Is it OK to work part time during gap year?

[dave123]

I have one year of full time work experience and am considering shifting to part time for 1-2 years to devote more time to the LSAT.

Would this negatively affect admission chances?


I will be applying to part time law programs, if that makes any difference

[Stephanie Oswalt]

I have one year of full time work experience and am considering shifting to part time for 1-2 years to devote more time to the LSAT.

Would this negatively affect admission chances?


I will be applying to part time law programs, if that makes any difference

Hi Dave,

Working part-time during a gap year should not negatively affect your admissions chances! If you take a gap year and don't have anything on your resume to show for it - no work, no volunteer experience, no internships, for example - law schools may wonder how productive you were with that time off. But part-time work is fine, and law schools (for the most part) don't place a huge amount of importance on the amount of work experience you have, especially compared to your GPA and LSAT score.

Thanks!

[lsatstudent2]

Hi,

Do law schools care about work experience while in undergrad, and is it better to work in a legal or non-legal position?

[Dave Killoran]

They care to the extent that the work gives them a lens into your life, or that it shows them some superior aspect of who you are. For example, someone working 20+ hours a week while in full time university is someone who works hard, obviously! And if their grades suffered, that helps explain that. Or, if someone worked a relevant legal job while in school, they will want to know that since it shows them experience with the field. At the same time, non-legal experience can be just as valuable, depending on what it is.

There's not a hard and fast rule here, and you can see that each individual's experiences will be weighed differently.

Thanks!

[violaclark]

Hello, besides working experience, How much do top-tier law schools care about extracurricular activities compared to your GPA, essay, and LSAT?

[Stephanie Oswalt]

Hello, besides working experience, How much do top-tier law schools care about extracurricular activities compared to your GPA, essay, and LSAT?

Hi Viola,

Law schools want well-rounded candidates, so diverse and committed extracurriculars are a plus. But they don't necessarily predict academic success in law school as well as your LSAT/GPA/personal statement. Thus, extracurriculars play less of a role than your LSAT/GPA (arguably the two most important parts of your application) and your personal statement.

Thanks!