<p>I was wondering whether taking 3-5 years off after undergrad to do Peace Corp or some other mission work could hurt one in the LS admissions process. I know that my mom was out of med school for 15 years and had not been practicing medicine for 7 years and many residencies wouldn't take her because of that. I was wondering if law school is similar.</p>
<p>Hmm... here are some quotes from a secret Wake Forest pre-law handbook:</p>
<p>"I don't think time off would have meant much, but for me being a year older would have definitely helped."</p>
<p>"No, and I'm glad I didn't. Admissions standards get tougher each year, and if I had stayed out a few years I might never have gotten in law school."</p>
<p>"I found that going straight through was beneficial to me. I was still accustomed to academic life, although college and law school were completely different. Had I left school for a few years I think I would have really been an adjustment to be able to cut back and live as a student again."</p>
<p>"I did not take time off before law school and I am very glad of that. It means that I will be a 23-year-old attorney starting practice instead of the norm of 26-30. Obviously, this gives me greater flexibility and longer amount of time in which to realize my basic goals in the field of law."</p>
<p>"I did not take time off. However, the more you experience the "outside world," I'm sure the easier law study becomes; simply because you have more experiences to relate to in connection with the law."</p>
<p>"I went straight from Wake Forest to Stetson. My first year I wished that I had taken time off, but now that I'm just 25 and a graduate of law school, I am definitely happy that I didn't take time off. Some of the people who did take off seemed to be more settled and their experience helped, but I doubt that it makes that much difference."</p>
<p>"I wish I had taken time off. I was saturated with school after graduation from undergrad, so I had a hard time maintaining interest in studies, which hurt me gradewise. I believe that if I had taken a year or two to work and travel I would probably work up to my potential. As it is, I'm afraid I still maintain a rather cavalier attitude towards grades."</p>
<p>"Unless one has very definite plans on how to spend that year, I suspect it's not worth it."</p>
<p>If you have a heavy debt load and would like to get some written off by the government, then I suppose it would be worthwhile. However, 3-5 years seems like a tad too long. I don't really know.</p>
<p>By your selection of quotes you seem to be advocating taking no time off.</p>
<p>I think Peace Corps would help a lot for your chances to get into law school. It's only two years.</p>
<p>If you are into it, do it. If you don't care and you just want to be a 25 year old attorney making six figures, just go to law school right after.</p>
<p>Another question is: Do you really want to spend 4 years in college 3 years in law school and then work for 3 or 4 decades without any substantial, life altering breaks.</p>
<p>I do not think having a generic tourist vacation every year until retirement would satisfy me.</p>
<p>There weren't many quotes to choose from :).</p>
<p>Ndbisme, esq.</p>
<p>mradio: There is a lot to be said for a being an older, more mature law student. Life experience usually offers one a wider persepctive on life than the relatively sheltered experience of college. And, if you are open to other than just Tier I law schools, you should have no problem finding a seat, as long as your grades and LSAT support you application.</p>
<p>For a frame of reference, I was 31 when I started law school.</p>
<p>wow cd, that makes you at least 35 now!!</p>
<p>at least Doc!</p>
<p>Thanks a lot for your input. I'll decide when the time comes. Maybe I won't even want to go to LS anymore.</p>
<p>you never know. I did not decide to go to law school until my senior year of college.</p>
<p>If you have any desire to take time off, I would say do it. </p>
<p>Law school isn't like medical school -- there, it takes so long to become a full-fledged doctor (and there are so few seats) that they prefer younger students. In law, it's really not an issue, and they probably prefer older applicants, all things considered. </p>
<p>The more ready you are for school, the better you'll do, and the more you have to discuss in your personal statement, the more you'll stand out.</p>
<p>I really advocate taking time off - but with a few caveats.</p>
<p>*Plan how you will spend your year or two years or whatever. I studied for the LSAT, researched schools, visited them, wrote my essays, and all that stuff associated with l.s. application. That was all shortly after graduation. I also worked (as an engineer), which allowed me to make some money to defray the cost of tuition.
*Take time off if you are burnt out. It took me until about January or February to unwind, and by about June I was ready and chomping at the bit to go back.
*Realize that you're going to be living a different life than your friends. They will be buying new cars, living in apartments, traveling, or whatever - and, if you are putting yourself through l.s. or need to save for it, will be doing just that - saving money or paying off undergrad.<br>
*Finding employment, if you choose to do that. My company understood and was fine with me only being on for a year - but many employers will frown upon that. It might not be easy in a tight employment market to get a job and have them know that you are heading off in a year.
*Employment, Part II: you might want the flexibility to take time off for the LSAT, to go to the LSAC fora, and to visit law schools. Will you be able to get a job that offers that? It's a lot easier to do when you're a student.<br>
*Recommendations. You'll want to get at least two (at most three) - can you get professors to write recs after you graduated? Can you physically be at your undergrad school to ask for them? (Upside - a manager's rec may be good in certain situations.)</p>
<p>From my perspective, taking a year off was the best thing for me. I matured, got perspective (there is something to be said for understanding life outside of academia), relaxed, spent time really researching law schools and finding ones that I would like, and was ready to go back to school. I would find it hard to give compelling reasons for going straight through. There's a maturity difference in those who go straight and those who take time off - as well as a perspective difference. After hanging out with Ph.D. scientist colleagues, professors are not intimidating.</p>