Will being 18 help or hurt my chances at a good school? Forum

[clintonius]

Just got my LSAT score, it's 162, I'm pretty sure I can do better but with a 162 what should I be shooting for?

Testmaster LSAT Prep Class.

+1. Helped me out tons.

I figure that the worst case scenario if I can't do anything at OCI I'll just do a tour of duty with jag and then join a firm 1 year after everyone else but with 4 years of trial experience with the UCMJ.

You realize that JAG is pretty competitive, right? I don't want to be an ass and assume you haven't done your research, but this comment makes it sound like JAG is your backup plan, which might not be realistic.

[spondee]

Just got my LSAT score, it's 162, I'm pretty sure I can do better but with a 162 what should I be shooting for?

Testmaster LSAT Prep Class.

+1. Helped me out tons.

I figure that the worst case scenario if I can't do anything at OCI I'll just do a tour of duty with jag and then join a firm 1 year after everyone else but with 4 years of trial experience with the UCMJ.

You realize that JAG is pretty competitive, right? I don't want to be an ass and assume you haven't done your research, but this comment makes it sound like JAG is your backup plan, which might not be realistic.

All this. Your score and age and ambitions don't add up: an 18yo college graduate should be some sort of genius/smarty type, but a 162 LSAT is none of those things. It seems that you're scoring below your potential or that you're rushing too quickly through life. I'm guessing you're underscoring.

Most employers will figure out your age - not from your resume or from initial interviews, but over the long courtships that are common in the legal field (callbacks, summers, etc.). They'll know (or worriedly suspect) by the time they need to make a decision on a full-time offer. This doesn't mean you need to wait on law school, but you need to be able to sell your age as a plus, and the way to do that is to make the rest of your resume and credentials so sterling that the only conclusion to be drawn is that you're some kind of prodigy. Otherwise, who would want to hire someone that's in a hurry to be average?

[gossipgirl]

Other than reaching a ceiling on their LSAT, the other argument against retaking and just applying is that people don't have enough time to study and take the LSAT multiple times because of their age.

Time is on your side here buddy. You should study for the LSAT again. Whatever schools you get into with a 162 are just not worth it ITE and in your age situation, especially when you have time to get a higher LSAT.

Forget about applying for now and put all your time towards retaking.

[Danteshek]

If the OP is male, there is no way he is mature enough.

[09042014]

Here is what I'd do. If you have employable job prospects, get a job. Save up some cash, go to law school when you are 21.

If you aren't employable, get into a funded PhD program, and drop out with a MA when you are 21.

[super6]

I'm in an LSAT class now and I'm going to retake the test in December, I'm also in a Formal Logic class this fall at UCF. I've already moved up to a 166, there's no reason I can't get in the 170's, I got 730-760-730 when I took the SAT 2 years ago, the percentiles on that all equate to 170's on the LSAT, I'll just need to practice at it.

I didn't meant to give the impression I think JAG is easy to get into however I also doubt that they would use mere age to disqualify, unlike some firms would, as various posters have pointed out, it means that if I do well in law school I have a decent shot at getting a job even if I'm not 21.

If the OP is male, there is no way he is mature enough.

I don't think I'm immature, but who does? I can't really give an objective stance on this, anyone that knows me well enough to gauge my maturity is unlikely to be honest about it so I'll just have to take my chances, I suppose. That being said, I don't think I'm as socially awkward as some might assume someone graduating college at 19 would be. My school also had an IB program and I can tell you that I'm not one of those kids.

Here is what I'd do. If you have employable job prospects, get a job. Save up some cash, go to law school when you are 21.

If you aren't employable, get into a funded PhD program, and drop out with a MA when you are 21.

I don't think there will be a multitude of job offerings opened to me when I graduate, I don't think many people are looking for 19-year-olds with BA's in Political Science. I have some money saved up from the business I created but I don't like the idea of sitting around waiting for a couple of years.

I appreciate all the replies and advice everyone has given me, I'll be back to update this once I get my second, and hopefully last, LSAT score this December.