Yeah, son!

danilphillipsdanilphillips Alum Member
edited May 2016 in General 200 karma
Like many here, I just thought I'd share my progress and experience with 7sage and studying for the LSAT. I'm 35 years old (married, 2 kids). Yes, kids, I'm an old B. I have a Master's in a different subject and had a career as a librarian for 8 years. For many, many reasons, I left that career and after years of not knowing which path to take, I stumbled upon 'The New Jim Crow' by Michelle Alexander and my life was changed. I knew without a doubt that I needed to pursue a career as a public defender. The thought of law school was always in the back of my mind even before reading Alexander's book, but a few years back, I bought an LSAT prep test book, looked at the games, and gave up. I honestly thought I was too stupid to take the LSAT, much less get into law school. I went to a shit state college and I never particularly applied myself or excelled at standardized tests. I literally did not even study for the SAT! While my GPA is decent and I can read and write well, I had no background in logic, and definitely suck ass at all tests.

I just took my first real prep test after the curriculum and got a 155 and 161 on BR. I am ECSTATIC! My dream school is UNM for reasons related to costs and its reputation for training public defenders (call me Saul), so I'm just aiming for a 160. I never thought in a million years I could do this test. Seriously, never. At my old age, I didn't even know if I could properly study.

I guess I'm just sharing to tell the 7Sagers, particularly J.Y., that OG, THANK YOU for changing my life and for making me see that I am capable of this. For all you grinding like me, if I can do this with a job, two kids (some nights I studied in my 2 year old's room when he was sick), and a brain jacked up from too many years of partying, You CAN TOO!!!! I am on cloud 9 and feel even more motivated to do this. Thanks everyone!!!!!!

Comments

  • tanes256tanes256 Alum Member
    2573 karma
    @danilphillips this is great! I understand not shooting for a 180 but don't cap yourself at 160. Why pay for this if you don't have to?? Get as close to that 170 as possible. Not sure when you're testing but it seems like you're capable of more than a 160 just doing what you're doing now!
  • TheCochranFirmTheCochranFirm Member
    51 karma
    Congrats and keep grinding! I agree with Tane256, don't cap yourself, keep striving to be better. Best of luck!
  • Nanchito-1-1Nanchito-1-1 Alum Member
    1762 karma
    Alright @danilphillips keep up the good work! Remember, getting a really good score can change your life. 180 is the limit.
  • runiggyrunruniggyrun Alum Inactive Sage Inactive ⭐
    2481 karma
    Thank you for sharing your inspiring story! Keep it up and aim high!
  • Cant Get RightCant Get Right Yearly + Live Member Sage ⭐ 🍌 7Sage Tutor
    27900 karma
    Congrats! Enjoy the moment, then back to work! You got this!
  • BruiserWoodsBruiserWoods Member Inactive ⭐
    1706 karma
    Congrats! Thanks for sharing
  • Alan Cheuk-2Alan Cheuk-2 Administrator
    3123 karma
    Congratulations!
  • allison.gill.sanfordallison.gill.sanford Alum Inactive Sage
    1128 karma
    @danilphillips if you were wrecked/inspired by The New Jim Crow, read Bryan Stevenson's Just Mercy (if you haven't yet!). Also PM me if you want to connect, I'm going to school for civil rights work too.
  • Cant Get RightCant Get Right Yearly + Live Member Sage ⭐ 🍌 7Sage Tutor
    27900 karma
    @danilphillips @allison.gill.sanford "Between The World and Me" by Ta-Nehisi Coates is also a great read along these lines. A more personal, philosophical accounting.
  • allison.gill.sanfordallison.gill.sanford Alum Inactive Sage
    1128 karma
    @"Cant Get Right" YESSS I love that book!! Required reading for Americans from every walk IMO.
  • J.Y. PingJ.Y. Ping Administrator Instructor
    14214 karma
    Keep up the hard work @danilphillips !
  • inactiveinactive Alum Member
    12637 karma
    Doing great! Keep it up :D
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  • stepharizonastepharizona Alum Member
    3197 karma
    Congrats Dani!
  • Not Ralph NaderNot Ralph Nader Alum Member Inactive Sage Inactive ⭐
    2098 karma
    @danilphillips congrats thanks for the sharing it is really inspiring
  • MrSamIamMrSamIam Inactive ⭐
    2086 karma
    Congrats buddy!
    Like @"Cant Get Right" implied, enjoy that score but now's not the time to get complacent. Keep busting your butt. When my friends ask me how they should go about studying for a standardized test, I always tell them, "Aim for Harvard, even if you don't intend on going there."
  • danilphillipsdanilphillips Alum Member
    200 karma
    @"J.Y. Ping" It's an honor to get a comment from you. I'm not a stalker, but I LOVE YOU.
  • danilphillipsdanilphillips Alum Member
    200 karma
    @"Cant Get Right" - That's an awesome book! I am obsessed with reading books about social justice and mass incarceration. I also recommend 'American Furies: crime, punishment, and vengeance in the age of mass incarceration' and 'Hard Time Blues; how politics built the a prison nation,' by Sasha Abramsky. Also, 'No Matter How Loud I Shout: a year in the life of juvenile court' by Edward Humes. I have lots more book recommendations like this for anyone interested in reading about criminal justice and mass incarceration. Also, the documentary 'The House I Live In' is amazing. (I told you, I'm obsessed with this subject!!!)
  • tltl1111tltl1111 Yearly Member
    78 karma
    my concern about age is that while many people start law school in their 30s, I haven't managed to find more than 2 people who go to top schools like Harvard or Yale in their 30s. Do top schools discriminate more in terms of age?
  • AlexAlex Alum Member ⭐
    edited December 2016 23929 karma
    @tltl1196 said:
    my concern about age is that while many people start law school in their 30s, I haven't managed to find more than 2 people who go to top schools like Harvard or Yale in their 30s. Do top schools discriminate more in terms of age?
    No real evidence exists to suggest they do discriminate. There are certainly more than a handful of people in their 30s at top schools. You can usually find the demographics for each school and see the specific number though.
  • tltl1111tltl1111 Yearly Member
    78 karma
    I haven't managed to find such statistics, but most likely I am looking at the wrong places. Thanks for the comments though, it is great to get responses from fellow 7Sagers, it makes me feel like part of a close-knit community !
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