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I completed my undergrad at a liberal arts college one year ago with a 3.66 LSAC GPA, and I now work at a mid-tier financial firm as an analyst (recognizable name but not Goldman Sachs-level).

I took the LSAT a year ago and got a 168, and I am hoping to retake sometime in the next year. My last PT was a 175. I would like to start law school in 2016 or 2017, depending on my LSAT, savings, and personal life. I'm interested in applying to Harvard, Chicago, Columbia, NYU, Cornell, and Northwestern (possibly ED for the scholarship). I would take a big firm job, but my preferred outcome is a federal clerkship.

My employer is offering to pay for either LSAT prep or CFA prep. If I passed the CFA Level One, I might be able to get a promotion within the next 9 months and save a little more money. Is the CFA Level One valuable at all in law school admissions or law firm hiring? With my PT this high, is an LSAT class even worth it?

I'm not a URM, and I have no spectacular softs. Thanks for your advice (:

If you're testing that high, you don't need an LSAT class, just some books to self-study. A CFA Level One will likely have zero impact on your law school admissions, but I don't know about employment.

go to b school you idiot.

OP, why do you want to sacrifice several years of high earnings for law school? I was in nearly the exact same situation as you and with similar numbers. If you're making what I was, it would be a waste to go to law school considering you're only one promotion away from making even more than you would in biglaw. From a financial standpoint, don't do it. Get the CFA and continue to do well in life.

What are your goals? Do you dislike working in finance? Are you seeking a better work/life balance?