I need advice PLEASE! Forum

[faexylona]

Hello, I don't know if this topic fits here, but I am hoping it does
I need advice on the following. Normally, I would go to my majors advisers, but my pride is getting in the way. So here is the dilemma I have.

I want to go to law school. I want to be involved in international politics, so I am very interested in international law. Because of my area of interest, I want to go to Georgetown because they also have the Foreign Service as masters. I am also thinking of Stanford and George Washington.
The problem is I have been studying for the LSAT since June, and I am still at 146. Now, please don't think I should not bother applying to any law school because my score indicates I am not suitable. I think this thinking is rubbish. I am a strong believer that where there is a will, there is a way.

Currently, I have a 3.8 GPA. I am a double major in political science and communication studies. I am a member of Phi Kappa Phi honor's society and the Order of Omega, and I am part of three other organizations where I have positions as an officer. The reason why I am stating this is to show I have dedication, time management skills, and some experience. I am not a lazy person wishing to go to law school.

Now that the background story is done, here is where my dilemma comes in. I realize that by December I cannot achieve a 170. Hard as I am trying, I am not getting enough time to study. I can study for three hours a week. This is not enough. I have taken my prep course, and I am taking my time practice tests, but I am making little progress. Then it occurred to me that maybe I could wait a cycle to apply to law school and in the meantime concentrate in the LSAT. I could work part-time, do an internship, or take an upper division class as well. But I do not know about this. It hurts my pride. It is admitting I could not do it. It feels like I am escaping. But what do you think I should do?
I am not looking to go to law school to make money. I want to work for the government. I want to go to law school to learn from some of the best in international law. Please what are your thoughts on this.

[gdane]

Just apply next year. Theres really no rush. The things you want to do are still going to be there.

As for the LSAT score, you can definitely improve. You need to put a lot of time into it though. Buy the powerscore books, learn the question types and master the test. Im sure you can do it. You proved to us, through a very lengthy resume of your accomplisments, that youre not dumb and you can work. So, youll be fine.

Good luck!

[Remnantofisrael]

I am going to try very hard to be constructive. Understand that my knee jerk is to point to the poorly worded and confusing arguments in your post and just be the normal douche bag. However I understand how you feel and that often it is our greatest passions that we have trouble communicating clearly so here it goes.

1) You have taken a prep course and score a 146. This is fact and you have to come to terms with this.
2) You are still in school Many great law schools want you to spend a year in the professional world before going to law school anyway. Perhaps working for americorps or a number of other great service-oriented non profits. You'll live tight, but frankly this is great experience
3) The people who have success in international politics often also have experience to provide international clout. Look at the experiences the leaders of international politics have and you'll see most of them can count either military service and or peacecorps etc. in their experience
4) What makes you think a J.D. is the best path to international politics? You aren't going to really be involved with anything important till you succeed in many other steps towards this goal, so there are other ways to get there. Even Senators and Congressmen of vary political pull lack J.D.'s but instead have essential other background points like MBA's, business success, work internationally, etc. etc.
5) I believe the power of the will can do great things. But I believe every man, in any moment, is limited by many factors, and if you don't see this, then you need to re-evaluate how you look at the world. I want to play in the NBA but I'm 5'10, chubby and have no skills. I could still get to the NBA but it will take years and years of effort with a low chance of success.
6) With that GPA have you considered taking your GRE or what-not and getting a masters in international business, international political science? Those are both solid paths to your stated goal.

Seriously, you need to find a way to connect your stated goal with where you are now. There are other paths divergent from law school and, frankly, many of them are much better in general, and phenomenally better for you in-so-far as your description of self.

[penguin]

Hello, I don't know if this topic fits here, but I am hoping it does
I need advice on the following. Normally, I would go to my majors advisers, but my pride is getting in the way. So here is the dilemma I have.

I want to go to law school. I want to be involved in international politics, so I am very interested in international law. Because of my area of interest, I want to go to Georgetown because they also have the Foreign Service as masters. I am also thinking of Stanford and George Washington.
The problem is I have been studying for the LSAT since June, and I am still at 146. Now, please don't think I should not bother applying to any law school because my score indicates I am not suitable. I think this thinking is rubbish. I am a strong believer that where there is a will, there is a way.

Currently, I have a 3.8 GPA. I am a double major in political science and communication studies. I am a member of Phi Kappa Phi honor's society and the Order of Omega, and I am part of three other organizations where I have positions as an officer. The reason why I am stating this is to show I have dedication, time management skills, and some experience. I am not a lazy person wishing to go to law school.

Now that the background story is done, here is where my dilemma comes in. I realize that by December I cannot achieve a 170. Hard as I am trying, I am not getting enough time to study. I can study for three hours a week. This is not enough. I have taken my prep course, and I am taking my time practice tests, but I am making little progress. Then it occurred to me that maybe I could wait a cycle to apply to law school and in the meantime concentrate in the LSAT. I could work part-time, do an internship, or take an upper division class as well. But I do not know about this. It hurts my pride. It is admitting I could not do it. It feels like I am escaping. But what do you think I should do?
I am not looking to go to law school to make money. I want to work for the government. I want to go to law school to learn from some of the best in international law. Please what are your thoughts on this.

Pride is a weird thing. You should drop it. If it's stopping you from doing something productive like talking to your advisor, obviously it is not helping you.

Be desperate. Try everything others say helped. There are lots of useful study techniques on this forum. Use this forum wisely. Obviously there are things you didn't do compared to others who can score higher. Find out what those things are and try them out. Buy the books others say helped if you have money to spare. Do everything you can think of.

Three hours a week is too short even though you were preparing from this June. Make more time to study although that means you have to make sacrifices. For a little mount of time like three hours a week, you would forget whatever you have learned from books previously so that the three hours is a waste. I believe that those who score higher made sacrifices (for example, giving up going out with friends or significant others, giving up a job, giving up sleeping time, etc). I myself don't have a social life for the last two months I have been studying for LSAT and am sacrifing a lot for this prep. But what is worse? I don't wanna end up regretting when I get 60 thinking that I could have done better with my life.

Good luck

EDIT: grammar and spelling.

[chup]

Not swallowing your pride is not an option.

[Jackie O]

The problem is I have been studying for the LSAT since June, and I am still at 146. Now, please don't think I should not bother applying to any law school because my score indicates I am not suitable. I think this thinking is rubbish.

maybe your 146 is a sign that you shouldn't be relying on your thinking
sorry

[CanadianWolf]

You have received great advice in this thread so far--hope I don't break the chain.
Consider preparing for the Foreign Service Officer examination given by the US Government to see if international affairs/relations as a foreign service officer is of interest to you.

Are you willing to share information about your LSAT prep class & how much of the assigned homework you were able to do ?

[dcman06]

You should probably wait another year to take the LSAT. And as others here have said, if you want to do an international diplomat job for the feds, consider taking the foreign service exam. Next one is in February I heard. That can earn you some more brownie pts for law admissions down the road. You don't have to go straight to law school from college.

[faexylona]

Thank you to all of those who have contributed to my post. I really appreciate your input.
Unfortunately, now I have a huge headache because I have some reflection to do.

Also, I feel the need to add something more about myself and my decision to go to law school. The reason why I want to go is because I like it. I found my love for it when I did a research paper about the pentagon papers and the case of the new york time vs. united states. I liked how the law could help to uphold the rights of the people. I like international politics, but I also like the law, so I thought that if I concentrated in international law I could combine my two passions.

When I took my prep class, I studied four hours every day, and completed about 70% of my homework. The problem is that as school started my time for the lsat dwindled, and I forgot the techniques and concepts I learned. This was due to me not been previously familiar with formal logic. This is one flaw I have. When I learn a new concept, if I am not constantly enforcing it, I do loose the information I gained about it. Also, I took powerscore classes, so I was learning from really good professors, and their explanations did helped me to some extent.

I will put away my pride and talk to my advisers. I know that law school is for me, and I actually like the LSAT because of the confidence you gain from just studying for the test. I feel that any test in my university is easy compare to the lsat. Please feel free to express your opinions with me or ask me any questions. They are helping me. Thank you.

[faexylona]

The problem is I have been studying for the LSAT since June, and I am still at 146. Now, please don't think I should not bother applying to any law school because my score indicates I am not suitable. I think this thinking is rubbish.

maybe your 146 is a sign that you shouldn't be relying on your thinking
sorry

That is actually funny. Thank you

[typ3]

The problem is I have been studying for the LSAT since June, and I am still at 146. Now, please don't think I should not bother applying to any law school because my score indicates I am not suitable. I think this thinking is rubbish.

maybe your 146 is a sign that you shouldn't be relying on your thinking
sorry

That is actually funny. Thank you

Stop trying to be cutesy with the LSAT.

Take it at face value. If a stimulus says that icebergs cause mountain fires. Don't try to discredit LSAC's statement because in real life they don't. Just accept that in this stimulus Icebergs create conflagrations in Montana.

If a statement on the lsac says that most people are democrats and no one like republicans. therefore no one is a republican, you should invalidate the statement not because this might not be true in the real world (some people like republicans, and most may or may not be republican), but because of the logic they used.


To discredit analytical thinking by saying it's rubbish might indicate you might not be a good candidate for Law school. Law school is all about being critical, so you ought to get used to it.

[JurisDoctorate]

"To discredit analytical thinking by saying it's rubbish might indicate you might not be a good candidate for Law school. Law school is all about being critical, so you ought to get used to it."

I'm pretty sure you're just leveling, but he is not discrediting analytical thinking; he's discrediting the thought that his current low LSAT score (146) means that he is not cut out for law school. His thought is correct if A) he's willing to work at it and get a higher LSAT, B) a low LSAT score isn't the sole predictor of one's later legal abilities, C) he's willing to go to Cooley and will one day practice law.

[faexylona]

The problem is I have been studying for the LSAT since June, and I am still at 146. Now, please don't think I should not bother applying to any law school because my score indicates I am not suitable. I think this thinking is rubbish.

maybe your 146 is a sign that you shouldn't be relying on your thinking
sorry

That is actually funny. Thank you

Stop trying to be cutesy with the LSAT.

Take it at face value. If a stimulus says that icebergs cause mountain fires. Don't try to discredit LSAC's statement because in real life they don't. Just accept that in this stimulus Icebergs create conflagrations in Montana.

If a statement on the lsac says that most people are democrats and no one like republicans. therefore no one is a republican, you should invalidate the statement not because this might not be true in the real world (some people like republicans, and most may or may not be republican), but because of the logic they used.


To discredit analytical thinking by saying it's rubbish might indicate you might not be a good candidate for Law school. Law school is all about being critical, so you ought to get used to it.

I don't think I was discrediting the LSAT. When I said it was rubbish, I did not mean the LSAT.

Allow me to make this clear, what I meant was the thinking that says a 146 means one should not go to law school because he or she is not cut out for it is rubbish. Like I said, I am strong believer that when you work hard, the results that you want usually are achievable. I have been reflecting what I have done these past months and realize I am not working hard enough in logic games and reading comprehension. The logical reasoning section is not too hard for me, but I need to improve my time.

In addition, I would never insult the LSAT and its makers. I have the highest respect for them, for I could never write such an exam, and I don't have their level of knowledge. If you look up Phi Kappa Phi, our motto is "the love of learning." Critical thinking is part of learning, and it is a necessary skill in political science.

Finally, I was not been "cutsie." I was trying to be polite to the comment that I commented on. I must admit I was thrown off my the comment, and did not know what the best response would be. I apologize for this misinterpretation, and for being too vague with my words.

[faexylona]

I do apologize for the "rant" above. But on other news, I have been reflecting on the advice given here, and I think I have a strategy. I will not give up my decision to go to law school, but I think it is best to wait a year. I must admit it hurts my pride because I should be able to handle my obligations, but this is how life is, apparently. In the meantime, I have been given the opportunity to participate in Model United Nations and apply to their simulation of the international court of justice. This could be a good opportunity because I could find out if this the path I want to take.

During the spring and summer (2011), I plan to study for the LSAT (but with complete determination and effort), do an internship (not too many hours), and apply to law school. Next Spring (2012), I plan to take an upper division class, so I can get used to being in an academic environment again because I do graduate in Spring 2011.

For the LSAT, I am considering re-taking the powerscore course again or maybe working with one of their tutors. Hmm, I am undecided on this.

But in the meantime, I will continue with my LSAT studying. I will not let my "minimal"l efforts go to waste.

[rayiner]

Get a damn job after graduating, work on your LSAT and then get into a good law school.

Why should it injure your pride to act like a g'damn adult?