Advice on anxiety and discouragement about law school decisions?

caitlinfelise

All,

I've been obsessing over the my law school decision letters and received my first rejection the other day. I studied for the LSAT for nearly three years on and off with a full time job, and I took the exam 3 times. I'm ready to move on, but it's just been a painful process and even more anxiety-inducing as I'm waiting.

Any advice on how to deal with the anxiety and defeated feelings?

BinghamtonDave

I think one thing you can take solace in is that others are also waiting. The process is difficult for sure. But we are going through it in a sense together!

Chardiggity

Your numbers do not define you. It sucks that the schools choose them as their metric for who gets in and who doesn't, but you are not what you scored, whatever you scored. What would you say to an elementary kiddo who didn't score in the upper reaches on a standardized test? Be as kind to yourself as you would to them. You're going to go to law school, and you're going to get a law degree, and you're going to use it in a meaningful way. That is what matters, Friend!

GeeVee03

I'm totally in the same boat. Been studying for this on and off since 2016 with a full-time job, and I'm so ready to be done with it. I know it's really hard not to get discouraged, but I imagine that you did the best you could with the circumstances you had, and everyone's circumstances are different! The comment above is wonderful... "be as kind to yourself as you would to them."
Remember how hard you've worked and all that you've accomplished, from taking the test multiple times to going through the application process. It really is something to be proud of!

UnicornFarts

Distract yourself with something fun. I am also waiting on my application results, and sometimes there are these moments of doubt and anxiety, but just know that you will get into one of the schools you applied to, and that this is just a bump in the road leading to something much bigger. I'm catching up on reading some of the books I have always wanted to read but did not have time (school). This is probably going to be the last chunk of time you'll have to do treat yourself to something fun. I hear it's going to get really busy after law school. Cheers!

caitlinfelise

This is all so kind. Thank you for the incredible support!

Bamboosprout

The thing I would say is that, it doesn't sound like you're truly ready to move on. It doesn't sound like you've sincerely internalized the possibility that you won't get into anywhere you like, and can move on, because if you have, then you wouldn't be anxious. Embrace that other side of the coin flip, because that's what this is, it's out of your control now, and simply a coin flip.
I would say that you should focus on other things, things that are in front of you, and things that you've put off because of law school. Learn to love fate, wherever it takes you, and whatever it gives you. The likely truth is, you will be just as happy, if not happier, without law school, and you've learned a lot about being a logical and good person from this experience either way. Look at the long run, 5, 10 years down the line, there is no guarantee that having gone to law school would mean you would have a better future. The legal job market is more competitive than ever before, people are working more hours and taking longer to make partner; relationships suffer; you might be making more money, but there is no guarantee that you will be happier; IIRC, turnover is higher than ever before; you would have spent 3-4 years in a grueling bootcamp, and another 2-3 years insufferably working 80+hours a week. Is losing this future really worth getting anxious about? Don't let the delusions of law school success blind you. Sure, it sounds good, and prestigious, but do you need that in life? Remember there is survivorship bias in every area of life. Even if you got into law school, what's to guarantee that you would do well, or even not flunk out or not fall into depression like so many current law students?
Every close friend I have spoken to, who is a current student or alumni, talk to me about law school with shades of regret and sadness, and they're all incredibly successful relative to their peers in T14 schools. This has helped me understand that law school, like anything else in life, is not all it promises to be, and that the grass only looks greener on the other side, but isn't really.
Hope this ramble helps you feel better. Cheers