Holding Off On Law School for a Year

[dlugamug]

My scenario is as follows...

Poor student (2.7 GPA) bought a one way ticket to Hawaii and worked in schools there with special needs kids for two years. Currently, I'm living in rural Japan (completely losing my mind) as an English teacher. I took the LSAT in Tokyo and did average (162). Next year, I'm going to be moving to Chile; however, I applied to one school (University of Richmond) this year with the hope of going in 2007.

Here are my questions:
1. I haven't heard back from Richmond yet. I assumed that because I went there as an undergraduate I would at least have an adantage over other students with similar stats. Does the fact that I haven't heard anything from them (I went complete in mid January) mean dismal news is forthcoming?
2. How does it look if I take another year off from school to travel and generally act ridiculous (under the guise of being a productive intellectual). Does this somehow benefit me in the application process, that's what I'm banking on. Will law schools respect my escapades or not?
3. Realistic set of schools on the East Coast?

Thanks to anyone who can give me some pointers.

[JPhilmore]

I wouldn't worry about not hearing anything yet.  Most schools take a month of more to make a decision once you are complete.

[SkullTatt]

Yeah don't worry about not having heard anything. It's only been a months. I am going on 4 months at some schools.

I wouldn't worry about taking off another year. You definitely should spin your travels into something coherent for the law schools, though. Make it so that it seems like a productive path rather than just bouncing around.

[HippieLawChick]

Why don't you spend the year working in Chile so that it looks more productive? 

[rider06]

Why don't you spend the year working in Chile so that it looks more productive? 

that would be a waste of time.  schools want a high lsat and gpa...and you have the high lsat...you will get in SOMEWHERE, esp with a unique story like that

[SkullTatt]

I'm not saying I am advising him to go to Chile, I am just saying I don't think it would be a bad thing for him in terms of law school.

From a personal standpoint, he should probably think about doing it now, since three years of law school followed by years of hard work to pay back the loans are not going to leave a lot of time for spending a year in Chile.

[dlugamug]

Let me clarify...I'm most definitely not just lounging around for a year. Sorry I made it seem like I would. Gotta pay the bills (I guess I thought that was assumed).

Thanks for the thoughts. Hopefully some law school with buy into nontraditional applicant stee I have going. Who knows? Its either go to law school or become a mechanic, either way I figure it'll be a good life.

[01100110011]

The fact that you haven't heard back about an application submitted in Janueary doesn't say much.  That's not an unusual wait time at all, especially for a borderline applicant.

With your LSAT/GPA/Life Experience combination it is likely you will get in somewhere... but you should definitely cast a wide net and apply to many schools as it will be essentially a crapshoot.You can use the LSAC Calculator for a VERY rough approximation of your chances at different schools.  Generally it doesn't handle "splitters" like you very well.