Spotty work history

[LSAThangman]

I originally took in late 2019 and had to withdraw for a variety of reasons. Since then I have had spotty part-time work and not many full-time roles. I want to reapply to see if law school, especially a national school, is still a possibility. Thus, I have a few questions.

1. How much is work history judged for older applicants? On what grounds is it judged?

2. How is military service viewed? For a variety of reasons--personal fulfillment and structure, steady pay, fulfilling and impactful work--I am looking into enlisting in one of the maritime branches. It'll help me sort my life out, and if it ends up not being my long-term goal after a contract, I was wondering if reapplying after that period would look even worse as I'd be an even older applicant with yet another job shift. At the very least, having savings, earnings, and the GI bill would help tremendously.

[roger67]

Hi
work history is considered as part of application which stress on recent experiences. While military service is generally overviews as positively, showcasing discipline and returning as older applicant with such experience can enhance your application.

[Dave Killoran]

Work history for older applicants generally is important because law schools are wondering what you have been doing with your time since leaving school. They want to see some evidence of growth, performance, or leadership. The question for you is there some common thread you could find that connects the various experiences you've had, or a reasonable cause for why your history has been spotty? If so, lean in on that and use it to explain the gaps and changes.

Military service is viewed favorably in admissions because it shows commitment and discipline, plus often those positions naturally result in leadership roles. In your case, the question that would be asked is, "Why were you only in for 2-3 years, and given everything else, is this just another job you tried and didn't like. If so, will law school just be another thing you try and don't like?

Their focus will be to assess whether they think you can and will complete school successfully, so somehow you need to make sure that is addressed. So consider that as you contemplate some of these options.

Thanks!