Should You Take a Year Off Between Undergrad and Law School?

The idea of taking a year off between getting your undergrad degree and going to law school has recently become the more popular route students have chosen to take.  Why?  Because students, who plan to go to law school, work tirelessly for four years and then find themselves burnt out.  This is the last state you want to be in going into your first year of law school--the most difficult! You want to go in ready to think critically, write, brief, argue, and work yourself like you have never worked before! You want to be a lawyer, right?


Law school is a commitment and will be extremely challenging.  It is training you to enter a professional field.  You will be overwhelmed with reading and homework and grades are usually based on the final. You must take it seriously if you want to succeed. 

If you find your self feeling burnt out and in need of some time to yourself, taking a year off would be a smart decision. For example, if you want to travel or gain some work experience to reassure yourself of your career choice that would be a great time to do that. 

If you plan to take a year off, be sure to do something productive during that time.  Law schools will be interested in what you did and explaining it in your personal statement is highly recommended.  Intern for a law office, join the Peace Corps, and work are some examples of things worth looking into.  If you look at the statistics of entering classes on law school websites, law schools grant priority to students who take a year off.  I assume this is because of a higher maturity level, more life experience, and that the student is sure that going to law school and will graduate.  If you are striving to go to a top ranked school, taking a year off may be a wise choice if the school gives priority to those students who do.

There are many factors to consider when deciding if and when is the right time to go to law school.  It really comes down to you.  When do you want to go? Are you ready?  Make the decision that will benefit you and your life! Really take the time to think about this.  It is an important, life altering decision to make.  Talk to your family, friends, and academic advisors to help you rationalize your decision.

Lastly, do NOT be afraid to change your plan! I always knew I wanted to go to law school right after college, but until recently, I realized that it is harder to say than do.  Prepping for the LSAT and making sure that I'm ready to take that step is something I've struggled with.  I hated the idea of changing my plan! I am the type of person who sets goals and does whatever it takes to achieve them, when they are intended to be achieved.  So until recently I never thought about taking a year off.  I recently started to give the idea of law school some more thought.  I started to talk to more people (friends, family, advisors) and their feedback was extremely helpful.  Ultimately, I made the decision that I would probably take a year off, but it was a hard decision to come to.  I realized that there are a lot of things that I still want to do for myself before I fully dedicate myself to law school, so a year off will be beneficial.

Wishing you all the luck and guidance in your decision and path to law school!