Top Law Schools

Disclaimer/Background: I'm a bit of a unique case. Potential super splitter (we'll see re: Sept scores) with justification for low gpa, and stellar softs/work experience. This may be TMI but I feel like I need to give a rundown of my background:

-traveled the world with a performing arts group for three years after h.s.
-went to undergrad, was a student trustee on the Board of Trustees for the university system, then elected student body president and started working and traveling weekly for a political consulting firm two years before graduation
-terrible, terrible, TERRIBLE gpa for reasonable cause that I won't get into here
-175+ or bust (again, we'll see in a week)
-I'm also a new mom in my late twenties
-may apply this cycle, but I have a feeling I will need to retake and apply next cycle

I know that every single tiny detail of my application is going to make or break my chances at T14 (most likely Georgetown or Northwestern, perhaps UVA).

Knowing that, which of the following two job offers would you take with solely a law school app in mind**:

1) A mid-size, well known public affairs firm in DC with a national footprint, a great reputation, and high-profile clients. Senior role that looks impressive on paper for my age. Room for advancement. Stable, established work environment.

2) A mid-size design and marketing firm in DC with great, high-profile retail clients but is not known outside of DC. Creating a position for me, and I would come in and build a public affairs practice from the ground up. Risky, but has potential for high reward, and I can say that I built something from scratch.

What do you think? Company 1 with name recognition and a solid starting position, or Company 2 with virtually no name recognition outside of DC but the opportunity to build and *potentially* run a department?

**I have a favorite already, but want to factor in law school apps as well.

Thanks!

Doesn't matter. Pick the one you're more interested in.

It is entirely up to you. Both will have basically the same effect on law school applications - they’re good experience and it will be down to how you talk about it.

cavalier1138 wrote:Doesn't matter. Pick the one you're more interested in.

I was really hoping this wouldn't be the answer... Desperate for any and every edge.

SMA2017 wrote:

cavalier1138 wrote:Doesn't matter. Pick the one you're more interested in.

I was really hoping this wouldn't be the answer... Desperate for any and every edge.

You can take that desperation and do the best job possible so that your boss loves you. A professional reference is firmly in the "barely ever matters" category but it might be important for someone with your background.

A. Nony Mouse wrote:It is entirely up to you. Both will have basically the same effect on law school applications - they’re good experience and it will be down to how you talk about it.

Thanks. What about the name recognition of Company 1 though? That doesn't look better on an app?

SMA2017 wrote:

A. Nony Mouse wrote:It is entirely up to you. Both will have basically the same effect on law school applications - they’re good experience and it will be down to how you talk about it.

Thanks. What about the name recognition of Company 1 though? That doesn't look better on an app?

It will depend what you do and what you can say you do. It's like how a LOR from someone unknown who can speak really specifically about you and your skills is way better than a LOR from someone famous who can't say much - name recognition in a vacuum isn't worth anything. I also kind of suspect adcomms aren't really up on public affairs firms.

So if you want to go the other one you're not passing up any measurable advantage. OTOH if you want to go to the name company, that works too.

why do you want to go to law school? why not just rise through the ranks at either of these jobs?

SMA2017 wrote:I know that every single tiny detail of my application is going to make or break my chances at T14

I think this is your main issue. While it's technically true that the details of the application can have more of an effect for splitters, this isn't something you can control. For example, you might choose Job A, but unbeknownst to you, Northwestern has a spike in applicants with the same kind of experience. There's no way for you to control for this, which is why it's pointless to worry about it. Take the job you want to take.