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Applying for Readmission vs. Retake & Reapply?

Posted: Thu Apr 20, 2017 9:00 pm
by lawlzzz
So my story is a bit complicated, but it is what it is...

I applied to law school during the 2012-2013 cycle. Started in the Fall of 2013 at a top 30 school with 33k/year scholarship. Wasn't able to finish my 2nd semester due to medical issues, so I withdrew. Got better. Clerked at a PI non-profit over the summer. Returned for the Fall of 2014. Got worse again and wasn't able to finish the 2nd semester of that year (so I've essentially successfully finished 2 semesters of law school). Withdrew to take a medical leave of absence again. Started to feel better and tried to apply for readmission for the Fall of 2015 (it wasn't an automatic readmission like after 1L year), but the Dean of Students denied my readmission application, which was actually just in the form of a letter to the Dean, saying that I hadn't provided sufficient evidence that I could successfully complete law school. (The Dean hadn't given me much guidance as to what s/he had been looking for in the letter, even though I had asked, and I hadn't known that I could provide evidence outside of my letter to support it. I had mistakenly thought the letter was just a formality, so that was on me.)

Anyway, I finally got a diagnosis on what was going on with me. Turned out to be a chronic condition that I had been dealing with for about 10 years at that point (which explained why I had also struggled during my undergrad). I haven't returned to school since Spring 2015. It's been a long journey in getting treatment, but I'm much better. My health is finally stable.

I have until 2020 to finish my J.D. but I've just applied for readmission to my law school to return this Fall and hopefully finish in 2019. (Again, the application was in the form of a letter to the Dean).

Now, one of my issues is financial aid. I have 1 more year of scholarship money, so I'll have nothing for the last year. (As it is, I have to go through an appeals process to convince them to let me borrow federal loans, given that I have withdrawn twice).

Also, I just have the feeling that the Dean of Students doesn't really want me back. The Dean was very helpful and compassionate about my situation at first, but at one point I kinda felt his/her demeanor shift. And this person also pretty much threw my character under the bus in his/her rejection letter to my previous application for readmission. Given my complicated situation, I will have to deal with him/her quite a bit and will need his/her support. And it seems he/she may not be as supportive now.

So I'm wondering, even if I'm readmitted, should I go back to this law school? (If I didn't have those 2 main issues -- financial aid & the Dean -- I would go back in a heartbeat, as I love the school). Should I/can I retake the LSAT and reapply to other law schools in the hopes of getting more in scholarships? I got a 166 last time, but I know I can score higher. I had been dealing with the aftermath of my dad's stroke at that time and still managed to get that good score, so I know I can do better.

A small part of me even wonders if it would be worth it to even go back to law school at all, even though my health is stable right now. That's more my fear of failure though. A part of me fears that my health will take a downward turn again. But I want to finish what I started. I've already invested so much.

Any thoughts/advice is much appreciated!

Re: Applying for Readmission vs. Retake & Reapply?

Posted: Fri Apr 21, 2017 6:00 am
by cavalier1138
Do you still want to be a lawyer?

Just finishing for the sake of finishing is a bad idea.

Re: Applying for Readmission vs. Retake & Reapply?

Posted: Fri Apr 21, 2017 7:06 am
by Npret
cavalier1138 wrote:Do you still want to be a lawyer?

Just finishing for the sake of finishing is a bad idea.
Also do your doctors support your return to school?

Re: Applying for Readmission vs. Retake & Reapply?

Posted: Fri Apr 21, 2017 12:47 pm
by lawlzzz
Npret wrote:
cavalier1138 wrote:Do you still want to be a lawyer?

Just finishing for the sake of finishing is a bad idea.
Also do your doctors support your return to school?
Yes and yes.