UG in 3 years... take a year off? Forum

[clarawater]

Hi, so I was just looking around the forum and saw that many people recommend taking a year off before law school. This has looked appealing to me lately because when I graduate from college a year early I will be 20, and just turn 21 before entering 1L. I am mature and responsible, but I think it would be nice to be a little older/around the same age as other law students. What do you guys think?
One thing that does concern me though is the academic work involved in 1L. I've heard it's pretty tough (obv) and I am just afraid that if I get a job for a year I will "lose my edge" when it comes to academic work. Again, anyone with personal experience here that would help?

Thanks!

[chem]

Hi, so I was just looking around the forum and saw that many people recommend taking a year off before law school. This has looked appealing to me lately because when I graduate from college a year early I will be 20, and just turn 21 before entering 1L. I am mature and responsible, but I think it would be nice to be a little older/around the same age as other law students. What do you guys think?
One thing that does concern me though is the academic work involved in 1L. I've heard it's pretty tough (obv) and I am just afraid that if I get a job for a year I will "lose my edge" when it comes to academic work. Again, anyone with personal experience here that would help?

Thanks!

Id say get a job for two years

Edit: I'll expound a bit. If you feel like you have the time and inclination to get a job now, do it. You can brush up on how to succeed in law school with LEEWS or GTM if you have to, but in reality, most k-JD don't know how to take a law exam anyway, so you'll be in the same boat whether or not you had work experience. I creeped on your posts and saw you have a 165 with a high LSAt. If you raised your LSAT even 5 points, with 2 years of WE, you would be a lock at a bunch of t14s, who are actively looking for WE. Seems a no-brainer.

[Cupidity]

I think the "losing your edge" is a realistic concern, and people who have been out of the academic mindset for a while tended to underperform at exams. That said, I don't believe one year off is likely to do any damage.

Overall, there is neither a benefit nor detriment to taking a year off. Going through at 20/21 after three years of college was easy for me. But if you feel like you need the break, take it. It's your life, might as well enjoy it.

[CanadianWolf]

Take the LSAT, apply to law schools, apply for jobs & see what your options are before determining a course of action.

[crossem]

0L alert!, but i consider taking a year off to be one of the better decisions I have made in my 23 years.

Just what I have been told alert! Every lawyer, partners in big firms and ausa's, told me to take year off. The ausa's were especially adamant. Idk why.

[straxen]

If you're considering taking time off, do it. Get some experience, do what you've always wanted to do but won't have a chance after law school, etc. I've never heard anyone regret taking time off before law school.

I've never heard of anyone "losing their edge" after a year or two, people in their late 20s and 30s, maybe. I think I came back refreshed and ready to be back in the school mode after 2 years of working. My suspicion is that to any extent those who take time off underperform at exams, it's compensated for by the boost having experience will give you when it comes time to find a job.

[thelong]

I've been out of UG for four years now, and if what you want to do with your life is to be a lawyer than I don't see any reason to waste your time working whatever job you'd get for a year rather than heading right into law school.

If you're not sure that you want to go to law school then, yeah, maybe taking some time to really address your priorities and what you expect and want from a law education may be a wise move.

If you do decide to take time off then make sure to keep in touch with your letter of rec giving profs. This is something I did not do because four years ago I had no intention of going back to school. It took me more or less that long to figure out what the hell I wanted to do, and what I didn't want to do.