September 2010 Weddings
mushE
member
Dear Community,
Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
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Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Debdeb
I saw your post to Angiem, and wanted to offer myself up if you have any questions about law school. I graduated in 2006 from a school in CA. You said you're going to retake the LSAT?
Re: Debdeb
I just applied to two schools yesterday. One on San Jose and another in San Francisco. I originally took the LSAT in Dec of 2007, and my score was on the low end. I've been wanting to retake it to get a higher score, but never did.
I applied to some schools in 08 just after graduation but didn't get in to any of them. I felt really down about myself. I put off applying to schools because I got comfortable in my position. But with all the BS at work, I decided that I need to get back on track. I'm destinated for greater things that this crappy job I'm stuck in.
So if I don't get into any of these schools plan is to retake the LSAT in June and apply in November. The part that kills me are the games. Ugh, they are my weekness. Angiem sent me some of her old prep books which have helped. I still need to take some practice tests to get better at them.
The logic games killed me, too, but the test prep materials really helped. I did a weekend course in Berkeley that my bosses at the time actually paid for. They were so sweet and encouraging.
The best advice is what you already know, to just keep doing the practice tests.
When you get down to choosing a school, I've got tons of advice there. The key is to really think of it as a matrix between the school's ranking (and how easy it will be for you to get a job as a graduate from that school) vs. the cost. Hopefully you and your H would be able to avoid taking on more loans (like private - avoid at all costs!) because he works and can pick up the slack. I went before I met H, but still managed to minimize my private loans to about $10k, and only after they drastically raised tuition while I was in school.
What do you think about non ABA accredited schools? I'm considering schools that are only WASC Acredited or by California State Bar.
Honestly, I'm anti non-ABA accredited schools, but it definitely depends on what you want to do career-wise. Do you have an idea?
ETA: My boss went to a non-ABA school and has done very well for herself in government, but I think that many people don't have as much respect for her because of it. Also, I have a family friend who went to a non-ABA school in her 70's, and the bar passage rate was terrible. She felt like they didn't prepare her to take the bar, and hadn't even suggested that she take BarBri or something, which is ridiculous.
Yeah, I'm worried about not getting the respect or not getting a job because it's non-ABA.
Do I apply to a non-ABA school and start this fall, or do I wait to retake the LSAT apply this fall and possibly start next fall if I'm accepted. This has been on my mind a lot these past couple of days. I know it's my decision to make, but I don't know what to do.
I don't know what I want to do career-wise, but I'm thinking about either criminal, immigration, or family law.
It is a big decision! For now, I'd definitely recommend studying and retaking the LSAT.
Let me know if I can be of any help!
**jumping in**
non-ABA schools are tough - they usually don't have the structure or the resources to help you get a big jump on job searching.
That being said - a lot of law school is what you make of it - if you go to a non-ABA b/c that is where you get in - start your networking immediately - take non-paid internships in areas of law you think you might want to practice in. Visit the schools talk to everyone you can and ask as many questions as you can - if the school is a fit for you - you'll know it when you visit - then go. If not keep applying.
I am at a 3rd tier school and I love it - I just applied to a 1st tier school for my legal masters. I am a firm believer that school is what you personally make of it - go to a non-ABA study hard graduate in the top 10 - land great job..... that would put you in the same place as going to an ABA, hating it, ranking in the middle and getting no job.
Speaking of jobs - I know it really blows - but try really really hard NOT to work during law school it is so so so so so hard to do and can be a huge detrimental effect on your grades. My advise would be to go full time get it over with, take out the federal loans for living expenses that H can't cover and work really hard at being in the top of your class.