When Taking a Year Off is NOT Beneficial

[LegalEntity]

I know that this question has been debated from time immemorial and I apologize for the repetition. I am a senior in college Reg for the Dec. LSAT and am well underway in the app process, but I feel like I'm hearing more and more comments about the importance of taking a year off. So much so that I'm actually wondering if there are any circumstances in which a year off is NOT advised??? My GPA is around a 3.9 and I'm looking for another 8-10 points on my LSAT.

Help plz!!!

[nealric]

I think there are few circumstances where a year off could hurt your admissions prospects. There are also few circumstances where the year off will really help, unless it's doing something really prestigious (i.e. Fullbright, etc.).

If your "year off" will be spent sitting on the couch and eating Doritos, it probably won't be very worthwhile though.

[elle-y]

You answered your own question. If it's NOT beneficial - to your applications - then don't do it. This will answer itself if you ask "will it benefit me?" Because if you can answer yes to that, you can explain that to law schools and then, in turn, it becomes beneficial.

I was scared of taking a year off and screwed myself by not. Long story short, I ended up taking 3 years off in the interim and have "grown up" a great deal since then. I'm turning that concept - and all of the little achievements and stories that come with that - into my Personal Statement.

A year off can do wonders for someone's maturity and real world knowledge. That said, you may be very stable and mature right now. Only you know where you're at in your head and life. Answer those questions and you'll have to your answer.

[HippieLawChick]

A year off is not beneficial if you are living in your parents basement.  If you are working full time and saving for school, it's brilliant!

[PurplePug]

I agree with HLC. I took time to pay off all of my debt, build a small nest egg, and grow a network of professional contacts. With the economy in its present state of suck I couldn't be happier with my decision!

[RobWreck]

A year off spent raising your LSAT score so that you go from Tier 2 to T-14, or gain significant scholly offers, is absolutely worth taking. A year spent playing WoW probably isn't. Just make sure that if you take the time, you use it wisely... and if that means you rethink your decision to pursue law school and ultimately recommit to it or reconsider that path and decide it isn't what you want, either one would be time well spent.
Good luck.

[hopefulsplitter28]

Unless you can spend a minimum 2 hours everyday for 2 weeks before the LSAT, the 8-10 point increase will be hard to come by (unless you're going from 145 to 155).

It took me almost a month to increase from a steady 165-167 to usually-above-170 region