Why Thomas Jefferson School of Law (TJSL)?

So here's the story:

Thomas Jefferson School of Law used to be located right off of Highway 5. Every morning I would drive past it's small black sign on the way to the ship when I was in the Navy. I always thought as I drove past it that someday I was going to aspire to go there and that if a law school was named after a president it must be prestigious...hey, I was just driving by and it was very early in the morning:) Then 9/11 happened and I would drive to the ship at 4:00 in the morning just to miss the huge 2 hour wait to get in the gate for the morning rush (because security was so tight). That way I could spend the two hours in my shipboard rack instead of the car; and at 4:00 in the morning as I would drive by I'd think "this sucks, I wish I was going there instead, at a normal hour!" Then, partially because of that, and just embarrassment of having to tell people I had a GED, I started going to school again. I signed up at Miracosta College to get my highschool diploma and I signed up with Central Texas College (CTC) to get an associates; CTC accepted my GED to start. Funny thing, I did get them both within one month of each other. It was kinda nice because my English papers could be recycled for both:) At any rate after 9/11 we started going out to sea a lot. As much as I enjoyed it, I did miss Hoss and we would talk about how someday I was going to be a lawyer and we wouldn't have to do this and always their small sign (that I passed twice a day) was in the back of my mind. Then I started looking into the JAG program and I found out that I needed a 178 on the LSAT just to get in while I was active duty and I kinda gave it up. The funny thing is that when I was going through paperwork I found my last review or my closeout evaluation and on it was a blurb about losing a fine sailor who might come back as a better asset (I can't remember the wording exactly) meaning I was getting out to pursue law school and then join up again as JAG (something that I still consider).

Well, I received my bachelors in Criminal Justice in 2006 after I had, had Ash and decided to take the LSAT. It went horribly! It was the first time I was ever separated from her and she was nursing every hour to hour and a half and wouldn't take a bottle. So not only was I terribly uncomfortable, but I was worried about her well being as well. I bombed it. The practice tests didn't help my score and Hoss was wanting to go on the MSG (embassy tour) program so I gave up. Then about a year and a half ago I got a pamphlet in the mail stating that Phoenix Law had looked over my stuff from The Law School Admission Council and I was qualified to attend their program. It made me think about it again and I wondered if maybe motherhood wasn't all I could be about. So thanks to the good advice of my Aunt Sharon I studied and retook the LSAT in Hong Kong and with her assistance got together a good personal statement so I could be eligible for wherever Hoss's job took us next. so of course when we found out we were going to San Diego the first thing I thought of was that black sign.

I applied to Thomas Jefferson, California Western and one other school south of LA, but still in the back of my mind I wondered if this was really something that we should do and I told Hoss that maybe our family would be better off if I just pursued the Forensic Science field and got a job. Even after I submitted the applications I was telling people that even if I got in I wasn't sure if this was what I was supposed to do with my life. I also told Hoss that if it was truly meant to be then perhaps I would get a scholarship to really show me that this was the way to go.

At any rate, we left Hong Kong before any acceptance letters arrived and I took this as a very bad sign. I was discouraged and had already started looking into jobs the week before we flew out. So it was a huge surprise the morning we were sitting in the hotel and I opened an email that invited me to "An accepted student open house". It stated that by now I should have received my acceptance letter and they would be happy to have me come for a tour and the weekend presentation. Not only that, but it was from Thomas Jefferson School of Law!!!! I was shaking and crying when I showed it to Hoss. When we finally got our new address I called the universities to update their database and sure enough I had gotten in and the packet they sent me stated that I was also eligible for a partial scholarship! So there you go. It was meant to be.

The open house was amazing. The professors and staff were incredible. Unfortunately, they are no longer along highway 5, but it's a good thing as this year they opened the most technologically advanced, newest law school building in America. It is great. The dean (who has been a dean for 31 years and has two previous schools for reference) has made the building functional, beautiful, warm, and welcoming. Every detail has been carefully thought out to benefit the students and the environment. It is right downtown and we get an automatic membership to a great gym across the street. Not only that but it's right beside Padres stadium!

I did also get into California Western, but as you now can understand I had to pick Thomas Jefferson.