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Law School admissions and 5 year Program?

Hi! I'm a undergrad senior that is currently enrolled in a 5 year B.S./M.A. program at my university. During my senior year I have taken undergrad and graduate level courses. I have no intention in completing the program if I get admitted to a Law School. Will law schools turn away my application, for the Fall 2021 cycle, when they see that I have an expected grad school graduation date for May 2022? Any suggestions for who I can reach out to for a concrete answer?

Comments

  • VerdantZephyrVerdantZephyr Member
    2054 karma

    That is a good question. I think this is a question for a professional. I have a few thoughts on this. 1. Quitting another academic program before you finish absolutely does not look good.
    2. They may have questions about why you are applying which, if they learn it is because you intend to quit another academic program, takes you back to 1.
    3. It is possible or probable that they assume you are going to show up for classes in 2021 if you are applying. They may think that you will graduate early or something of the sort.
    4. If they have any doubt about you showing up for classes in 2021 that is very, very bad.

    My other thoughts are not strictly related to your question but, is it possible to unenroll from your dual degree program so it does not show up as a degree you abandoned and did not complete? Is is possible to just finish it? Having an MA, and probably even more so an MA you completed in conjunction with your BS, is going to look very good to ad coms and will absolutely help you get into better schools. Furthermore, this year is unusually competitive for law school applications. Schools you may have gotten scholarships at might turn into wait lists and acceptances into denies because of the strength of the class. Is there a solid reason you have for only finishing your program if you get into law school? Are you trying to not take on additional debt for your fifth year or simply want to save time before you start working? I presume you are pretty young and lots of people, like me, do not even start law school until many years after undergrad. You could put yourself in a much better position long term by waiting, again, if that is something that you do not have a strong reason to avoid.

  • VerdantZephyrVerdantZephyr Member
    2054 karma

    I apologize if I made that whole situation seem really grim. I do not think it necessarily is, just that you are going to have to tread these questions very carefully.

  • 1952 karma

    won't your transcript show that you're in a bs/ma combined program?
    hmm i think law schools will first think: "why is this person applying in this cycle when his graduation date is 2 years away?"

    even if they go past that, they will be basing their decision off from your transcript/résumé which would state your expected graduation date. they reserve a right to revoke admissions after seeing your final transcript – why take this risk?

  • BeMoreChill99BeMoreChill99 Member
    44 karma

    @VerdantZephyr said:
    I apologize if I made that whole situation seem really grim. I do not think it necessarily is, just that you are going to have to tread these questions very carefully.

    No i ABSOLUTELY needed the honestly. This is what I've been thinking and a lot of people irl are telling me that I am overthinking it. So thank you!!!

  • BeMoreChill99BeMoreChill99 Member
    44 karma

    @"LOWERCASE EVERYTHING" said:
    won't your transcript show that you're in a bs/ma combined program?
    hmm i think law schools will first think: "why is this person applying in this cycle when his graduation date is 2 years away?"

    even if they go past that, they will be basing their decision off from your transcript/résumé which would state your expected graduation date. they reserve a right to revoke admissions after seeing your final transcript – why take this risk?

    Yes it will show that I enrolled in that program, but it is also awkward and show that I am graduating in May 2021 and I have matched my resume the same way--I didn't really mention the whole grad school thing on there. I signed up for the program to take more rigorous electives during my senior year (in some way I thought that would strengthen my app) and I think it might have backfired LOL. As far as my application, I will definitely lowercase that part.

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