<p>If I get into law school, can I take a few years (3) off to pursue other studies before beginning my law studies? I know that LSAT scores are valid for 5 years, as are recommendations (I hear), so would it be better to apply after I finish my 3-year studies, or just apply right after I get my scores and see what happens?</p>
<p>No school will let you defer for three years.</p>
<p>Just take the years off, take the extra time to study for the LSAT as well, and apply later.</p>
<p>Agreed. If you want the time off, delay your application. The only thing that will get you a 3 year deferal is back-to-back military deployments.</p>
<p>That’s not quite true–the only person I personally know of who got a 3 year deferral was a Rhodes Scholar who stayed at Oxford for 3 years to get a D.Phil. in a related field.
The only way you’ll ever know is to ask, but I sure wouldn’t count on it.</p>
<p>Well joekim1, </p>
<p>Some schools will allow you to defer your enrollment for a year or two, but it depends on the University’s policies & your reasoning. You may want to check the admissions information for whichever grad/law school you are looking to attend. Oftentimes it requires a letter to the appropriate department and discussions/beaurocratic forms with individuals at admissions who will grant/deny the request. For example: [HLS</a> in Focus Change in Deferral Policy](<a href=“http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/admissions/2006/08/30/change-in-deferral-policy/]HLS”>http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/admissions/2006/08/30/change-in-deferral-policy/)</p>
<p>Really though, if you’re doing this to pursue other academic goals, handle it “one thing at a time.” Definitely finish the years of studying and then apply to grad/law school. Trust me, it’ll still be there when you finish.</p>
<p>I’m sure you could drum up some info just from looking through the admissions portion of a law school’s website.</p>
<p>I see… I guess I’ll take some time to think about this a little more. Thanks, everyone.</p>