Celebrating Failure

This semester I experienced what I originally thought was the biggest failure for myself. I had decided after graduating this spring I would like to attend law school. A year ago, I took the LSAT, which is the entrance exam to law school. My score had come back significantly low. After months of studying I realized I was not yet prepared to retake the LSAT. So, I decided to go ahead and apply to law school. I thought that even with a low LSAT score, a high GPA and a strong application would carry me through to gain entrance into a lower level law school. So, I prepared my application and turned it in sure my application would be received with shining glory.

After a few weeks I received a letter from the law school, denying my admission. My hopes and dreams of attending law school were shattered. At first, I was down on myself and not even enjoying my classes as I felt uncertainty of what I would do. My dream of getting admitted into law school had just been blown away. It was awful.


After I pulled myself together I began assessing my skills and experience. I had a family friend that had previously suggested I apply for an MBA (Master of Business). A professor I spoke with previously (of this class) had also mentioned the MBA. So, I set out a plan. I decided with the timeframe I had to work with I would apply for an MBA. I have lots of previous management experience, graduates generally complete the degree and can get a career with the pay I desire, I enjoy the business aspect of work and I’m good at it (compared to the little experience I have had in the law field and the skills I haven’t yet acquired in the law field).



So, I decided to apply for an MBA. This would give me time to complete my master’s degree in business and essentially take more time a class to potentially score better on the LSAT and attend law school later. With this not only would I be able to obtain my law degree I would also acquire an MBA that would open new doors for me in the process.



I think I learned a lot from this experience. With failure really sucks, it is what you do with it that matters the most. If I wouldn’t have had this struggle I may not have realized the opportunity in front of me. I devised a plan to obtain a degree in something I enjoy and thrive in and have a plan to still go to law school. I realized you don’t have to change the dream or goal sometimes you must change the plane. I know next time I apply to law school I will take the time to have a strong application and significantly good LSAT score. Also, you must enjoy the process. I received my first acceptance letter for an MBA program today as well!

Comments

  1. Hi Victoria,

    It takes a lot of bravery to take the LSAT. It is an extremely intimidating thing to face, especially when you have when you had your sights set on something that has such a big impact on your life. I admire that you did not let this failure deter you from continuing your education. Rather than fall into a fit of pity and quit altogether, you decided to go after something else. Failure, although not always ideal, can be a blessing in disguise and, as you have already recognized, may bring about better routes.

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  2. Hi Victoria,

    I have plenty of friends that have taken the LSAT for the first time and did considerably worse than they expected to. I love how you took that moment of failure and turned in into something even better. Through an MBA program, I think you will learn invaluable logic and reasoning skills that can help you do even better on the LSAT next time around. Good luck!!!!

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  3. Hey Victoria, I think the most important part about failure is how you react to it. I can tell that you acted with resilience and commitment. You might have been knocked down, but you didn't stay down; that's admirable. I think that having both an MBA and a law degree will do a lot for you in any field that you're interested in. I am planning to get my MBA, but I still have a long way to go, wish me luck.

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