uncompleted grad coursework? Forum

[nlm25]

Hello,
I was wondering if anyone could offer advice on whether or not unfinished graduate-level coursework would hurt my law school applications. I completed some graduate coursework a few years ago towards a Master's in Biology (non-thesis) and have about 11 credits to finish. I had to drop out and get a full-time job due to a family situation. I could go back and finish the degree this fall & spring (it would take 2 semesters because of the required courses), but I'd like to focus completely on prepping for the LSAT and still work part-time. Would law schools view it a negative that I didn't finish the Master's degree, or would an addendum explaining my family situation suffice? I also don't think a non-thesis Biology M.S. would really help my legal career, so I don't know if finishing the degree would be worth giving up LSAT prep time. Thanks in advance for any advice.

[Mr. Archer]

I'm not sure why it would hurt your chances, especially if you had an addendum explaining why you had to stop finishing. Its not like you had a 0.5 GPA and just stopped taking classes.

As far as finishing the degree, you'll just want to think about cost vs. benefit. There's only a slight chance your admissions would be hurt, if any. Depending on how much LSAT prep you need to get what you want, you'd have less time. I'm guessing you would also be taking on more expense to finish and losing money by reducing the amount you work at your job. You'd also be waiting at least another year for law school.

Maybe the degree would help if you need it to become patent bar elligible and want to do that work. I guess it could also give you some kind of bump if you wanted to go into another area of law that's science/medically related. If it were me, the time/money investment in the degree wouldn't be worth it if I planned on practicing in something completely unrelated.

[nlm25]

I'm not sure why it would hurt your chances, especially if you had an addendum explaining why you had to stop finishing. Its not like you had a 0.5 GPA and just stopped taking classes.

As far as finishing the degree, you'll just want to think about cost vs. benefit. There's only a slight chance your admissions would be hurt, if any. Depending on how much LSAT prep you need to get what you want, you'd have less time. I'm guessing you would also be taking on more expense to finish and losing money by reducing the amount you work at your job. You'd also be waiting at least another year for law school.

Maybe the degree would help if you need it to become patent bar elligible and want to do that work. I guess it could also give you some kind of bump if you wanted to go into another area of law that's science/medically related. If it were me, the time/money investment in the degree wouldn't be worth it if I planned on practicing in something completely unrelated.

Thanks for your advice! I appreciate it. That's true, my graduate GPA was 3.44. My undergraduate GPA is a 3.57, so I really need to do well on LSAT. I was slightly concerned that not completing the Master's would weaken my application, but hopefully if I just explain why I had to quit it shouldn't be an issue. I am interested in areas of law related to science, but I'm interested in other areas as well. I've read that Masters degrees are really only helpful for IP law if they are in engineering/chem and not so much Biology? Not sure if a non-thesis Biology Master's would be helpful for IP.

[Mr. Archer]

No problem. I can't speak to which science background is most helpful, although it wouldn't surprise me that engineering and chem are more desired. Was your undergrad also biology? If so, that could make getting the masters just for patent purposes a moot point.

In any case, I still don't think I would finish the degree. It just sounds like extra time and money spent before law school that might not yield a high return. Maybe someone else is more familiar with job prospects for people with a biology background though.

[Rigo]

I don't think it will hurt. Why finish a degree if your interests changed and you don't want it/need it? It's that simple.

[wearefoxsports]

I don't know anyone can give you a good answer here, but graduate work is typically considered a positive. Sure, it may raise some questions because you did some substantial gradate work without earning a degree. I don't think it would be a negative as long as you are in good academic standing, which you are. Even if you were to be asked about it, just tell them you changed your mind, or circumstances changed, or whatever case might be. No big deal.

[onwardsphilly08]

Hi nlm25, this was my exact situation when applying to law school. Immediately after college I finished the first year of an MBA program at the same institution as my undergraduate degree, while looking for a job. Once I obtained employment I stopped seeking the degree, and never finished. Two years later I applied to law schools and I am not even sure the course work was acknowledged during my cycle. The only thing to be aware of is LSAC will send both undergraduate and graduate transcripts.

So unless you have Ds or Fs in the graduate work I do not think it will hurt your chances, nor do I think it will be a topic of discussion unless you bring it up.

[banjo]

I applied with an uncompleted PhD (a few A's and A-'s and some incompletes) and a 3.76/176. I was asked about it in most interviews and think I slightly underperformed as a result. I know it was a factor in my HLS rejection because the admissions dean grilled me on my reasons for dropping out and my commitment to law school.

Every situation is different, however, and OP might have a better explanation for leaving or might be applying to non-HYS schools that won't really care.