Do law schools care about your job?

Asked by: Lauryn Dach  |  Last update: January 24, 2026
Score: 4.5/5 (7 votes)

First, law schools have found that students with work experience tend to be better prepared to handle the challenges of law school, particularly the difficult first year.

Do law schools care about employment?

Not necessarily. So long as you have worked to support yourself, law schools will not judge. So long as you are not sitting around doing nothing, law schools will be open to many different work experiences.

Do employers care where you went to law school?

The Pecking Order. Your career trajectory and financial stability will primarily be shaped by three factors: your law school's ranking, your ranking in law school, and your total debt. School rankings matter because they matter to employers.

What do law schools care most about?

There's really no way around it—your LSAT score, GPA, and the rigor of your undergraduate course work are basically the most important things law schools are looking for. Also keep in mind that your LSAT score and GPA can make a huge difference in the scholarships and grants you'll be eligible for.

Does it matter what job you have before law school?

Not necessarily. So long as you have worked to support yourself, law schools will not judge. So long as you are not sitting around doing nothing, law schools will be open to many different work experiences.

10 Signs You Should Become A Lawyer

24 related questions found

What jobs look good to law schools?

Here are five great jobs for a gap year to strengthen your candidacy before law school:
  • Paralegal or legal assistant.
  • Research or policy analyst.
  • Teaching.
  • Community work.
  • Working for a startup.

Is it harder to get into law school after working?

There is no right or wrong path to pursue and law schools do not prefer, require, or more greatly value any specific type of experience when considering your application. Most people work, but you do not necessarily need to work in a law-related job.

What kind of person does well in law school?

The personal qualities that law schools value include maturity or life experience, emotional intelligence, an ability to get along with different kinds of people and communication skills, she says.

What matters more, LSAT or GPA?

Those rankings unquestionably value median LSAT score more highly than they do UGPA; in fact, a peek at the full details of the rankings (only available to those willing to pony up $29.95 for inside access) shows the LSAT score placed front and center, whereas it takes several clicks and some scrolling to discover the ...

What do most lawyers make out of law school?

The Bureau of Labor Statistics states that the average lawyer salary out of law school in the US is $163,770.

Is law school hard or just a lot of work?

Being prepared to work hard – Law school classes are part of a demanding program, and you need to be prepared to be a good student and put in the time and effort to succeed. That work includes doing all of the assigned reading, avoiding low grades, and preparing well for final exams.

Is it illegal to work while in law school?

In the past, the ABA Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar restricted full-time students from working more than 20 hours per week. In 2014, however, the ABA eliminated that limit. Instead, individual law schools may maintain employment policies for their students.

Is it bad to go to a low ranked law school?

If a school has declining admissions standards, your degree could carry less weight in the job market by the time you graduate. Be sure to look into recent trends in the school's rankings and admissions statistics. Be particularly careful if the law school is not accredited by the American Bar Association.

Can I work a full-time job and go to law school?

Many schools now offer full and part-time programs, which means you could earn a law degree while working or managing other responsibilities.

What is the average age of law students?

What Is The Average Age Of Law Students? The average age of law students is 25 or younger. Only 20% of law students are 30 or older. While only a small percentage of law students are above the age of 40, there have been several successful older graduates.

What law school has the highest employment rate?

April 24 (Reuters) - The University of Virginia School of Law sent the highest percentage of graduates into full-time law jobs in 2023, marking the second consecutive year that the school snagged the top spot.

Is 158 a bad LSAT score?

As mentioned above, the average LSAT score nationally is a 152. Generally speaking, a score of 160 and above is necessary to guarantee admission into top-100 schools like Tulane, UC Hastings, or Case Western Reserve.

What LSAT score does Harvard look for?

So let's take a look at what it actually takes to have a chance of being admitted to the most prestigious and preeminent law school in the world. As you can see from these numbers, an LSAT score of 170 or higher and a GPA above 3.75 will give you a chance of gaining admission to Harvard Law School.

Do law schools look at work experience?

Most law school applications require students to submit resumes detailing all of their post-secondary work and volunteer experience.

What major gets into law school the most?

About 80 percent of law school applicants with an arts and humanities major get accepted. Majoring in this course of study exposes you to wide-ranging coursework that law schools desire —applicants with well-rounded knowledge.

What personality type is law school?

The Advocate Personality Type

that occurs in most law school students, members of “The Advocate” group retain their loyalty to internal values. Advocates are well-aligned with what Dr. David Keirsey called the “Idealist” temperament — typified by the search for meaning and significance in one's work.

How smart do you need to be to get into law school?

According to the Law School Admission Council (LSAC), students need a GPA of at least 3.59 and an LSAT of 162 or more to get into any top 10 law schools. However, that is the bare minimum, and you should aim higher if you want to increase your chances of getting into the top 3.

What is the hardest year of law school?

Law school is an academic challenge; most students agree the first year (“1L” year) is the most difficult. In part, this is because law school is taught using methods entirely different than the lecture method used in most college classrooms.

Is it better to get your master's before law school?

The LSAT is one of the most important factors in law admissions, even more so for applicants who have been out of college for some time. In contrast, earning a graduate degree is more of a soft factor that gives applicants an edge, like military service or impressive work experience.

Can you skip undergrad and go straight to law school?

Pursuing law school without a bachelor's degree is possible for the right-motivated student. While most law schools expect applicants to have an undergraduate degree, certain accredited programs offer exceptions through bachelor's degree waivers or 3+3 concurrent enrollment options.