Questions about son's plans for gap year between college and law school

[Anonymous]

DS is taking a gap year between undergrad and grad school in the Colorado mountains this winter. As some one mentioned there are dorm rooms for employees at some resorts. Apply early to get housing. While DS can support his day to day expenses we are still helping with health insurance & car insurance but that is pretty common with young adults and it doesn't bother me to be doing this until he is out of grad school. FWIW he has met a lot of really interesting people on the ski slopes from other gap year students to Olympic skiers to owners of companies and he has matured a lot being on his own in the mountains.

[Anonymous]

It sounds wonderful!
Many law schools do let you defer after being admitted. Your son sounds ambitious and mature - I would absolutely be supportive emotionally and financially when needed in that case. My oldest is also a junior and also planning on law school. She'll be moving to a new city that she's always wanted to live in and working for 2 years before attending (she's getting her CPA, so a little different, but wants to do something else first). It's much better to start law school with a little life under your belt.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DS is a college junior at a top SLAC, has a high GPA in both majors, has completed meaningful interships, and scored really high on the first LSAT that he just took. He has plans to go to law school after a gap year.

He has a long history of setting long term goals and working towards them (Eagle Scout, 12 years at the same summer camp rising to CIT then counselor then manager of counselrs).

So I believe him when he says that he plans to go on to law school after that gap year of "freedom." He just wants a break in the many years of expectations and late nights of study. His definition of that is being a ski patrol (he's a nationally certified EMT and great skier) living in a bunk house in Colorado for a gap year. And fill in other season jobs in the off season. He wants to clock in and out and enjoy his young life. We said we approved of his idea in theory. Life is long, youth is short.

But can he afford to support himself in that scenario?

Will a law school offer him admission during his senior year and then let him take a gap year -- to do something like this, and not, say work on the Hill?

He did say recently that "well, maybe I'd come home for the summer and do another internship" before heading west. I think he's saying that because he has suddenly realized how very poor he is going to be.

This sounds like a great plan for a young person. That being said, I'm more enlightened now. I didn't allow my kids gap years, they were supposed to go to school or get a proper job with health insurance because I was too afraid of detours taking them away from path of independence and staying on our payroll.

[Anonymous]

*which was scary considering we support DH's parents and can't have kids on our payroll as well for another decade and have savings for retirement.

[Anonymous]

Law schools should have no problem with gap year.

[Anonymous]

I guess he can afford to live in poverty if you are paying his car, insurance, healthcare and cell phone plan plus probably flights.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t totally see how this is your business, OP. Let him figure it out.

OP will have to subsidize his living for one more year.

[Anonymous]

Lawyer here. He should take the gap year.

[Anonymous]

He can do a season of ski life but rest of the gap year at a law firm as a paralegal.

[Anonymous]

Parents who don't fully pay for their kid's private college, grad/professional schools and living expenses etc are as free to support random ideas as wealthy people but upper middle class parents supporting adult kids have to face the consequences so they are more afraid of non conventional ideas.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Parents who don't fully pay for their kid's private college, grad/professional schools and living expenses etc are as free to support random ideas as wealthy people but upper middle class parents supporting adult kids have to face the consequences so they are more afraid of non conventional ideas.

I did fun things with zero financial support from my parents on a low budget. Why can’t this guy not eat ramen and shack up with five guys for a year while working in the mountains?

[Anonymous]

My patent attorney husband's first job after receiving his chemical engineering degree was the McDonald's in Jackson Hole because he did what your son wants to do. Once the season got underway he waited tables at a fine dining restaurant and lifeguarded.

I think it's harder to find affordable housing in ski towns now than it was in the 90s because of AirBnB's, etc. but some ski resorts have employee housing and there are group houses out there.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Thanks - this is great feedback. Yes, we're a little worried that he's going to end up back on the payroll, which we can't really afford. But I do want him to have the year he wants so long as we're not doing more than paying for his car insurance and cell phone. I lived really poor in my 20s and it was mostly fun, but it also motivated me to go earn some money. As I said, we told him to go for it so long as he can support himself.

As for the couple of rude posters: 21 year olds look for advice from older members of our family because they themselves have limited life experience. Sorry your kids can't rely on you for that.

[Anonymous]

Taking a gap year between college and law school was one of the best things I did for myself. I can see being a patroller. I taught English in a ski town in another country that also has good skiing, and I highly recommend it as a gap year option.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Taking a gap year between college and law school was one of the best things I did for myself. I can see being a patroller. I taught English in a ski town in another country that also has good skiing, and I highly recommend it as a gap year option.

More specifically, look into the JET program, and if he gets an offer, specify only ski towns when they ask where you'd like to be placed. They get a lot of snow in Hokkaido. It pays well enough that you will not need to subsidize him at all.