If you’ve already thought about why you want to go to law school, you’ve probably also wondered when to go. According to the Law School Admission Council, 22-24 year olds constitute about half of all applicants. [1] I went to law school straight out of college, and so did many of my peers, but this decision may not be right for everyone.

How can you know when matriculating is right for you? Here are a few factors [2] to consider: 

Application Strength:

Time between college and law school allows you to strengthen your resume. If your LSAT score and GPA are not as strong as you would like, you can use work experience to do something interesting that will make your application stand out.

Time to Test Things Out:

I was able to volunteer at a legal aid organization during college to see if a legal career was something I really wanted. If you haven’t had the time to determine whether or not you’re truly interested in the legal field, working or volunteering in a related capacity could help you make the decision. On the other hand, if there is a completely different field you’re also interested in, you can pursue a job in that field and test it out before jumping into law school.

Finances:

Law school is a big investment, and being able to save money beforehand could be an important factor in deciding your personal timeline. Even if you get a full tuition scholarship, the money for living expenses has to come from somewhere.

Knowing Yourself:

For me, maintaining momentum was a key factor in going straight to law school. I am fairly risk averse, so I knew that I would be reticent to transition into law if I started a decent job in another field first. This could be something you relate to, or not. You just need to evaluate how you process risk and change.

Ultimately, choosing to apply to law school is an incredibly personal decision, and so is deciding when to apply. There is no perfect age or one-size-fits-all answers. Hopefully these factors will help you make your decision!

Interested in connecting with a JD coach to help you stay organized and on top of your JD applications?

[1] https://www.lsac.org/docs/default-source/data-(lsac-resources)-docs/analysis-applicants-by-age-group.pdf

[2] Law school will teach you to turn everything into multi-factor tests. It’s annoying, but often helpful.