Admissions Question: January 27

Q: Do you recommend taking time off from undergraduate school before going to law school?

A: If you are a “traditional” undergraduate student who went to college straight from high school, then taking a break may be something you want to consider. If you are feeling burned out from studying, if you have grand thoughts of traveling or volunteer service, or if you’re not really sure what career you want, then taking time off is a good idea.

Something else to keep in mind is that while it is fairly easy to take a break after undergraduate school, it is not as easy to do so after law school. Most law students pursue a job right out of law school, so you will have to explain to some employers why you weren’t working using your law degree for a year or two out of school. The legal field can be competitive and the best time to get a legal job is soon after you graduate and take the bar exam. Thus, it will be much harder for you to “take time off” after law school.

Also, taking time off after getting your undergraduate degree may give you time to mature and to make sure that law school is something you really want to pursue. Law school is very challenging and expensive. It is not an endeavor to take on if you are feeling ambivalent about it.

However, if you are really excited about law school, can’t wait to get started, and are confident that law school is something you want to do, then starting right out of college may indeed be the right thing for you.