Sunshine Coast woman graduates UniSQ law with flawless 7.0 GPA

After three years of spending ‘every waking moment’ studying, a Sunshine Coast woman has graduated law with a perfect score. Read how she did it here.

Sunshine Coast resident Hayley Cohen has graduated her law degree with a perfect 7.0 GPA. Picture: Contributed

A former receptionist and writer has graduated university with a perfect 7.0 GPA score in law.

Sunshine Coast resident Hayley Cohen, 34, was celebrating with her university mates last night at her University of Southern Queensland graduation ceremony in Ipswich.

The former receptionist and writer who applied for law on a whim said a lot of people had “boxed me as a ditzy girl” in her younger years.

“You shouldn’t let anyone define who you are,” Ms Cohen said.

She spent every waking moment studying during her juris doctor, a graduate-entry law degree, and said it was three years of hard work.

She did not sugar coat the work for others hoping to emulate her success.

“You’ll have no life, having no time to work, no money and a lot of sacrifices but I really enjoyed it and it made me fulfilled,” Ms Cohen said.

Valedictorian Hayley Cohen is joined by her mother Suzy Szlavik at the University of Southern Queensland graduation ceremony in Ipswich. Picture: Contributed

The graduate said her writing and communications background, along with her Bachelor of Arts degree and a love for reading, were also helpful.

The graduate said the pressure increased to maintain a perfect score the more she studied.

“You must keep your eye on the ball,” Ms Cohen said.

“You must learn to ignore the critic inside your head because if you don’t stay focused and make one big mistake in an exam or essay, that may be the end of that perfect score.”

Ms Cohen achieved a high distinction in 24 subjects and was also named valedictorian.

The graduate has been offered an associateship with a Federal Court judge and is currently doing more practical legal training to be admitted as a lawyer and working.

She said her family did not have an academic background.

Ms Cohen and her brother were the first in her family to graduate university.

“Anyone can do it,” she said.