3 answers
Austin
Student
Fayetteville, Arkansas
1
Question
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Should I take a year off and work before entering law school or enter law school immediately after graduation?
Should I take a year off and work before entering law school or enter law school immediately after graduation? I've heard encouragement for me to do both.
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3 answers
Amber Lee
Tax Associate
49
Answers
New York, New York
Updated
Amber’s Answer
Hi Austin,
If you already have something lined up immediately after graduating from your undergrad, then I would say go for it. Having some work experience prior to attending law school would be valuable, but it is definitely not necessary. Keep in mind though if you have not taken the LSAT, you might want to start planning and studying for it soon. It might be challenging to stay motivated enough to prep for that if you're working full-time after graduation.
If you already have something lined up immediately after graduating from your undergrad, then I would say go for it. Having some work experience prior to attending law school would be valuable, but it is definitely not necessary. Keep in mind though if you have not taken the LSAT, you might want to start planning and studying for it soon. It might be challenging to stay motivated enough to prep for that if you're working full-time after graduation.
Evgeniya Galstyan
Controls management
7
Answers
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Updated
Evgeniya’s Answer
Any additional life experience is definitely useful at the law school. And the experience might give you additional ideas about which area of law to focus on. And of course you might earn some money for the education. However, from practical standpoint, I would first try and check if in the current market you actually can find a work. What you probably do not want to happen is having a year of looking for jobs and not getting any, this would be just a waste of time and energy, and you will also lose the concentration required for school. So I would probably try applying to some positions right now and see if you get invited for interviews at least. If you see that there won't be any difficulties with having the job which works for you for the whole year - go for it. But if you see that there is no invitations coming your way - then your decision is made for you actually, because you are choosing not between work and studies but between unemployment and studies.
Cristina cristina-maria.tomosoiu@hpe.com
Program Manager
11
Answers
Bucharest, Romania
Updated
Cristina’s Answer
Hi!
What would you prefer? If you take a year off, you should have a plan of what will you be doing that year and what impact will have on your study for law school and future. Will you feel the same motivation after a year break and have a continuity with your so far knowledge achieved?
If you choose law school after graduation you could maintain the same level of interest in education and focus, and then you can compare with the situation of a year off and how would have been.
What would you prefer? If you take a year off, you should have a plan of what will you be doing that year and what impact will have on your study for law school and future. Will you feel the same motivation after a year break and have a continuity with your so far knowledge achieved?
If you choose law school after graduation you could maintain the same level of interest in education and focus, and then you can compare with the situation of a year off and how would have been.