Law School?

schismmanifesto · January 5, 2011, 2:21am

Following high school I studied in the Plan II Honors Program at the University of Texas Austin [Plan</a> II Honors Program, UT Austin](<a href=“Plan II Honors Program | Liberal Arts | UT - Austin”>Plan II Honors Program | Liberal Arts | UT - Austin).

After a year in the program I had what some people might call a “purpose epiphany.” While I excelled academically, my spiritual foundation, which runs so deeply in my family and me, began to shake as I envisioned a life aspirated by my own selfish desires - to become rich, to become worldly, to in essence focus on what I wanted.

After taking a class entitled Architecture & Society and a Plan II class entitled “Perspectives on Happiness” I began realizing that life was not about me or my desires; rather, life was about serving God who poured out his love for me through the redemptive power of Christ’s death and resurrection. As a result of this epiphany I chose to transfer to a small Lutheran Liberal Arts college. This college was established to educate future teachers and pastors for the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod. The change in environment (socially, physically, intellectually, spiritually) was critical as I began studying to become an elementary school teacher, just as my grandparents and sister had.

Many of you reading this thread may fundamentally disagree with the religious conviction that led me to study at Martin Luther College, but regardless of your personal beliefs try to empathize with me and place yourself in the shoes a Law School Admissions Office.

I am about to begin the second semester of my Junior year at Martin Luther College and am beginning to consider life after graduation. I have quite a few options and attending Law school, which was my original goal while studying in the Plan II Honors Program, has popped into my head once again, but for different reasons this time. I once saw Law School as a means to a lucrative life for me. I no longer see it that way. Let me explain.

As I mentioned earlier, I firmly believe life is about serving and glorifying God in whatever I do. In the Lutheran tradition, I could accept a divine call to become a teacher in one of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran schools located throughout the country. I could also teach English in China anywhere from 10 months to 4-5 years. I now have a renewed spiritual foundation whereby I know I can serve God in whatever profession I choose. Law certainly stands as an instrument with more influence within society as our world becomes smaller through exponential technology growth and globalization. Consequently, my prospective study of law relative to my purpose on this earth would serve as an intellectual and professional framework to witness to others about how the eternal Law of God functions - curb, guide, and mirror enabling us to realize our need to totally rely on Christ.

For all of you reading this thread, I deeply appreciate your time and I ask you to honestly evaluate if you think I have a good chance of getting a scholarship to a law school like the ones I list below. I would also appreciate how you think a Law School Admissions Office might view the absolutely pivotal role religion has in my life.

My undergraduate GPA is as following:
(2 semesters) at UT Austin in Plan II Honors - 3.67
(3 semesters) at Martin Luther College - 3.75 (Heavy course-load)
Assume I graduate with a 3.7

Projected LSAT - 163-167

Law Schools I am considering:
Arizona State (scholarship?)
Notre Dame
Southern Methodist University
St. Thomas University (scholarship?)

PS: How beneficial would teaching English for a year in China be on a Law School application?

zaprowsdower · January 5, 2011, 11:07am

1) It’s pointless to speculate about your chances before you have an actual LSAT score. Even for the range you’ve projected (based on what?), there’s a big difference between a 163 and a 167.

2) Your selection of schools doesn’t make sense. For one thing, I can’t understand why, as a devout Lutheran, you would be interested in Notre Dame and St. Thomas. And the schools are all in different parts of the country. You should try to figure out where you want to work, and then focus on schools in that area.

3)

I don’t understand what this means at all. What do you actually want to do, and why do you need a JD to do it? If you’re not planning to practice law, and it doesn’t sound like you are, then law school probably doesn’t make sense. I don’t think adcoms are going to hold your religious convictions against you, but if you put something like this in a personal statement, I think they’ll be pretty confused about why you’re applying.

4)

Very little to not at all.

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