Self-funded SQE and its impact on applications?

[BuddingLawyer]

Hi @Jessica Booker , @WillkieGemma ,

Say I have graduated from my LLB at the end of 2023 and pursuing a self-funded SQE ALONG with a paralegal job while applying for VS/TCs in the 2023-24 cycle for TCs commencing Sept 2026,
1. Will the firms negatively view my attempt to self-fund SQE , and/or
2. If am successful (and assuming I pass both SQEs myself) , can I treat 2024-25 as a gap year and do whatever I like in that year OR are most firms likely to ask me to join their preferred course again ?
Sorry if it sounds confusing
Thanks.

 

[Jessica Booker]

1) no - it would never be seen as a negative that you are driving your own career forward.

2) if you have passed the assessments, there would be no sense in completing a prep course again, so you’d have the time to fill with whatever you felt was appropriate.

 

[WillkieGemma]

1) no - it would never be seen as a negative that you are driving your own career forward.

2) if you have passed the assessments, there would be no sense in completing a prep course again, so you’d have the time to fill with whatever you felt was appropriate.

Agree completely with @Jessica Booker