<p>I'm currently a Junior at the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls, Iowa. Although I know there was a thread created that spoke about the potential setbacks of graduating early from college, I'm on track to do so and would like the opinions of anyone willing to chime in. </p>
<p>I've got a 3,94GPA so far and won't have any problem maintaining that number (or raising it a little bit). I'll have a major in Spanish and a minor in Economics when I graduate in May of 2010 (after three years of university). I work 30 hours a week during the school year as a computer tech and volunteer as an interpreter in area community schools. </p>
<p>Anyway, I took an LSAT practice test and got a 166 cold. I have until (at least) next summer to improve this number. With a 170'ish would it be possible for me to get admitted to any Ivy schools? Curious because I'd barely be 21 with no "work" experience, not to mention the fact that I'll be graduating from a decent public university in Iowa. Also, I'm a white male. </p>
<p>Assuming that graduating within three years will have a negligible impact on your application, then I would say you're on track to being accepted into a T14 school. The GPA is very strong, and scoring a 166 cold is impressive (my very first was a 161). Given time and effort, I would be shocked if you didn't end up with a 170+ on the actual exam, placing you well within reach of the T14. Get a 173+ or higher and I'd be shocked if you didn't make it into a T5 school. As for age and work experience, when I applied this past application cycle, I was also just 21 at the time and had no "real" work experience. I did just fine and will be heading to HLS fall of 2009.</p>
<p>I don't think that your age or inexperience will affect your admittance to law school except at those schools where the average age of the student body is increasing year over year or where there is an explicit emphasis on work experience. </p>
<p>However, I do think that your age may hurt you when you go through the process of interviewing for jobs. Your youth and inexperience may cause potential employers to see you as lacking in "street smarts" and/or "green". Your youth may make it difficult for a potential employer to put you in front of clients. Now, your youth and inexperience are not absolute roadblocks here, but they may be impediments.</p>
<p>
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Assuming that graduating within three years will have a negligible impact on your application
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Anecdotally, this is the only situation I have seen where law school admissions really gives you shocking results -- candidates who are applying young really do seem to do more poorly than their numbers would predict. Again, that's just anecdotal.</p>
<p>Thank you everyone, I truly appreciate all of your responses. </p>
<p>There is a possibility that I'll stick around another year just to get a major in Economics along with my Spanish major (I may be in Spain this summer when the LSAT is being offered and would prefer to take it then rather than October so I could apply ASAP). </p>
<p>In reality though, I just want to get out of the University of Northern Iowa. I'm so ready to graduate and just be done with this place. Do you think my chances would be lower if all I had was a Spanish major with random econ. electives? </p>
<p>im actually in the same boat as you. im graduating this year (my third year) and my stats are pretty similar to yours. i also worked close to 30 hrs a week. i guess we'll find out soon whether graduating early has an effect, or at least in my case.</p>
<p>In response to the question about taking a year or two off to work: I've thought about it, and I think it seems like a horrid idea. I'll have a degree in Spanish, with which I can be an interpreter/translator (amongst a few other things). My desire has never been to pursue a career/job just by possessing this major/skill. I honestly believe that taking a year off would be a complete waste of time, especially when I'd just be waiting for something that's inevitable. </p>
<p>In truth, I'd prefer to get into a lower ranked law school right away than wait a year working a dead end job, earning $25,000 whilst doing something I do not enjoy in a terrible location. </p>
<p>Would law schools really see that year off as something positive? Any job that I'd potentially take would be a dead-end, requiring little intellectual development and few opportunities to grow. Also, do years of working in tech support for a multinational company not count as job experience? I've had the opportunity to develop great communication skills by dealing with a broad range of different situations (mostly angry customers). Like I said, I work an average of 30 hours/week while in school and 40ish when we're on break. The way I see it is this: if it's something I know I want to do and my numbers are decent, why wait? You know? </p>
<p>Anyway, thanks for giving me another chance to fully think about it. And I do mean that sincerely.</p>