Law School—or Bust?

Law School

by Avery Sander

I’m about halfway through my three-year law program. But I remember wondering if I could even get into law school.

I really wanted to go to law school; I have wanted to be a lawyer since I was eight. But my college grades were nothing terrific, and my LSAT (Law School Admission Test) score left something to be desired. I was told that I would have to pull up my LSAT score substantially in order to be accepted into any law school.

This task seemed daunting, almost impossible. I had tried to score well before; I had not been slacking off. For a while I even questioned whether this law school thing was for me.

But as I prayed, I couldn’t shake the notion that God had created me in His image and likeness. It didn’t seem right that some academic limitation would prohibit me from doing the work I felt compelled to do.

With that in mind, I began to study for retaking the LSAT and enrolled in a commercial course to help me prepare. Throughout my studying, I took all of the recommended steps. I carved out time in my day for focused study of the material, I made sure I was present at every class meeting (even when they conflicted with other activities), and I was sure to make time for normal activities such as exercising regularly and eating properly.

I knew that the best thing I could do, though, was to make this study incidental to my Christian Science study and prayer. Each day I studied the Christian Science Bible Lesson and made regular visits to the local Christian Science Reading Room. I also read Christian Science periodicals intensively each day.

Through this study, it became very clear to me that if God wanted me to express Him by studying law, then that is what I would do. No test score or application process could get in the way. This fact did not exempt me from doing any of the work I mentioned earlier, but it did allow me to keep my thought free and clear of any distraction, fear, worry, or pressure.

Part of the studying process was taking practice LSAT tests. While I knew that taking these tests were an important part of gauging my progress, the scores that came back were much lower than I had hoped. I was averaging scores near my previous test score, which I had been told was not “good enough.”

I decided it was time to call a Christian Science practitioner to pray with me through this important time. I knew I was going to learn something big.

The practitioner reaffirmed what I had been learning from my own prayer and study—that God would lead me all the way. I could trust that if law school was right for me, I would have all that I need to get there.

I really had to let go of the fixation on making a certain score on this test so that I could get into law school. I had to put my trust in God’s care and know that I was taking the right steps. The practitioner continued to pray with me for about two weeks, during which I took the test.

During the test I felt compelled to pray not just for myself, but for all the people that were also taking the test that day—in the room with me or somewhere else. I had a calm sense of peace that each of us had our place and that no test score would keep us from getting there. We were already there.

With this perspective, taking the test didn’t feel like a hurdle, it felt like my purpose in that moment. While we were waiting for the test results, however, many people I was in contact with were feeling a lot of anxiety about receiving their scores. Predictions were made that did not sound great.

On the day the scores were released, I was excited about hearing my score, but I kept praying because I knew that overcoming any anxiety and or fear was the real victory I needed. I cherished the enthusiasm I had for doing whatever it was that God had for me to do.

I checked my email throughout the day, but the score had not been sent when I got a phone call to my cell phone from an unrecognized number. It was the dean of admissions at my top choice law school. He was calling to let me know that I had been accepted for the spring admission period.

I thanked him for the call and asked him if he had been notified of my test score. He said that he had, and told me what it was. It was only four points higher than my previous test score—the one that hadn’t been “good enough.” This highlighted for me the fact that the score was not what needed the raising. It was my thought—of myself, of the system, and of the law school experience—that had needed lifting from being focused on the obstacles that would keep me from being admitted to a spiritual perspective where there are none.

That spiritual perspective has shown me that limits don’t exist. If we are earnestly listening and willing to do God’s work, nothing can keep us from serving Him. I am so grateful that I was able to understand that before entering law school, as I have had many opportunities to apply what I learned over this past year and a half.

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