With my background, should I delay going to Law school? Forum

[throwaway93]

Hey, i'm using a throwaway account for this, as I am a pretty active user across the TLS, law school subreddits, and many more.

So, i'm currently the first of my family to graduate college. I am debating about going to law school, and how to craft my personal statement. Attached are my resume and transcript. On my transcript I have every grade i've received and a side not regarding the performance. On my resume, I show that I have worked full time, supported myself as much as possible, and genuinely work often in school. I studied very hard for roughly 6 months, and took the September LSAT and received a 172. imho, a bit of luck involved. So, I currently sit at a crossroads. I have the opportunity to work at a great position at a bank, or I can go full force into law school. While not an opinion shared on by many, my dream school is roughly top 20 in my region, and I would love to attend there.

I do believe my chances of success are reasonable. However, I want to hear an honest critique of my resume, transcript, and overall if law school is something I should do right now, or hold off maybe a year or two with GPA and work at the bank.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B_HGa ... m1uaU1Qc0E

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B_HGa ... Vg4WmNMTkk

TLDR: I have terrible GPA, pretty neat LSAT score. I'd Love to go to law school. Debating about job at bank & pursuit of that route, or to go apply for law school with a history of below average everything sans LSAT score.

[S.Picquery]

Hey, i'm using a throwaway account for this, as I am a pretty active user across the TLS, law school subreddits, and many more.

So, i'm currently the first of my family to graduate college. I am debating about going to law school, and how to craft my personal statement. Attached are my resume and transcript. On my transcript I have every grade i've received and a side not regarding the performance. On my resume, I show that I have worked full time, supported myself as much as possible, and genuinely work often in school. I studied very hard for roughly 6 months, and took the September LSAT and received a 172. imho, a bit of luck involved. So, I currently sit at a crossroads. I have the opportunity to work at a great position at a bank, or I can go full force into law school. While not an opinion shared on by many, my dream school is roughly top 20 in my region, and I would love to attend there.

I do believe my chances of success are reasonable. However, I want to hear an honest critique of my resume, transcript, and overall if law school is something I should do right now, or hold off maybe a year or two with GPA and work at the bank.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B_HGa ... m1uaU1Qc0E

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B_HGa ... Vg4WmNMTkk

TLDR: I have terrible GPA, pretty neat LSAT score. I'd Love to go to law school. Debating about job at bank & pursuit of that route, or to go apply for law school with a history of below average everything sans LSAT score.

I had a similar situation to you back in the day (aka last cycle). I chose to work for the extra year, and then apply while saving up. I now have enough money to cover my room and board for most if not all of law school without loans, and I think that that is pretty nifty, and totally worth it. Plus, I got to put my (albeit relevant) work experience on my resume, and it gave me something else to talk about in interviews and in casual meetings with admissions reps, all of which I think helped me stand out.

More work experience can only help you and not hurt you. It's up to you in the end, but I am certainly an advocate for the spending a year to work.

[albanach]

TLDR: I have terrible GPA, pretty neat LSAT score. I'd Love to go to law school. Debating about job at bank & pursuit of that route, or to go apply for law school with a history of below average everything sans LSAT score.

So unless you really want to go to law school, you shouldn't. But that LSAT score should open some doors, even with your subpar GPA.

What can you explain to an admissions officer to show how this time you're grades will be different?

What are your long-term goals assuming you do go to law school? How debt adverse are you?

[arroznueve]

Ridiculous as this might sound, if you have to ask if you should go to law school now, you should not go to law school now. It's a humongous commitment that, if it all goes wrong, will go really wrong. The point being: if you are uncertain enough about law school to even entertain any options other than law school, take the other options. It's easier to take the bank job, decide you don't want to do it, and go to law school later than it is to go to law school now, drop out after a year, and try to get another bank job.

[throwaway93]

Right, I understand the criticism of asking if this is something I truly intent on doing. I believe so, and I believe I will exceed in the field. However, I just am questioning the timing with my poor GPA, over removing debt.

[Mr. Archer]

I would say wait. Having the bank job will: 1) help you build up savings and 2) give you relevant work experience if you try to go down a business law, or probably transactional law in general, route. With your LSAT score, you should be looking to apply at the beginning of an admissions cycle to maximize potential for admissions.

Other than the semester where you had a motorcycle accident, there's no good way to explain your grades. They're consistently low.

You will also need to make changes to your resume'. A couple of the jobs have bullet points that aren't helpful or necessary. The additional information section at the bottom needs different formatting, and you definitely need to make changes to the information.

[throwaway93]

I would say wait. Having the bank job will: 1) help you build up savings and 2) give you relevant work experience if you try to go down a business law, or probably transactional law in general, route. With your LSAT score, you should be looking to apply at the beginning of an admissions cycle to maximize potential for admissions.

Other than the semester where you had a motorcycle accident, there's no good way to explain your grades. They're consistently low.

You will also need to make changes to your resume'. A couple of the jobs have bullet points that aren't helpful or necessary. The additional information section at the bottom needs different formatting, and you definitely need to make changes to the information.

Thank you ! this is sort of the critique i was looking for. I agree that the banking route my just help me build up a bit more time and money.
I agree also, that my grades are consistently low. I'd like to think i'm an average student mentally, who had a lot of wage slave jobs throughout.
Thanks again for the taking the time.

I'll for sure have to take the resume to some more critique.

[Mr. Archer]

No problem.

who had a lot of wage slave jobs throughout.

I get that's what you were going for, but it's not clear from the transcript descriptions that this is true throughout your undergrad career. Plus, when your resume' talks about going to Europe to practice languages or ski, it's hard to see you as someone who got bad grades because an economic situation forced you to work and hampered your ability to do well in school.

It's ultimately up to you, but I would wait at least a year if I were in your situation. You already have a great LSAT. Might as well earn some money while distancing yourself from your UGPA.

[throwaway93]

No problem.

who had a lot of wage slave jobs throughout.

I get that's what you were going for, but it's not clear from the transcript descriptions that this is true throughout your undergrad career. Plus, when your resume' talks about going to Europe to practice languages or ski, it's hard to see you as someone who got bad grades because an economic situation forced you to work and hampered your ability to do well in school.

It's ultimately up to you, but I would wait at least a year if I were in your situation. You already have a great LSAT. Might as well earn some money while distancing yourself from your UGPA.

I think i'm leaning in this direction. Thank you for your time!