Start in the fall or wait a year?

[9680]

I have been accepted to one part-time program and one full-time program. I would rather not go to the full-time school because I do not particularly like it, but if I go to the part-time school I really hurt my chances for transferring (because of completed credit requirements). Do you think I should go on to a school that is full-time that I do not particularly like, a part-time program that is more acceptable but restricts my transfer options or should I take a year off and try to improve my LSAT? Thank you for your advice.

[marista]

If you're not totally happy with where you got in, and you have no urgent reason why you need to go right away (which is most of us; I don't know many people that it would really hurt to take a year off) then you should wait and apply again.

[ajsk24]

i personally think competition will only get tougher next year.. then even tougher year after that.. Unless you are confident that you are going to increase your LSAT score substantially... If i were in your shoes, i would go to the full time one and work my ass off and transfer at the end of first year...

[NerdyLaw]

Depending on your LSAT score, you may benefit by taking it again in November. Spend the summer volunteering and boosting your resume and reapply to your reaches. This is my plan too.

[jennthecat]

if u are really not happy with your choices, then re-apply.  i decided yesterday i would be reapplying.  and don't let it scare u that the pool will be tougher next year.  although that may be the case, just realize that this also means that you will have another year to make YOURSELF more competitive.  that may mean one or several things.  maybe it just means lsat, maybe volunteer, maybe work experience.  only u can answer that (and maybe call up the schools u really wanna attend and ask them what they think will make u more competitive).  don't settle!!!  ls is too expensive and too much is invested in it (monetary and otherwise) for u to settle for less than what u think u deserve and less than what u think u are capable of.

good luck!

[NerdyLaw]

Another thing that gives you a leg up is that you already know how the process works. Apply the first week of November with a polished application and you will know before new years. That's plenty of time to either go for a safety or bail out. You can't lose if you take a year off.

[Duner]

If you truly want to go to law school i think you'd be foolish to wait a year. i applied to schools two years ago, then got stuck in the middle east. long story short, at that time i was only accepted to 3 of the 13 schools i applied. only one of those schools would even give me a deferment. fortunately the other two i actually wanted to attend threw me pity admits this year...but they waited until the end of march, 8 months after i re-applied to accept me. because of the wait, i put in safety school apps....u memphis waitlisted me, and my numbers had me in the guaranteed admit pool (46/47)from the 2001-2002 statistics.

realistically i would have never been admitted this year due to the increased competetition if i hadn't hounded the admissions offices all year long and had one hell of an excuse not to matriculate last year. it's up to you, but remember typically your lsat will only improve marginally when averaged....and 40,000 applicants didn't get into school this cycle.

finally don't think extra curriculars over the next year are going to make much difference...through my entire ordeal i finished a masters degree and 5 years of military service....none of the schools cared!