Howdy, Stranger!

It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!

Sign In Apply for Membership

Categories

help advice needed for discouraged applicant

dswines1223dswines1223 Free Trial Member
edited November 2014 in General 12 karma
Where do I start? I began my LSAT studies in April of this year, with a diagnostic of 146. I felt discouraged but I felt hopeful. However...after taking TWO LSATs, the highest score I received was a 149. I haven't been working full time for almost a year and a half trying to get into graduate school..not necessarily my choice but lots of pressure from my parents to get in and not worry about work. I had a decent work history before the big gap in employment, but now I feel like...just low. I am not dumb by any means, and I don't think that the LSAT is an indicator of intelligence, but I have always struggled on exams and in school in general, my SAT score was on the lower end and my GPA from UG is sub 3.0..mostly b's and c's. Right now I am completing applications that I am not confident about and I don't feel as though they reflect my true potential, but I feel option less-given you can only take the LSAT 3 times in 2 years and family pressure to get into school asap(I am also an older student-over 25). On the flip side, I do well when on the job front. I am desperate for advice and I'm sure from the outside my problem seems very clear cut- but I struggle to get past the fog.

PS I FULLY committed when prepping for the the LSAT- I took a in-person prep course and I studied for a minimum of 6 hours a day-most days I averaged 8-12 hours. I PUSHED. During this time, I tried to be discipline-no drinking, parties, lots of meditation/positive talks and very light volunteer service. The highest PT I got was 156- 2 days before the exam on the most recent test. Like I mentioned earlier, I struggle with confidence scholastically so I tried to prepare myself in so many aspects for the exam. On the night before the exam I made sure to go to bed at 9pm- and woke up almost 2 hours before the exam- ate a light breakfast..stayed overnight in a hotel for the test so walked to the test location. I completely skipped 2 questions on the exam...so I'm sure I was anxious. I feel like I did everything right--except the fact that this exam may just take time that I don't feel like I have. I took the most recent exams in case anyone is wondering. I don't want to give up on law school, as it was my dream in undergrad, and most of the jobs I've had since UG in would benefit from a JD. Please please help..any advice would be great.
Does LSAT REALLY measure your success in lawschool?
Show Related Discussions

Comments

  • ssmith1216ssmith1216 Alum Member
    7 karma
    The impression I got while reading your post is that you don't actually WANT to go back to school and that is O.K.! Truly, it is. Our parents want us to succeed and make good choices but sometimes their idea of what those choices should be doesn't coincide with what we are willing or wanting to do. Take a deep breath and just figure out what you want independent of what your parents want for you. Maybe law school is on your path next fall, maybe it's on your path 5 or 10 years from now. Maybe it isn't on your path. Whatever you choose, it HAS to be your choice. Your parents will love you regardless and you'll sleep better knowing that you are doing what you think is best.
  • danballinger5danballinger5 Alum Member
    198 karma
    As someone who has spent a year in law school, I can tell you that the LSAT absolutely measures your ability to succeed in law school. Judicial opinions are like RC passages on steroids. It is not uncommon to come across legal decisions that have been condensed to a dozen pages or more. Within those decisions, you must identify the legal rule(s) being applied and the reasoning behind why the rules are applied as they are. The faster and more accurate you are at this, the easier studying will be and the better you can do on law school finals - finals being the only source of grades you earn in law school.

    I could't agree more with the above comment. Is this really what you want to do? Or are you caving to pressure from your parents? With a GPA below 3.3 - 3.5 and a LSAT score in the low 150's, you are restricting yourself to earning a JD from a school that offers little hope of securing you a job any time after you graduate. JD's are not like other graduate degrees; you don't simply earn one and then go applying for jobs. People finish first in their class at JD diploma mills (Cooley, Thomas Jefferson, etc.) and never get jobs. I don't mean to burst your bubble, but the process of earning a JD is undoubtedly expensive and often unforgiving.

    However, my background is in behavioral psychology and you sound as though your mental state sabotages you ability. In my opinion, if you have your heart set on becoming a lawyer, which, in all honesty it doesn't really sound like you do, you must find your confidence. The LSAT is all about confidence in your abilities. You can study forever, but if you are anxious, worried, skeptical, frantic, etc. on test day, you will not do well. I believe it is too late to cancel the December test, but you can always cancel your score within a week of taking the test. Perhaps if you go in with that notion, you will be relaxed enough to do better on the test. If you feel anxious or rushed during that test, just cancel it and take the necessary or sufficient time (hey-oh! - LSAT speak!) needed to realize your scholastic confidence.

    Hope some of this helps.
  • dswines1223dswines1223 Free Trial Member
    edited November 2014 12 karma
    First, I want to say thank you all so much for responding to my plea for help! I appreciate your comments. I do, however, realize a few things about myself now... As I mentioned in my previous statement, I did want to go to law school as a college student. After graduating, getting work experience(which I truly believe will help me upon graduating, in the case that I go), I worked and did well. I am not sure what to think of the common commentary you see on top law school-from 0Ls or 1Ls/other websites, who claim you will not get a job after graduation by attending lower ranked schools, basically ever. And if you do, it won't be worth it.. I totally understand that premise, however, I find most of the people saying these comments most likely lack work experience, etc...if you're coming out of law school with no prior work experience, I can imagine if would be a little more difficult to get a job. I also wonder if by job, they only mean JD/legal jobs..obviously understandable if they do, but I guess I just have a feeling that in this market, people who seek JDs should be flexible.
    Also, my thoughts after reading your comments were this- being a good student in law school does not equal job retention or being good as a lawyer(just as it didn't guarantee that in UG), and I can't stand the narrative out there that first job = EVERYTHING. To be honest, all of the hoopla 'don't go to law school unless', which consequently isolates a majority of minorities...is at least part of the reason I have ambivalence about attending law school. How can we suggest - if the average lsat for AAs/MAs is sub 145- that they will not have a respectable future in law?? It isn't a consequence that these scores are what they are..I find it slightly baffling that everyone just nods their head at that. 'Thats just how it is'..?
    With that said, I truly do appreciate both of your comments. @starleigh.smith thank you for trying to get to the bottom of things and @danballinger5 thank you for expressing your insight- I think you are spot on on the anxiety affecting my performance bit!
  • danballinger5danballinger5 Alum Member
    198 karma
    Good questions.

    Here's the deal with lower ranked schools. The higher ranked school you go to the higher level of classmate you will have. Your grades are based on how well you do compered to them. If you succeed at a 2nd tier school, well, you succeeded compared to those that likely could not get into a tier 1 school. If you succeed at at a 3rd tier school, well, you succeeded compared those who likely could not get into a 1st or 2nd tier school. If you succeed at a school ranked well out of the top 100, then you succeeded at a school that has little to no respect within the legal community. Plus, due to prestige, Alumni networks, clinical programs, etc., the higher ranked school you go to, the more opportunity you will likely have.

    You are correct about the work experience part though. Primarily because you are older and wiser and than the typical 22-24 year old jumping into law school. I am going back to law school at 37, and my target school is ranked between 60th and 80th, depending on where you look. However, I don't give a shit about that at all. I've spent a year in law school and seen behind the curtain. I know how the game is played and am not worried about finding employment. I want to live in a certain city, on the beach. Even if I get an LSAT score high enough to get me into a higher ranked school, I won't go. I've spent my time chasing money and making poor decisions.

    Legal jobs are just a lot harder to come by then they were 10 years ago. Graduating from a T14 school is now the only way to really guarantee yourself a job post graduation. If you think a JD is going to give you an appreciable edge in your current field then, by all means, get one. I just want people to know what they are up against so they don't wake up 4 years from now, $200,000 in debt, wondering what the fuck just happened.

    On a side note - have you looked into part-time and night programs? They usually have lower requirements for entrance and sometimes allow you to transfer to the regular program if you do well.
Sign In or Register to comment.