Help Me Decide When to Take the LSAT Forum

[odetojefferson]

Okay, so I go to a mediocre state school and am earning my degree in three years. I am finishing up my institutional course work this semester and will be enrolled as a full-time student next semester but I am only completing an internship away from campus. After next spring, my GPA should be 3.69. I also plan to start studying for the LSAT full-time in January. My original plan was to take the June 2011 LSAT and then apply to law school as soon as possible during the fall. However, one of my favorite teachers, who I plan to get a LOR from, is leading a study abroad trip during June, thus not allowing me to take the June test. This trip would boost my GPA to 3.73 or 3.74 and probably give me a stronger LOR, but I am hesitant about having to wait for the October test.

My dream school is Berkeley. Will not having an LSAT score until the end of October hurt my application more than if I took the June test? Or would it be more beneficial to me to boost my GPA a bit (since Berkeley is so GPA intensive)?

I plan to work some mediocre administrative job to fill my time off from school, so I don't think I will be too busy to study from July-October.

Thanks!

[kkklick]

No taking in Oct is fine. Berkeley loves GPA, it may be worth it to get that extra .06

[dcman06]

I'd say the same thing as what kkklick said but I'll give some disclaimers here on your plans:

1. If you do end up working after college full time, don't just take a job to pass time in and of itself. You will likely end up being a less productive employee and before you know it, you'll get terminated. Don't just take a job to "pass time." Do something that you will enjoy if you really are just taking one year off.

2. Work at most places is a lot more busy that you think. In college, yes, you do have to read, study, etc, but for most students, it doesn't total 40 hrs+ a week. Most of your extra curriculars are probably geared toward things you like to do so you may view them more as activities than jobs. At work (full time), you'll spend at least 40 hrs/week working and commuting (hopefully at something you'll like), and you'll have to add your studying on top of that. I didn't find studying the LSAT with a full time job to be an enjoyable activity. It has been pretty hellacious at times when I have deadlines to meet at work and having to work OT, coming back late, only to hit more practice lessons.

It's great to get to law school after a few years on the field, but it's not any easier than going straight out of college....

[gambelda]

I'd say the same thing as what kkklick said but I'll give some disclaimers here on your plans:

1. If you do end up working after college full time, don't just take a job to pass time in and of itself. You will likely end up being a less productive employee and before you know it, you'll get terminated. Don't just take a job to "pass time." Do something that you will enjoy if you really are just taking one year off.

2. Work at most places is a lot more busy that you think. In college, yes, you do have to read, study, etc, but for most students, it doesn't total 40 hrs+ a week. Most of your extra curriculars are probably geared toward things you like to do so you may view them more as activities than jobs. At work (full time), you'll spend at least 40 hrs/week working and commuting (hopefully at something you'll like), and you'll have to add your studying on top of that. I didn't find studying the LSAT with a full time job to be an enjoyable activity. It has been pretty hellacious at times when I have deadlines to meet at work and having to work OT, coming back late, only to hit more practice lessons.

It's great to get to law school after a few years on the field, but it's not any easier than going straight out of college....

THIS x 1,000.

I work in a fortune 500 company and in my mind, I am much less productive than an employee who genuinely enjoys what he is doing. Also, I work 7:30 to 7:30 4 days a week and 8 to 5 on Fridays. If you aren't great at math, thats 57 hours a week. Most corporate jobs will do about that amount of time per week. As a result, studying for the LSAT has been much more slow than I would have liked.

[odetojefferson]

Thanks everyone for the advice. That is definitely good to know about working as I will be interning full-time next semester anyways. I suppose it could work towards my advantage to take the October date anyways because I will probably spend the summer applying for jobs and traveling a bit but can focus on the LSAT more heavily.

And 7:30 to 7:30 four days a week sounds pretty brutal. Best of luck to you trying to study with that schedule!