Do I even have a shot?

[aga]

I am currently in my senior at at an ivy school and have decided to take a year off in between graduation and law school. I am a poli sci major with a 3.4 GPA and have not taken the LSATs yet. I really want to attend a top 10 law school but am afriad my GPA won’t make the cut! In addition, I am not a good test taker and cannot afford to take the costly LSAT classes (even at the Kaplan discount of 50%off with financial aid). I spent my junior year studying abroad in Ghana and France (so my grades for my junior year are not even reflected in my overall GPA). I have had to work 20-25 hours a week during my freshman, sophomore and senior years (while taking 15-17 credits) to support my family and myself. I feel that working so much has GREATLY hindered my ability to earn better grades (because if I had more time to study and write papers my grades would be significantly better). I am taking a year off for the sole purpose of working to give money to my family so that I can go to law school and not have the burden and stress of working to help pay household bills. I have heard that some law schools may take these factors, such as working while in college, intinto consideration, but is this REALLY true? Will working at a law firm as a paralegal next year help my chances of getting into law school? Should I even apply to the Harvards, Columbias and Georgetowns?

[Monkey555]

I think you definitely have a shot. You are obviously a bright person and it is great to have that Ivy Degree. What you should do it go to the library/bookstore and devour LSAT Study Books if you cannot take a course. If you could get into an Ivy and still do reasonably well with all of that work, you should be able to teach yourself the tricks and do well.

You can work into your Personal Statement about how you have worked so much. Whatever you do, do not let yourself start feeling sorry for yourself. Just start now while you have a lot of time.

[Author]

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