JAG: Where do I look for info?

[22DevilPup87]

I've loved the Marine Corps for a long time, but as I grew up I learned that I really love college, too. (Not the campus life; the academics.) I'm going to graduate with my BS next year and will probably pursue a masters, but after that I'm very committed to law school. I work for a university at the moment so I get free undergraduate and masters education, so it'd seem like a waste of an opportunity to skip out on a masters.

But anywho, I've wanted to go to law school for eons. I've also wanted to be a Marine. I'm thinking about trying to make the two mesh with JAG. I've searched the internet and tried to do some research, but I'm honestly not uncovering a lot. Where do I look for info?

[LeonardLawrence]

22 Devil Pup 87,

I sent you a pm, you can also search for PLC on here and it may help.

I would take your education and run...don't walk....to your nearest Officer Selection Office.

Good luck and welcome!

[22DevilPup87]

I got the PM. Thank you very much!

[Echo_Four_Bravo]

Give your OSO a call. You may find that going directly to law school would be an even better financial decision than getting a free masters is.

[dscusmc]

What sorts of info are you looking for? I went through the PLC-Law application process in 2004 and graduated from OCS in 2005. I graduated from law school last spring.

Unfortunately, there aren't any great websites with organized information about PLC-Law. There are some message boards with PLC-Law / JAG threads. I'm happy to answer any questions about PLC-Law, law school, the bar exam, military law, whatever you've got.

[LeonardLawrence]

LT dscusmc,

I sent you a pm with a question of interest....thanks!

[22DevilPup87]

What sorts of info are you looking for? I went through the PLC-Law application process in 2004 and graduated from OCS in 2005. I graduated from law school last spring.

Unfortunately, there aren't any great websites with organized information about PLC-Law. There are some message boards with PLC-Law / JAG threads. I'm happy to answer any questions about PLC-Law, law school, the bar exam, military law, whatever you've got.

Firstly, I want to congratulate you on becoming an officer of Marines and on graduating from law school!

Secondly, I have LOTS of questions. I'm not sure that I want to do PLC. I really want to get my masters degree before going in the military since it only makes sense. I work for a university that will pay for all of my undergraduate and masters level work, so it only makes sense to take advantage of it. Are there any options besides PLC to go into JAG? Can I get my masters before going into JAG? Like I said, it only makes sense. The masters program I have my eye on is a 3-year $60k+ program, so it only makes sense to complete it and get it for free if possible.

What do I need to do to be competative? I'm a good student (3.85 GPA right now, scheduled to graduate winter of next year with my bachelors) but will my bachelors grades matter after I have a masters? Do I need a 300 PFT? I'm in decent shape and working on losing weight and getting into better shape, but I'm not sure that I'll ever be able to max out the run. I know that I can maintain a first class PFT, but I don't know how competitive it is.

Who do I talk to? I think it's an OSO that I should be getting in touch with, but how do I get in touch with an OSO? Recruiters are in the phone book. I haven't found an OSO.

Age wise I'll be 24 when I finish my masters degree. (I'll be 21 when I get my bachelors, but the masters program I want to get into is 3 years.) Would that be a problem?

[22DevilPup87]

Oh, I forgot to include:

Just how tough is the LSAT? I know it's not easy, but it is it as bad as everyone makes it out to be?

What does it take to get into law school? Does it really take a 4.0 GPA and a 180 LSAT?

How the heck do people pay for law school? That's what's been stressing me out the most.

[22DevilPup87]

Give your OSO a call. You may find that going directly to law school would be an even better financial decision than getting a free masters is.

How do I go about getting in touch with an OSO? I'm not even sure where to go about looking for their contact info.

If going directly to law school is a better option (or the only one that would let me join the Marines) then it's definitely the way for me to go.

[HurricaneRJ]

Look on Google. Best way to find anything.

[dscusmc]

1. The other option for the JAG Corps is the Officer's Candidates Course (OCC). Most lawyers go through the PLC-Law program and hit OCS in between their first and second year of law school. OCC takes candidates who have already graduated from law school and are admitted to practice. There are fewer OCC slots than PLC-Law slots and thus OCC is more difficult to get into.

2. Of course you can get a master's first. We had a lawyer at OCS who had a masters in International Relations. Three years seems like a long time for a masters, especially considering the JD is a three year program. Good luck with your program.

3. Your GPA is competitive. For law school, they may include your graduate course work in with your undergraduate GPA when computing your GPA for admissions purposes. All of your college level work will matter for law school admissions. You need to check with the schools you are interested in and LSAC to figure out if your graduate GPA will affect your admissions. In terms of PLC-Law, you don't need to worry about your GPA.

4. If you can run at least a 265 PFT, then I would imagine you are competitive for PLC-Law. I think 265 was the lowest PFT for the lawyers at OCS. Most of us were between a 270 and 290.

5. I'm sure you'll find an OSO. If you can't find one, call an enlisted recruiter and ask for help finding one. You can apply for the PLC-Law program as soon as you are admitted, although most people apply during their first-year.

6. Your age is not a problem. I started law school at 26 and was 27 when I went to OCS.

7. The LSAT is basically a standardized intelligence test. I took the bar exam a few months ago, and the LSAT is nothing. (I actually just got sworn in by my state Supreme Court the other day). The LSAT is a few hours long and you do some reading comprehension questions and play some little logic games. You'll get what you get. I would recommend taking many practice tests under test like conditions. Prep courses are good too. You don't need a 4.0 GPA and a 180 to get into law school. Don't fall into this US News trap where you spend your life worrying whether your GPA and LSAT are good enough to get into law school.

8. I'll talk briefly about the financial aid stuff later. I hope that helps, feel free to ask any follow-up questions.

[Echo_Four_Bravo]

Congrats on passing the bar! No small feat.

I do have a question, just for general knowledge. If you are a JAG officer, do you have to pass the bar of each state you are stationed in? Or is that waived since you're doing military law and are not in the regular court system? That's something I've wondered about for a while.

[22DevilPup87]

Thanks for all the help!

Congrats on passing the bar!

In terms of my masters program, it is pretty outrageous. I'm getting my bachelors in psychology and want to get my masters in counseling. It's a three year program because the first year is book work and the last two years are clinical. If I didn't want to go clinical I could get a masters in a year.

I did have another question that just came to mind:

Does it matter which law school I go to in terms of going into PLC-Law? Does it need to be a law school on the Top 10 list or something just as ridiculously hard to make happen?

[LeonardLawrence]

Devil Pup... your profile says Phoenix.

Here is some intel on your request.

Marine Officer Selection Team
1 N. 1st St, #302
Phoenix, 85004
(602) 257-0310

If you go to marineofficer.com they have a contact form you can fill out and the OSOs will contact you....but that seems lazy to me.

Either way we expect an update and are looking forward to the Lt dscusmc's answers as well, so thanks!

[22DevilPup87]

Y'all are awesome. Thanks for the help!