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Will not working my gap year hurt me?
Posted: Fri Aug 18, 2017 4:17 pm
by lsataddict242
I just graduated and have been studying for the LSAT most of the summer. I plan to continue studying until December and not work or work 16 hours (preferably not at all). I get too tired to study when I get home in the evenings. I know this from previous work experience. If I plan to apply in December, will this negatively impact my application? Will law schools think of me as lazy?

Thanks!
Re: Will not working my gap year hurt me?
Posted: Fri Aug 18, 2017 4:42 pm
by rpupkin
lsataddict242 wrote:I just graduated and have been studying for the LSAT most of the summer. I plan to continue studying until December and not work or work 16 hours (preferably not at all). I get too tired to study when I get home in the evenings. I know this from previous work experience. If I plan to apply in December, will this negatively impact my application? Will law schools think of me as lazy?

Thanks!
It probably won't hurt you for law school, but it could hurt you when you look for legal jobs.
Re: Will not working my gap year hurt me?
Posted: Fri Aug 18, 2017 4:47 pm
by lsataddict242
rpupkin wrote:lsataddict242 wrote:I just graduated and have been studying for the LSAT most of the summer. I plan to continue studying until December and not work or work 16 hours (preferably not at all). I get too tired to study when I get home in the evenings. I know this from previous work experience. If I plan to apply in December, will this negatively impact my application? Will law schools think of me as lazy?

Thanks!
It probably won't hurt you for law school, but it could hurt you when you look for legal jobs.
Because of lack of WE/less WE or because of the gap in work history/part-time classification? Please specify

Also, do you think that applies to BigLaw as well after graduating from a T14?
Re: Will not working my gap year hurt me?
Posted: Fri Aug 18, 2017 4:50 pm
by rpupkin
lsataddict242 wrote:rpupkin wrote:lsataddict242 wrote:I just graduated and have been studying for the LSAT most of the summer. I plan to continue studying until December and not work or work 16 hours (preferably not at all). I get too tired to study when I get home in the evenings. I know this from previous work experience. If I plan to apply in December, will this negatively impact my application? Will law schools think of me as lazy?

Thanks!
It probably won't hurt you for law school, but it could hurt you when you look for legal jobs.
Because of lack of WE/less WE or because of the gap in work history/part-time classification? Please specify

Both.
ETA: If someone asks you what you did during your gap year (which is a common interview question), an answer of "I studied for the LSAT" or "I was afraid of working while preparing for the LSAT because I couldn't handle both" is a very, very bad answer.
Re: Will not working my gap year hurt me?
Posted: Fri Aug 18, 2017 4:52 pm
by lsataddict242
rpupkin wrote:lsataddict242 wrote:rpupkin wrote:lsataddict242 wrote:I just graduated and have been studying for the LSAT most of the summer. I plan to continue studying until December and not work or work 16 hours (preferably not at all). I get too tired to study when I get home in the evenings. I know this from previous work experience. If I plan to apply in December, will this negatively impact my application? Will law schools think of me as lazy?

Thanks!
It probably won't hurt you for law school, but it could hurt you when you look for legal jobs.
Because of lack of WE/less WE or because of the gap in work history/part-time classification? Please specify

Both.
For BigLaw as well after finishing a T-14? I feel like it can't be that big of a deal for employment considering the fact that many students went straight to law school after college and have no WE.
Re: Will not working my gap year hurt me?
Posted: Fri Aug 18, 2017 4:54 pm
by rpupkin
lsataddict242 wrote:rpupkin wrote:lsataddict242 wrote:rpupkin wrote:lsataddict242 wrote:I just graduated and have been studying for the LSAT most of the summer. I plan to continue studying until December and not work or work 16 hours (preferably not at all). I get too tired to study when I get home in the evenings. I know this from previous work experience. If I plan to apply in December, will this negatively impact my application? Will law schools think of me as lazy?

Thanks!
It probably won't hurt you for law school, but it could hurt you when you look for legal jobs.
Because of lack of WE/less WE or because of the gap in work history/part-time classification? Please specify

Both.
For BigLaw as well after finishing a T-14?
Yes, definitely. See my edited answer in my previous post.
Re: Will not working my gap year hurt me?
Posted: Fri Aug 18, 2017 4:56 pm
by lsataddict242
rpupkin wrote:lsataddict242 wrote:rpupkin wrote:lsataddict242 wrote:rpupkin wrote:lsataddict242 wrote:I just graduated and have been studying for the LSAT most of the summer. I plan to continue studying until December and not work or work 16 hours (preferably not at all). I get too tired to study when I get home in the evenings. I know this from previous work experience. If I plan to apply in December, will this negatively impact my application? Will law schools think of me as lazy?

Thanks!
It probably won't hurt you for law school, but it could hurt you when you look for legal jobs.
Because of lack of WE/less WE or because of the gap in work history/part-time classification? Please specify

Both.
For BigLaw as well after finishing a T-14?
Yes, definitely. See my edited answer in my previous post.
Thanks. Hm, well I plan to work starting January. Maybe that will offset the 3 months between now and December. What do you think?

Re: Will not working my gap year hurt me?
Posted: Fri Aug 18, 2017 4:58 pm
by rpupkin
lsataddict242 wrote:Thanks. Hm, well I plan to work starting January. Maybe that will offset the 3 months between now and December. What do you think?

I think that will help a lot. Not working from June through December is probably fine. (Folks will likely just assume you were traveling or fucking around for a few months, which isn't a big deal.) I'd make sure you have a job lined up for January, though.