catherineinnyc

I'd agree with smsteph. Aim for higher with your grades. I ended up going to a T14, but my ~3.5 from a top undergrad institution was a liability, not an asset. If you want to take the analysis beyond the numbers: think of what they would look for next after they see your grades and a great LSAT score. If you were tied with someone with exactly comparable numbers, what would the tiebreaker be? I think the next most important thing in your application package is a tie between your involvement (i.e., your resume) and what your recommenders say about you. Filling yet another bullet point on a resume is less impressive than a well-written endorsement from a professor who knows you very well. Look at it this way: the audience you are presenting your package to will definitely listen to solid recommendations from other academics. Your professors, more than anyone else, have the authority to impress upon the admissions committees your maturity and poise, just how intellectually curious you are, what your motivation is for going to law school (these days, it shouldn't be money), what kinds of ideas you have and how you follow through on them, and what kind of contributions you will make to the law school, both in and out of the lecture halls. On the other hand, your involvement is important. There, I think it's more important to demonstrate depth, not breadth. A focused resume trumps a scattershot one. Sounds like you are involved with a couple of things you care about. Stick with those. Also, working that much while going to school definitely bears mention -- it means you can handle responsibility, and I would definitely include it on my resume. Finally, I'm sure you have everyone asking you this, but: why do you want to do this? The loans can be staggering, and I have a number of friends who never found work. The market may be doing better again, but the law profession is still picking up the pieces, trying to figure out how things are going to work -- especially in Biglaw. Hope this helps -- good luck.

@bengston, fair enough. Quite a few reasons, but most importantly, I feel that when you're around people and engaging in discourse, the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. In my experience, at least to a certain point, working around others leads to much better work than working in a vacuum. Having serious inquiry from others leads to growth; exchanging ideas pushes you and others to places you might not go otherwise. (In law, it's no accident that complex deals or cases are handled by teams of lawyers.) Not to say art isn't a solitary endeavor at times -- it is -- but, not sure I have the tools at this point to push myself to have those kinds of conversations inside my head yet. Continuing studies classes are a mixed bag, because pretty much anyone can sign up for them. Sometimes the range of purposes for signing up for those classes is helpful, but sometimes it's not. I've seen it go both ways. While I did spend (and enjoy) seven years in school, they weren't spent doing what I really love to do. The thought of being devoted to art and using two or three years as time to have me grow as an artist, unencumbered by other considerations, isn't just wonderful; it seems like an imperative. Thanks very much.

Hi, all. I'm probably older than just about all of you. Here's my deal: I got my bachelor's in an unrelated field and worked for a few years and then went to law school. (Did both because of my parents, pretty much.) I work full-time (and then some) as a lawyer in NYC but somehow I find time to paint. Painting's the only thing I do for me. I want to do it full-time eventually and am thinking of going back to school for it. So I did SAIC's continuing ed certificate program right before I went back to school -- loved it and I am still in touch with my advisor. I did mainly abstract ink and watercolor work. About a year and a half ago I picked up oils for the first time and I love doing very free cityscapes (NYC is simply awe-inspiring) and am starting to venture off into more abstract stuff. No delusions: it will take me several years to even apply anywhere for the first time. I do not have a large or cohesive enough body of work; I do not have recommenders (aside from my SAIC certificate mentor and a mentor from college, but that was 10+ years ago); I need to build up my skills since I did not spend four years in a studio getting a BFA. So, how to start? I was thinking of doing continuing ed classes at SVA or NYAA (maybe the NYAA certificate), or else saving up some cash and going for the SAIC post-bac. Thoughts, advice? Thank you and all the best to those of you who have applications out there right now.