Top Law Schools

(I realized i posted in the wrong forum again but it won't let me delete my old post)
Heavily considering taking a year off.

Background: 159/3.9 KJD from a Philly area school with degrees in psychology and criminal justice. Admitted with full scholly at a T2 with no stipulation.

Here are the options I see:
1.) take a year off to explore other options (sales, criminal justice field, psych field)
2.) take a year off to explore other options and retake LSAT
3.) go to law school for a year and see what happens grade wise then possible take time off (my mother's idea, i don't think its a good one and I'm sure it will be crushed)

My concerns:
Not really committed to the legal field. When asked "why do you want to go to LS" i don't have a good answer besides the thought of money popping in my head.

2.) all due respect, the odds of your numbers turning into high money is very low. Some partners may make 7 figures, but even at elite firms it's all upper middle class. The odds of you landing a six figure job are roughly 10 percent. When accounting for debt and 3 years any 50k job (like being a paralegal) is much more prudent.

AReasonableMan wrote:2.) all due respect, the odds of your numbers turning into high money is very low. Some partners may make 7 figures, but even at elite firms it's all upper middle class. The odds of you landing a six figure job are roughly 10 percent. When accounting for debt and 3 years any 50k job (like being a paralegal) is much more prudent.

I am well aware. I am really more debating whether I want to be a lawyer period.

2)

No need to make multiple posts on the exact same topic.

CanadianWolf wrote:No need to make multiple posts on the exact same topic.

I tried to delete it

Absolutely 100% take at LEAST year and retake. First of all, if you can manage high 160s / 170s, you'll have so many better options. Do not waste a 3.9 GPA on a 159 LSAT. Second, it sounds like you're unsure of your career path. Throwing yourself into a T2 right now WILL lead to regrets down the line, if only because you didn't explore any other career options before committing to three years of law school. Get another job, kick some ass, and if you really can't imagine yourself being anything but a lawyer, go for it.

On a side note, I'm finally entering in August, finished undergrad in 2011. Although I only intended on taking a single year before entering, I don't regret anything for a second. Yeah, you might have family / friends thinking you're just being indecisive / directionless, but don't let that pressure you into law school. It's too big of a commitment to make without being completely confident.

Mix of 1/2. I'd say 1 because you're wavering on whether you want to be a lawyer or not. If you decide the career is for you, then transition into option 2 and begin to retake the LSAT. A higher LSAT will do amazing things for your application. Work experience will only help as well.

KMart wrote:Mix of 1/2. I'd say 1 because you're wavering on whether you want to be a lawyer or not. If you decide the career is for you, then transition into option 2 and begin to retake the LSAT. A higher LSAT will do amazing things for your application. Work experience will only help as well.

Work experience even if it is 100% unrelated to law?

PA337 wrote:

KMart wrote:Mix of 1/2. I'd say 1 because you're wavering on whether you want to be a lawyer or not. If you decide the career is for you, then transition into option 2 and begin to retake the LSAT. A higher LSAT will do amazing things for your application. Work experience will only help as well.

Work experience even if it is 100% unrelated to law?

It'll still add maturity and a focus. You'll have a solid reason why you want to go to law school. It will give you something to talk about in interviews for OCI and admissions. It's okay.

KMart wrote:

PA337 wrote:

KMart wrote:Mix of 1/2. I'd say 1 because you're wavering on whether you want to be a lawyer or not. If you decide the career is for you, then transition into option 2 and begin to retake the LSAT. A higher LSAT will do amazing things for your application. Work experience will only help as well.

Work experience even if it is 100% unrelated to law?

It'll still add maturity and a focus. You'll have a solid reason why you want to go to law school. It will give you something to talk about in interviews for OCI and admissions. It's okay.

I already have some experience within the legal field from internships and a current investigator position so that might help too

PA337 wrote:I already have some experience within the legal field from internships and a current investigator position so that might help too

Yes, it just might.

Don't go anywhere with a 159, especially if your motivation for LS is a high income.

Rigo wrote:Don't go anywhere with a 159, especially if your motivation for LS is a high income.

how poor of a reason is a desire for high income in relation to picking law as a field tho?

Unless you're already rich, law makes a good chunk of people poor. Either you go to a really good school or you roll the die and go for free at somewhere respectable (but your chances will be low at reaching your goal). Ideally, you go to a good school for free.

ManoftheHour wrote:Unless you're already rich, law makes a good chunk of people poor. Either you go to a really good school or you roll the die and go for free at somewhere respectable. Ideally, you go to a good school for free.

what is your definition of good?

Six figure salary? I'd say the T-14 (or some people say T-13).

With a 3.9, all you need is a good LSAT.

ManoftheHour wrote:Six figure salary? I'd say the T-14 (or some people say T-13).

With a 3.9, all you need is a good LSAT.

That is what i am thinking. I am afraid settling for a T2 full scholly isn't the best option

I go to a school ranked 25-40 with more than full scholly. I did better than 80% of my classmates. As I head into OCI, I feel pretty sad about my chances of biglaw.

Don't be me. You can go to a school at a good price in which median or even below median can give you the same chance at biglaw as I have right now.

ManoftheHour wrote:I go to a school ranked 25-40 with more than full scholly. I did better than 80% of my classmates. As I head into OCI, I feel pretty sad about my chances of biglaw.

Don't be me.

are you saying you regret not going to a t14?

I had no choice. I had a much lower GPA than you do. In order for me to get a deal worthwhile, I would have had to score much higher than you need to. So I took the best option on the table (after maxing out on all my LSAT retakes). You still have your best option on the table, which is to retake. Imagine a full scholly at Cornell or Duke.

ManoftheHour wrote:I had no choice. I had a much lower GPA than you do. In order for me to get a deal worthwhile, I would have had to score much higher than you need to. So I took the best option on the table (after maxing out on all my LSAT retakes). You still have your best option on the table, which is to retake. Imagine a full scholly at Cornell or Duke.

Go look at lawschoolnumbers. With your GPA, every point will mean thousands.

Worst comes to worst, you'll get the same deal next year. I applied 2 cycles. Schools that accepted me the first cycle all accepted me in the second and gave me more $$$ after my retakes.

ManoftheHour wrote:Go look at lawschoolnumbers. With your GPA, every point will mean thousands.

Worst comes to worst, you'll get the same deal next year. I applied 2 cycles. Schools that accepted me the first cycle all accepted me in the second and gave me more $$$ after my retakes.

Yeah exactly sky is the limit