05 April 2022
The Final Semester
My final semester is well underway, and it is hard to imagine that the past three years have gone by so fast. It is even more difficult to reflect on the personal, professional, and academic growth which has taken place in such a short period of time. However, while the semester is now over halfway finished, there is still much work to be done. I am currently in the process of finishing my ASTRA article, and preparing for CERCA, both of which need to be completed by the end of this month. I am looking forward to presenting at CERCA and think this will be another great experience to grow my in-person presentation skills.
Decision Season
In addition to ASTRA and CERCA, and with the law school decision season at its end, I find myself faced with far more choices to make than I would have ever imagined. At this stage in the decision cycle, I have been accepted to four schools, conditionally accepted to one, waitlisted for another, and have yet to hear back from the seventh. I would have never imagined in my wildest dreams that I would be accepted to one, let alone five law schools. With my legal aspirations a few months away, and my time in the Army coming to an end, the path seemed set for a successful law school career. Unfortunately, I learned this January that a military benefit did not function quite as advertised, and I would not be able to rely on this benefit to pay for tuition. Without this benefit, I would be responsible for paying the majority of tuition. Because of this, I would take on more debt than the combined salaries of my family.
The Hard Right
The April 15th decision date was fast approaching, and in light of the January news, I would have to make a massive financial decision that would likely follow me into my late thirties, if not forties. Ultimately, it would not be the January news that led to my decision to delay my law school plans, instead, the events of February 24th made clear to me I was not ready to leave the military. I am not abandoning my legal aspirations, however, I realize my priority is to be able to respond quickly, and globally to crises and make a difference in the lives of people on their worst day. My only hope is that this decision will not disappoint the people in my life who care about me. I am trading a life where I have a prestigious job, title, and all the trappings of a law career for a job few would do, and even fewer know exists.