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Here is my dilemna. My fiancée will be going to Baylor Medical in Houston this fall and will have to live in Houston for 4 years and she can't relocate or apply elsewhere because of a special program she is in. I will be graduating from my university in December and neither of us want her to be all alone in Htown, where she has no friends or family, for four whole years.

The problem is though that she is adamant about moving back to DFW for residency and the rest of her career; a likely outcome honestlt given the prestige of her school and personal ethic and URM status. I too would like to practice law in DFW.

Going to Houston for law school would mean I graduate at the same time as her. It would also mean I would come out with $85k in debt, at best. That doesn't even include her debt. And I would have few connections to get a law job in DFW.

It's hard enough finding a legal job in your home market; I don't want to be at a disadvantage and I don't want to have a combined $200k in debt before we begin the first day of our careers or finding real housing.

I would like to go to A&M's law school ideally; my stats indicate I would get close to a full scholarship if not the full ride and it would also mean maximizing my neteork opportunities here.

But I can't do that right now. So I want you guy's advice on what t do to make a smart career decision.

I'm now considering getting a job (CPS investigator, paralegal, probie, FAMS/ATF if possible) on top of joining the USCG reserves that I was going to do if I had to move to Houston anyway. During my 3.5 years in Houston I would "get that work experience" many seem to advocate here and save enough to float when we move back to DFW while she works while I go to law school.

But I'm also concerned that my plan to minimize debt would be jeopardized in 3 years given A&M's ascent in the rankings year after year. Also 3 years is a long time out of the academic setting. I worry I might not be able to be as good of a student by then.

Should I work and save up? I know one or two years of WE is advocated here but 3 seems excessive and risky to wait to get in at a T2 for minimal debt. What's the safe play here? I feel like no matter what I do my life has become a gamble.

100% go work

I remember your post from the Spring - absolutely go work. As someone who is currently a 1L with a spouse in a graduate program, it's HARD - not just because we are both busy and stressed out from coursework, but because we are totally broke. Having the opportunity to work while your fiancee is in school, and then have her work while you are in school, is a vastly better option.

Also, I don't think you should be concerned about A&M's ascent in the rankings - if anything, that's a good thing for you! If you're worried about no longer having competitive stats for a full scholarship, it sounds like you would have 3 years to boost your LSAT if needed so that you do.

As you note, 3 years of WE after undergrad is generally looked upon favorably, not just by admissions but also by future employers. The ability to save is huge. And 3 years is really not long enough for your academic skills to deteriorate in my opinion - I was out of school for 8 years before going back and I'm doing just fine.

Don't rush into going to a law school you don't want to go to in a region you don't want to work in for the reasons you listed. I know you're anxious to get on with law school, but you will be set up for a much better outcome if you work now and enroll later. Good luck to you.

Should I work and save up? I know one or two years of WE is advocated here but 3 seems excessive and risky to wait to get in at a T2 for minimal debt. What's the safe play here? I feel like no matter what I do my life has become a gamble.

Work for 3 years and then go to school. Especially for A&M, where the top firms are still a bit leery about hiring students. You want as much on your resume that makes you stand out as possible.

Who said waiting 3 years is risky? The longer you put off law school the better. Not only will save more money (to pay for law school), but you will get real-life work experience that K-JDs severely lack. This will also serve you well during interviews as you will also be more mature and more interesting (i.e., you can talk about your real work experience). As long as you are working full-time (at a stimulating job) it only increases your likelihood of success (my definition of success is passing the bar, getting a job, and having low debt). And I think the longer you work (3 years, 5 years, etc.) your chances of success should increase.

You also recognize the importance of working where you go to law school (so many 0Ls just do not grasp this concept). Thus, do not do this; if you do not want to work in the Houston area, do not go to law school there.

It's not risky to take a 3 year break because there is no deadline on when you can apply to law school. Granted you have a good LSAT score at the time when you apply, you will be a much more desirable candidate because you will also have professional experience on top of your undergraduate degree. If you feel it will be the right step, absolutely take a 3 year break and build up your resume and extracurricular work. Good luck!