Two Questions - What is realistic?

[19mtm80]

So I have two questions - be honest - I'll take it like a man.

1.   LSAT: 149   GPA: 3.17   Is Law School realistic?

2,   If I choose to obtain a Paralegal Certificate from an ABA school - what are my odds of obtaining meaningful employment?

Thanks!

[Maintain FL 350]

You might be able to get in somewhere with your current numbers (Cooley, Florida Coastal), but I'd suggest retaking the LSAT. If you can boost that score by even five or six points you'll greatly increase your options. Retaking only makes sense, though, if you think you can increase your score. Only you can answer that by doing a critical self-evaluation. Did you study as much as you have, did you take a prep course, etc.

Also ask yourself what you want to do with a law degree. If you want something like biglaw you're going to have to score ridiculously higher, and that may not be realistic. If you want to be Main Street divorce lawyer, OTOH, maybe not. Think about the debt you'll likely take on, and how that will affect your plan.

I don't know much about paralegal programs, but if you want to be lawyer I'd just focus on retaking the LSAT. The paralegal program sounds like an expensive distraction. I hope that helps. Good Luck!

[Julie Fern]

agreed.

[Thane Messinger]

1.   LSAT: 149   GPA: 3.17   Is Law School realistic?

2,   If I choose to obtain a Paralegal Certificate from an ABA school - what are my odds of obtaining meaningful employment?

Also agreed.  A law professor has written a book that includes some behind-the-scenes input in terms of how admissions committees actually make their decisions.  Your GPA is set and a stronger LSAT *will* be important for most law schools, but the analysis doesn't end there.  Depending upon your personal cirsumstances, "never say never" seems appropriate here too.  The book is Law School Undercover.

There's a more important question, perhaps:  what would you look back on in 20 years and say either "I'm sure glad I did this!" or, conversely, "Why oh why didn't I . . . ?"  You want to be on the right side of that answer.  There's another book, Slacker's Guide to Law School, that has an excellent section on "Should I go?"  (I might also suggest, ahem, mine, but I do like Slacker's Guide for this reason.)

Being an attorney or a paralegal, while seemingly similar, are truly different worlds . . . depending upon the answer--your answer--to the above question. 

Best of luck,

Thane.

[SoCalLawGuy]

I'd also suggest you retake the LSAT. Maybe take a prep course on it so you can ask questions if you have any and try to up your score a bit.