Older Applicants (over 40) October LSAT 2005 start

[UniversityWASH]

I recently sat in on a 1L Criminal Law class and I was surprised at the number of students playing solitare on their laptops.  I asked the 3L who gave me the tour about it and she said "Well you know, these classes are pretty boring."  I laughed and thought to myself that some of these people are in for a rude awakening when they get out in the real world....I was also surprised at the number of them who could not speak in front of the class when called upon by the professor.

Well, I am not over 40, but I am just finishing up a BA.  I am amazed at how the majority of ‘traditional’ students put in as little effort as possible.   Granted, there are the exceptions, but for the most part, I look around and think ‘if they only knew.’ 

Honestly, I look forward to law school and the idea of ‘competition.’

[luluhallmark]

  I'm there with ya.  Let us know if you have been accepted anywhere.  I'm terrified, I take my LSAT on Saturday.

[WitterUin4]

Hello I'm actually almost 38 and am an undergrad at UVa. I had three kids and am now a grandmother thats why it took me so long to go to college. I only got a 150 on my LSAT... found out the night before that my mother was diagnosed with terminal cancer... registered to retake it in Oct and my mom died on test day... so I just wrote an LSAT addendum... one of the deans here wrote me a letter of recommendation and he told me not to worry about the LSAT at my age... he feels that it does not matter as much becaue of life experiences in addition to the fact that older students just don't do as well on this test. I also know of a student who got a 141 last year and was accepted to a law school, remember we can always transfer after the first year.

I'd like to think the LSAT doesn't matter at 38 (and I'm so sorry for what happened to you during your LSAT experience) but I have to think it does matter to some extent.  I also don't think it's that easy to transfer after your 1L year.  To where are you applying?

[captmiseee]

I'd like to think the LSAT doesn't matter at 38 (and I'm so sorry for what happened to you during your LSAT experience) but I have to think it does matter to some extent.  I also don't think it's that easy to transfer after your 1L year.  To where are you applying?

Actually I have spoken with three deans all with in the  top 100 universities. I was told the same exact thing by all, if you are in the top 10-15% of your class the first year and you are attending an ABA school, you can transfer to many schools (including theirs) with out difficulty.

[notsofast]

I am over 40.  Took the test in October and scored 152.  Also took it many years ago and did better.  I am applying to a t4 part-time program because that is my only option.  I don't plan to retake for admission this year.  Conventional wisdom is that life experience and maturity count.  We will see.  I was surprised by my low score given past experience and my scores on practice tests.  Maybe older people don't test as well?  I have drafted an addendum to my app explaining that I scored better some years ago but I am not sure if I will send.  GPA from degree school was 3.5 but that was for three semesters.  Prior to that I earned in the low 2s at a different school.  I do have a masters degree and passed the CPA exam some years ago.  I have to think that will count more than the low GPA a long time ago.  I applied in early November and have heard nothing.  The school requested a first report but it is missing one letter of recommendation.  Three letters went with the report and they only require two.  I don't know if they are waiting on the fourth letter, just aren't impressed, or it is too early to expect a response.  It is a little nerve racking.     My Good luck.

[desmo]

38 in a month and 172 in June.  What's age got to do with it?

[WitterUin4]

38 in a month and 172 in June.  What's age got to do with it?

I wondered the same thing.  I think the age thing is a cop-out. I dunno. Maybe if you're 110...

[KittenWithStix]

Didn't make a difference for me, I just screwed up!  If anything I felt I was calmer and more confident.  Since I have a career and don't "have" to go to LS, I thought I approached it much more sensibly.  Since then, of course, I've completely wigged myself out about it.   

[slacker]

I'm a 1L at 40. I think it helps...I don't freak out quite as easily as the "kids." Where I go, though, there's a very young student population so sometimes that's kind of isolating. Fortunately, I get along well with the folks in my section. Plus, I think since there are so few "oldsters" at my school, it might have been a help for acceptance. (I don't know if that's for sure, but it could have helped.)

[ladym]

i am 41, a CPA, and a single mom in the midwest - 3.4 undergraduate, 3.5 in three semesters of MBA work, how important do you think my lsat scores will be?