are struggling financially. While it is certainly understandable from an individual perspective as trust me I know the hardships of dealing with HR, it doesn't solve any of the underlying issues in the economy that caused the recession in the first place.

asdfdfdfadfas wrote:

Aeon wrote:

asdfdfdfadfas wrote:

passedge wrote:Playing devil's advocate: the economy might implode this year, making it a great time to go to school....

Because what the country needs when the economy is imploding is everyone to hide in law school and take on additional debt.

This is pretty much what happened after the 2008-09 crisis. The 2009-10 application cycle saw the greatest number of law school applicants in history. Although it isn't great if everyone seeks refuge in higher education all at once, it isn't necessarily irrational for an individual to do it, if the alternative is being unemployed (and they have even a moderate interest in what they're studying).

Indeed, nothing fixes an economy like it's citizens fleeing to it's educational facilities to study a field that doesn't produce any goods to litigate, may I add for egregious prices to somehow pay their student loan debt back, for businesses that aren't there or that are struggling financially. While it is certainly understandable from an individual perspective as trust me I know the hardships of dealing with HR, it doesn't solve any of the underlying issues in the economy that caused the recession in the first place.

It's true that it doesn't fix the economy or pull the country out of recession, but then, what else is an individual to do if the alternative is unemployment? Most people don't have the resources or wherewithal to strike out on their own, and if there's a liquidity crisis, they can't even get loans to start up a business. Even if they do start a business, there might not be any customers, because others are either cutting back on spending or are themselves unable to get credit.

It's a classic collective action problem. Individuals don't reason in the abstract, they reason in the particular. And for an individual, the rational response to an irrational crisis might well be to continue schooling.

Aeon wrote:

asdfdfdfadfas wrote:

Aeon wrote:

asdfdfdfadfas wrote:

passedge wrote:Playing devil's advocate: the economy might implode this year, making it a great time to go to school....

Because what the country needs when the economy is imploding is everyone to hide in law school and take on additional debt.

This is pretty much what happened after the 2008-09 crisis. The 2009-10 application cycle saw the greatest number of law school applicants in history. Although it isn't great if everyone seeks refuge in higher education all at once, it isn't necessarily irrational for an individual to do it, if the alternative is being unemployed (and they have even a moderate interest in what they're studying).

Indeed, nothing fixes an economy like it's citizens fleeing to it's educational facilities to study a field that doesn't produce any goods to litigate, may I add for egregious prices to somehow pay their student loan debt back, for businesses that aren't there or that are struggling financially. While it is certainly understandable from an individual perspective as trust me I know the hardships of dealing with HR, it doesn't solve any of the underlying issues in the economy that caused the recession in the first place.

It's true that it doesn't fix the economy or pull the country out of recession, but then, what else is an individual to do if the alternative is unemployment? Most people don't have the resources or wherewithal to strike out on their own, and if there's a liquidity crisis, they can't even get loans to start up a business. Even if they do start a business, there might not be any customers, because others are either cutting back on spending or are themselves unable to get credit.

It's a classic collective action problem. Individuals don't reason in the abstract, they reason in the particular. And for an individual, the rational response to an irrational crisis might well be to continue schooling.

I think you are thinking in absolutes- law school versus unemployment being the only two options which is never the actual case. You'd be better off working for a business that produces a good that people have an inelastic demand for and working your way up while trying to save capital. Of course that is a personal risk reward choice. To me, a bird in the hand is worth 10,000 in the bush. Especially if you tell me the BB gun to kill the birds in the bush costs $200,000 and an interest rate compounding at 6.8% in an environment that is destroying businesses left and right and that those 10,000 birds may not be there in 3 years and are absolutely not guaranteed to be there.

I have absolutely no idea what you mean by an "irrational" crisis. What is irrational is the fact people think it is over by magically lowering interest rates and printing more money.

As fun as these armchair economist jerkoff sessions are, getting back on track to OP:

1. As I mentioned above, get a job in a field you would otherwise like to work.
2. Work in that field and critically assess how your job promotion and pay prospects stack up against the guaranteed debt/loss of income for 3 years/risk of not getting employed.

Very little job-wise will uniquely help you in any law school or future legal employment context, at least not with only ~6 months of experience in it until you start law school.

Capitol_Idea wrote:As fun as these armchair economist jerkoff sessions are, getting back on track to OP:

1. As I mentioned above, get a job in a field you would otherwise like to work.
2. Work in that field and critically assess how your job promotion and pay prospects stack up against the guaranteed debt/loss of income for 3 years/risk of not getting employed.

Very little job-wise will uniquely help you in any law school or future legal employment context, at least not with only ~6 months of experience in it until you start law school.

Oh come on, we were just getting started.

OP what Capitol_Idea said. I would just be honest as well. I think most reasonable people understand that not everything in life is within your control.