To preface, this is sort of a joke. I say sort of, because I think there are some people who are just made to go to law school, and this probably won’t and shouldn’t deter them. It’s mostly a warning to those people considering law school for lack of anything better to do. With that said, I present to you 9 Reasons Not to Attend Law School:
9. Expensive Books
Law textbooks may be one of the most overlooked but ridiculous aspects of law school. I spend an average of $500 on books per semester. This isn’t like physics where a compilation of relevant laws and equations will be useful in the future. These giant, verbose collections — second only to an Ayn Rand novel — are useful once, because almost everything in them is within the public domain. Only once in my entire life have I opened up a law book (patents) to assist me with a real case. It’s generally way easier to open up a digest or search with Lexis or Westlaw.
Oh, and did I mention that you’ll be carrying around 60 lb of books in your giant freaking backpack? That presents another problem: do you get a rolling backpack and look like a tool? No, you don’t. You wear a giant backpack and knock over anybody stupid enough to stand behind you on the bus.
8. You’re Not That Smart
Once upon a time, you probably thought you were pretty smart (otherwise, why are you considering law school). Well, friends, law school is a time for you to find out that you’re not as smart as you thought you were. This is a time for you to learn that even though you’ve eaten wine and cheese with some of the top particle physicists in the world, there will be a guy in your con law class that makes you look like a frigging idiot. I’m not kidding. You know those guys that walk into Dunkin’ Donuts drooling on themselves and scratching their crotches? That’s what you look like next to this guy (or girl).
You’re probably thinking to yourself, “Self, I’ll be the one looking at the other people like they’re drooling on themselves.” To that, I will bid you the following warnings: (1) no, you’re not that guy or girl. He or she may be reading this right now, but you’re not him. He’s probably writing his next book, or at least reading The Law of Corporations: In a Nutshell (In a Nutshell); and (2) not only are you not that guy, but the odds are that at least one-fourth of your classmates will be looking at you like that. Why? Because people get accepted to law schools that are appropriate for them (grade-wise and LSAT-wise). Right off the bat, this should tell you that you’re probably not much smarter than your classmates. There are, of course, some exceptions.
7. Law-cest
It’s ridiculously tempting. You’re cooped up all the time with the same people, studying the same thing. Who else could understand the insane amount of time you’re going to spend studying other than a law student? Look at her. She’s hot. She’s smart. Why not, right? Wrong! Remember in undergrad when you dated that girl in calculus and it got real awkward when you broke up? Good thing you didn’t run in the same group of friends, right? You only had to deal with it when she took the batteries out of your TI-89 and threw them on the floor. Right, Lindsay? Anyway, imagine that scenario if you were in every single class together for a year, and then continued to take a bunch of classes together for two more after that. In addition, you roll in the same clique (collectively, “the law school”), and you bump into each other everywhere you go.
Oh, and did I mention that everyone in the law school knows more about your personal life with her than you do? It’s baffling, really, but we’ll discuss that in more detail later.
6. Energy Drink Addiction
This past semester, my girlfriend and I cleaned out the stock of all Bawls at not one, but two nearby convenient stores in preparation for finals. Energy drinks cost too much money, and take a toll on your health. On the bright side, no one’s heart has exploded yet (to my knowledge). People at law school are not shy about asking you for a sip of the energy drink that you brought to class either, which probably contributes to the incredible speed at which viruses spread through law school. If you see a law student near the end of the semester, pay careful attention: she’s probably twitching.
Everyone at law school has some kind of mental or physical problem. Most drink too much, some are depressed, some have ADHD, and 99% of them are stressed out most or all of the time. In addition, there are always concerns of carpal tunnel, eyestrain, stress headaches, and ulcers. We also eat out too much because there’s no time to cook. It’s not a glamorous lifestyle, but I proffer that it’s a right of passage.
5. It’s Grammar School All Over Again
See if you can pick out any similarities:
- first year, you don’t get to pick any of your classes or professors, it’s all assigned to you before you get there, and you have no way to transfer out
- You have a gi-normous backpack and carry around your books all the time
- The same people are in all of your classes, all day, every day
- Everyone calls you by your last name again
- There’s plenty of drama to be had
- Rumors (and worse, the truth) spread through the entire school at the speed of light
I can hear you thinking: law school must be different somehow, right? Well, right. Close your eyes and spend a moment thinking back to your elementary school days. Okay good, you’ve got it. Now imagine that, only add alcohol and sex. Yeah, it’s not a pretty picture.
4. No Leisure Activities
It’s not like you lose the drive to do things for fun — you just lose the time to do them. 1L year, we were always able to sneak in plans to play some soccer or football, but it required careful planning and there were always the people that didn’t show up because they had too much work. Pickup games of ultimate are generally no longer viable.
Do you read for fun? You might not anymore after having to read 200 pages of dense law material per night. I literally have not read a novel for fun since I began law school.
I don’t mean to say that law school is entirely all work and no play, but it is a certainty that you will have less time than ever to enjoy life. You’ll find yourself making the best out of endless nights in the law library or in the student lounge by doing terrible things like having intellectual discussions about jurisprudence.
3. Huge Loans
Law school is insanely expensive, even if you get decent scholarships. I elected to forego some full boats to attend a school that I had a good gut feeling about. Every time I look at my loan records, I want to punch myself in the face. I’m embarrassed to say the total amount, but my loan payments will be the majority of an average US job salary.
No problem, right? Because you’re going to get a biglaw job and start off at $160,000 a year! Well, sure, that might happen. If you’re at a T12 school, your chances are certainly up there. Otherwise, you’re going to have to get awesome grades, make law review and/or moot court, have good prior work experience, and interview really, really well. If you still think that you’re a shoe in, there’s no sense in talking to you.
Statistically speaking, most of you will not work in biglaw. That’s where the next problem begins. Salaries for lawyers are very polar. Generally speaking, they’re huge for biglaw people, reasonable for medium-size private firm people, and crap for everyone else. There are exceptions, particularly for boutiques, but you get the idea. Are you looking forward to being a district attorney like the guy you saw on Law & Order? Hopefully you can pay off your $100k+ loans on a salary of ~35-50k. Interested in representing indigents with a state-sponsored employer? How about way less money? Thankfully, some states and law schools offer loan forgiveness for attorneys that decide to pursue public interest, and if you’re interested in going that route, you definitely need to look into that.
2. Your Friends Are Your Enemies
If you’re fortunate enough to go to a law school (like me) where people are generally pretty friendly, you’ll probably only notice this aspect of law school around finals. Even at the nicest school, where people send you class notes without your having to ask, law students turn into rabid animals interested only in self-preservation about two weeks before finals. People may start avoiding you altogether so that you can’t ask them for help. Remember that girl in property that was so quick to offer you her input before spring break? All of a sudden, she can’t tell you the difference between a life estate and a fee tail.
It’s not their fault though: the school is essentially forcing them to compete. So long as they don’t start sabotaging your computer or hiding library books, consider the doctrine of No Harm, No Foul governing.
1. The Curve is Evil
The curve is the beast of all beasts. It’s what keeps your friends your enemies, and it’s why we feel the driving force to compete with our peers 24 hours a day. During undergrad, I loved the curve. I scored something around a 60 in one of my quantum mechanics exams, which turned into a B+ or an A- after the curve was applied. Life was good.
Fast forward to my very first grade of law school: my professor handed me back my closed memo with a raw score written at the top. 97. Ninety-freaking-seven. I was elated. I almost couldn’t have done any better. Imagine my surprise then, when my professor wrote the conversion down on the board and my awesome grade turned into a B+.
The biggest problem is that while undergrad has some natural error correction whereby one fluke during an exam or a problem set can be fixed, you usually only get one grade per class in law school. That’s right: almost all classes in law school assign no homework, and your grade is 100% determined by your final exam. Having an off-day? No problem. It’s only the rest of your life. Some people obviously manage to consistently score well, though, so maybe there is some merit to the system.
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I love this 9 reason …post. Its informative, honest, and funny)
As a 0L starting law school in August 09, I find this the 9 reason not to attend law school informative and amusing at the same time. I remember when I first started reading on the Law school culture a couple of years ago and these kind of posts were making me nervous. But after doing many many reasearch and hearing all the ‘horror’ stories about law school, now I just cant help it but to smirk when I read these kind of posts. I am sure Law school will be one of the hardest things I will go through in my life. However, at this point I am almost anxious to meet this beast at this point.
Law school maybe too hard? so what, I dont need a percentage or a letter grade to tell me what I am worth. All I am concerned about going to law school is being a competent lawyer. I am more concerned about not becoming an inadequate lawyer that ruins his/her clients life as a result of being inadequate (as I have witnessed it happen to friends many times). So yes I may or may not be the genious in your class. I may or may not be in the top percent of the class. But I do know that I will read every assignment and will give my all to understand the material because I dread of becoming that “inadequate” lawyer. Some cynics will say “well everyone is going to work hard” or “sure you will say that now, but you have no idea what you getting your self into”. They may be right, but it doesnot mean I will learn from my mistakes. I see the occupation of becoming a lawyer as a big responsiblity that I will put my all into not to brag about my class grades, not to get that big $$ or Big job at a big law firm. Just because I will have the lives and dreams of other people on my hand. That is a trust more noble and rewarding that anything I can think of.
Lawyers are miserable? as opposed to what? What is more miserable and depressing to me is working at a job where you have no motivation or care for. Clocking in 40hrs a week just waiting for a pay check. With a law degree I can purse diverse avenues while having the autonomy to make decision about my life/career.
I am sure we are all wired in different ways, and expect different things out of life. To some what I just said might seem naive, to some insperational, and to some idiotic. But my point is it depends on the individual. If you take any career for the wrong reasons you are going to miserable. Its ironic because I read a lot of threads by law students/lawyers, it is amazing despite what I hear they are always helpful informative towards one another. So to those thinking about law school and get discouraged with other people’s depressing comments, just remember if you chose law school for what is the right reasons “for you”, then you will be fine.
To those who are giving the pros and cons of law school by giving an honest assesment of thier experience (leaving out thier own insecurities and other personal/emotional issues), I am greatful to you guys and LOVE READING your inputs as I get read to meet this “beast” so it can kick my ass for 3 years lol.
@Rob, what law school did you attend? you’re obviously working alot, but not to your full earning potential if you’re putting in that many hours and still earning little more than a middle school teacher.
in the words of big worm, “you ain’t applying yourself, smokey!
@Jane Doe,
thanks for the post. i have a similar situation in some respects (new baby, no. 2, is medically special needs) and am trying to decide what to do before my lsat scores expire. good to know that slow & steady and more realistic/grounded is doable. the niche-finding and acting on existing talents are great points as well, as is the nudge to talk to people (atty friends are falling on either side of the debate; nary a soul in between!). best to you and yours.
@mike jones,
You obviously didn’t read his post correctly. He said he WAS a middle school teacher and mentioned absolutely nothing about how much he’s making now, two years out of law school. Kind of presumptuous to say he’s not applying himself.
@Justin,
Wow. That wasn’t very nice. Who asked for the spelling lesson, anyway? You’re not even in law school, so what the heck do you know? I wonder what makes you think you’re even in the position to be so condescending to Jane Doe.
Hello
I would like to know more about the field of international human rights law. How does one get involved in this field and how can I best prepare of a career in this field? I would like to know how you got involved in the field also, since I am having a hard time connecting some of my own interests with a law school education. I give permission to the moderator to share my email address with HumanRightsAtty.
Thank you.
I seriously suspect that all the lawyers and law students who post on blogs/sites like this spout horror stories and advise against going to law school because they want less market competition. It’s kind of like hiding library books and misleading fellow students.
From what I’ve read here and heard about practicing lawyers I wouldn’t put it past any of you. Medical doctors don’t bitch about their profession and dissuade students as much as you. Go figure.
Let me guess: you base this hypothesis on a gut feeling. Maybe you *should* go to law school. Most 1Ls think they know everything too.
This post was hysterical and though intended to be “funny” it’s actually factual in most cases – but life IS funny, right? right?? RIGHT???
By the way – I love this site!!
@WhoCares, seriously?
“just to make just a little bit more than what I was earning before”
So you’re reading these posts and are thinking: “I’m smarter than these bozos who are trying to talk me out of being a lawyer; I’m not like them; I’ll make it.” YOU ARE DEAD WRONG. Before I started law school, I can’t tell you how many law students and attorneys told me to stay away from the practice of law. I thought that they were probably losers, just venting their frustrations over their self-created failures. The following is my story, showing that these “losers” were right all along.
I graduated at the top 5% of my undergraduate class with a degree in finance from an elite undergraduate program. I had a job at a major financial company making $60K + bonuses fresh out of college, with no law-school debt (mind you that I chose not to go into ibanking, in which case I’d be making $120K + bonuses). Then I did something really stupid. I ignored the advice of all those people who warned me: I quit my job, took the LSAT and subsequently entered law school because I genuinely wanted to practice law, specifically, corporate law. After my first year, I scored in the top 25% of my class, which full of students that were just as smart, or smarter, than me. For the first time in my life, I was humbled. I was unable to get a big firm job – the only place to practice corporate law – through OCI because there weren’t that many employers around in this market. Now I’m working in a small firm, making $18 per hour. I’d be lucky right now to land a legal job paying me $60-$70K per year. I had high hopes of practicing corporate law; now I’m writing motions in limine for a personal injury firm. I’m working for freakin ambulance chasers.
I thought about cutting my losses by quitting law school and going back to finance. However, I can’t go back to the company I deserted. And during my interviews with other companies, the interviewers always pointed to the fact I picked law over finance, and that they think I would probably jump ship again and go back to practicing law, and, not surprisingly, I never get the job, even those that I’m overqualified for. My new tactic is to avoid any mention of my law school experience (after paying $100 grand for it up until now). Can you imagine taking something like law school off your resume? How do I explain a 2-year gap? I’m still thinking about it.
Long story short: LISTEN TO US; DON’T GO TO LAW SCHOOL UNLESS YOU WANT TO PROSTITUTE YOURSELF AND WILL DO ANYTHING FOR MONEY; YOU PROBABLY WON’T GO INTO THE LEGAL FIELD YOU TRULY WANT AND WILL END UP DO SOMETHING COMPLETELY UNRELATED TO YOUR EXPECTATIONS JUST TO PAY YOUR BILLS.
@HumanRightsAtty,
I am interested in pursuing a public interest law career, but have been cautioned of the infeasibility: age limitations (a potential non-traditional student), unreliable loan repayment programs, and fewer job openings – not realistic or practical.
Are you willing to answer some of my questions regarding your experience in public interest (human rights) law? If so, Moderator please provide HumanRightsAtty with my email address.
this made me wnat to go to law school
Joshua,
Just completed my 1L year, and can totally relate to your list. Am personally having doubts as to whether to continue on – the terrible job market, the ever increasing debt-load, and my own modestly respectable GPA (just missed a cumulative B+, and yes I’m still blaming it on the curve), make me wonder whether this is really worth it.
My biggest disappointment is how much you are expected to do outside of school – moot court, law review, internships, and the other things Joshua mentioned. If you enjoy even a little moderation in your life, I would strongly consider another career choice.
@Unhappy 3L,
I’m having similar concerns after my first year. What really seems funny to me is how these schools want to charge you through the nose, then your 1L profs go around talking to you about ETHICS and such.
If there was really a desire for new attorneys to do ‘good” work, such as public interest law, things would be a bit different. Instead, most LRAP and other compensatory programs suck because they either have income limits that are too low, or they do things such as including a spouse’s income, but many students only figure this out after its too late and the bill has come due.
I’m not saying that having a lot of student loans should allow you act unscrupulously, but charging 20K a semester for an education then yapping about ethics just smells like hypocrisy to me.
I have retired from government with 27 years of service. For the past 30 years I have had a stong desire to attend law school. To start a second career as a lawyer. After much research and reading I have determined to start a second career as a Paralegal. To attend an ABA Approved community course.
The cost for the whole program is about $6000.00. From there to take the NALA test to become a Certified Paralegal. Followed by the on-line Advanced Course as a Social Security Disability Specialist. With the final outcome to be appointed as a Non-Attorney Representative for Social Security Disability clients.
After reading articles, books and speaking with attorneys, who teach paralegal classes, that everything said in the above articles are true. Because of student debt. Because of the job market for lawyers. Because of the slim chance of making it in the legal profession. All things considered, I have decided not to be a lawyer.
In retirement, I can work full or part-time as a parelegal. Or to specialize in a given area such as Social Security Disability. I have always want to study the law. But to be a law student, lawyer, or attorney can be to big of a moutain to climb. I respect though individuals who have choosen this field of study.
@Charles,
Thank you for your comments. I’ll be completing an AS in paralegal studies in the Spring of 2010; and have been contemplating going on to law school. I was thinking it may be a better use of my skill-set learned over 10 years of military service and 15 years in business.
As I’m over 40, the debt vs. income ratio out of law school seems formidable – as well as 4 more years of substandard earnings while in school.
The path you laid out for yourself is encouraging. It allows you some autonomy while you help people using all your talent.
All the best to you and the other contributors to this post in all your present and future endeavors.
Change law school to med school and it’s exactly the same!
Regarding debt: I agree with the above posts about keeping debt down, but going part time is not possible for many. It costs more in tuition to finish in 4 years (or more) instead of 3. You also miss out on an extra year of income to pay off that debt.
As for loans: The College Cost Reduction and Access Act (CCRAA) provides for Income Based Repayment (IBR) and Loan Forgiveness (for gov’t and public interest/non-profit lawyers) after 10 years of IBR Payments.
Go to the Equal Justice Works website for more information.
@Will, I made more money as a paralegal (and office Manager) of a 4 attorney firm than I will as a public interest attorney.
You are making the right decision.
@bs, When you become a public defender, you are eligible for Income Based Repayment (starting July 1, 2009) on your debt. In my case, with $40K income and $120K in debt, monthly paymnets using Income Based Repayment will be only $310 a month (instead of $1,140 under the standard plan).
After 10 years as a public defender, the government will forgive your loans.
It’s called the College Cost Reduction and Access Act. More info can be found by going on my blog. Just comment and I can email you some info.
Thank for your preciouse time in coming up with this post. Can you provide more information on this topic? I’ve already subscribed to your post via Google News Reader to let me read them as soon as possible.
Just came across this article from another one of your posts. So funny and true! The legal field is simply over-saturated, but I keep on trucking trying to find my way.
This post is right on point and has great comments as well. Nice job!
LOL LOL LOL. I get the feeling law schools and law practice are the same every where around the globe. 3 years out of law school, 2 years since the bar exams (most grueling exam here in the Philippines), but I couldn’t shake off the trauma that was law school. Education is very cheap here, including law school (for most schools), and the promise of a way, way better future have attracted hordes and hordes of people to law schools all over our country. If only I could tell them (every single one of them) exactly what you have in your blog…Could save them their time, and money, and sweat and tears…
LOL LOL LOL
I found your blog on google and read a few of your other posts. I just added you to my Google News Reader. Keep up the good work Look forward to reading more from you in the future.
@Rob, Hi Rob, I’m working on a documentary and I’m interested in the opinion you expressed above. Would you mind shooting me an e-mail so I can pick your brain? Thanks! mdesir[@]gmail[.]com (no brackets).
@On the money, I’m working on a documentary and I’m interested in the opinion you expressed above. Would you mind shooting me an e-mail so I can pick your brain? Thanks! mdesir[@]gmail[.]com (no brackets).
@Unhappy 3L, I’m working on a documentary and I’m interested in the opinion you expressed above. Would you mind shooting me an e-mail so I can pick your brain? Thanks! mdesir[@]gmail[.]com (no brackets).
@Evan, I’m working on a documentary and I’m interested in the opinion you expressed above. Would you mind shooting me an e-mail so I can pick your brain? Thanks! mdesir[@]gmail[.]com (no brackets).
I found this post on Google while researching the never-ending debate of whether someone should attend law school. At the moment I have a great job, completely outside of the legal field, which allows me to travel/live abroad and do something which I enjoy. It’s not the most well paying profession, but that’s not the reason for considering law school. I know what you’re thinking…why make a change if I enjoy what I do? Since finishing my undergraduate studies, almost a decade ago, I’ve been on the fence about going. I have a number of friends and clients who learn about my background, the 7 languages I speak and the fact that I am tossing the law school idea around, who send me weekly emails telling me to change my profession. I get the constant, “Umm, why are you working in this industry?” question thrown in my face and it’s been haunting me for quite some time.
Again, it’s not about the money, but about doing something greater with my life (Whatever greater may mean). That being said, I can definitely do without the headaches and possible ulcers. Any thoughts on this?
Well, I’m back. For all the talking about law school I’ve done: I will sound the warning bells loud and clear. Don’t go. And if you go, don’t be afraid to quit.
I made it half way.
And I quit.
I never met so many sociopaths in one place, I never witnessed so much categorical unfairness and never fell victim to so much intentional ill will all at once.
In a stroke of irony, and despite criticism received from a previous poster, I now edit and write essays for those of you who want to take the plunge and apply to grad school.
I’m moving to Costa Rica in a few months, and I no longer feel like having a heart attack every other day.
Life’s full of choices, and Law School is not a good one for physical or emotional health. But if you must go, I sure can help you write one heck of an essay for it. ;-)
Jane Doe, it saddens me that you are leaving law school. But I know you are making the best decsion for you and your family. Your post was very insightful. I thank you for you wisdom and courage to speak you mind.I am currently at a tier 3 law school and I love the experience that I am receiving. Although I agree with most of the posts on why not to go lawschool, I believe that each inndividual will have a different experience and should just “CONSIDER” what other have to say about their experience. I really believe that lawschools should do a better job at preparing students to own their own law office right out of lawschool. We have to be honest at the current job perspective(which is not dreadful). I wish all of you luck and success in whichever career path you choose.
Alright so I have read down all the comments and I would like some feedback on a question from the current lawyers: I am a Bio Major and want to go to law school to get into patent/copy. law. I have worked in the industry as a chemist for last three years and I don’t think I will be happy working as a scientist, do you think law might be a good thing to look into? I like the prospect of taking my science knowledge and having to apply it to law. I guess I eventually want to work for the government and help in legislation discussion and so on…anyone got any constructive comments/advice about this? Thanks
@Hopeless scientist, I’m just a lowly 3L, but I do have a lot of experience interviewing for biglaw patent jobs.
I’ve been told by numerous biglaw firms that they’re tending to shy away from patent prosecution. For me, this isn’t a big deal because I’m interested in litigation, but it will be a factor to consider if you want a biglaw job and want to prosecute.
If you do want to prosecute, your chemistry background will definitely make you more attractive then me (my background is in math/physics). Chemistry is a big patent industry, so you wouldn’t have the problem of being patent eligible but having firms not know which group to put you in.
All that said, my advice is that if you can’t get into a top 14 school, chances are you are going to make less money than you otherwise would as a chemist for quite some time. It’s even possible that you could never reach the earning potential that you have right now.
Yes, you have a skill set that is more useful than not having it, but I don’t know that it opens enough doors in and of itself to make law school a worthwhile investment right now.
That said, if you aren’t in it for the money but don’t want to be a scientist, I’d say law school is a good option. We’re already acclimated to the work ethic, so that part is easy. And when you do work in the area, you get to become an “expert for a day” in tons of different scientific areas. In my opinion, that’s a lot more fun than becoming the go-to guy for femtosecond lasers.
@Belisarius,
Hey I loved this response you made. I am currently a high school student with aspirations to become a lawyer, would you have any time for some quick questions? I would love to get advice from some one who knows what they are talking about.. Thanks
It seems to me as I read through here that there are limited postings of “I LOVE being a lawyer” and a plethora of “Run as fast as you can the other direction, girl!” sentiments, which for me begs the questions why go through it? Is law school truly the hell y’all have described? And if it isn’t hell when going through it, is the job market/job search hell?
I have a job which is okay, where I make a good salary, but I am, as the name states, Bored Beyond Belief. I work with attorneys and they always seemed to have interesting stories and interesting jobs. I need a challenge and I like the idea that laws that were written 200 years ago are still being applied in new and interesting ways today (4th Amendment, etc.). I like the idea of working with case facts and applying those facts to the elements of a statute. Is the PRACTICE of law like that or am I off living in “The Paper Chase” la-la land?
So the question I have for all the bloggers/posters, the disenchanted and, apparently, clinically depressed in some cases, attorneys, would you do it again? Any value at all to it? I am shamelessly hedging my bets here, I don’t want to quit a job that is okay with a good salary to go to one that is hell on earth. Thoughts, advise, comments, etc. are all welcome and appreciated. I also accept full responsibility for any spelling errors, grammatical misuses, or otherwise unacceptable use of the English language in this post.
Humbly submitted….
i relly dpnt want to go to school tomorrow! :@
Thanks for posting this article. I myself have never considered law school, but many of my friends are currently looking at law school and grad school as a safe haven against this recession. I will email them this link, because based on my own research, law school is a $150,000 waste of time.
I graduated a little bit more than a year ago with a liberal arts degree in political science and psychology from a top tier school. Panic ensued when I realized that I might not be able to get a well-paying and meaningful job. I agree that there is a good percentage of people who go to law school or grad school right after college solely because they feel lost and that pursuing another degree felt safer than taking a gamble and exploring a little. For a period of time I thought about going to law school, but I am glad that I decided to take another path. Going to law school does not guarantee a big paycheck! It’s only financially worth it to go to law school if you get into the Big 14. My friend who has an engineering degree and went to law school at NYU just wrote a guest post about why law school is not the right choice for most liberal arts degree graduates at http://catwchang.com/?p=234
@mike,
It did the same for me. I feel like I need this kind of monumental challenge to get me off my butt and out of my complacent rut.
So I am all set to start law school this fall… at no where near a T14 school… not even 2nd tier… I’ve been reading ALOT about why I shouldn’t want to go… but I still want to go. and I think I might be crazy for it, and from the looks of it I might fit in perfectly, but even if I don’t end up working as a lawyer, aren’t there infinite possibilities of jobs with a JD? I mean you could be a great dolphin trainer after completing law school, yeah?
I’m not rich, I still have some undergrad debt, but I’m seriously not worried about law school debt…after all it’s “good” debt right? although I am getting significant scholarships by going to a lower ranked schools…but I still expect at least 50 grand at the end of my 3 years… and Im seriously not worried about job prospects… I guess i want the experience… I want this horrible experience you all have described…and I want to come out of it a better person, in spite of it all…
anyone else going for these reasons along these lines..??
@Kat: I’ve read so many horrible things about law school that I’m starting to really freak out. But it’s not really the clinical depression/hard work that freaks me out. I went to a highly competitive undergraduate university and I’ve already been through hell majoring in economics here. I’m a senior and a prospective 1L in the fall at a Tier 1 school for most tuition paid by a scholarship, but I’m still really worried about job prospects. It hurts my self esteem to know I may be joining a profession where others are not needed at all, and that salary may be piss poor. But the idea of knowing the law thrills me, and the descriptions of summer internships/clerkships sounds really good to me, so I’ll end up going through it. I just can’t imagine the pain and anguish I’d feel if I ended up regretting 3 years of hellish work and finding no job. So I’m paranoid right now and not sure what to do.
@Douglas Sowash,
Sleazebag law students grow into sleazebag lawyers. Shame on you.
@Douglas Sowash,
wow what a douche
From your post, i get the impression that law school is just like med school. It’s very tough, very stressful and it makes you feel like an average (or below average) student despite graduating with honors in your undergrad. But the only bright side i see for law school is that the duration of formal education is shorter than medicine. Medicine usually takes almost a decade to become a specialist. Well, that’s grad school for you. Nothing you expected when you were still a hopeful idealistic undergrad student.
@Douglas Sowash,
You piece of garbage. Only a weak-minded cretin would do that. Maybe if you’d spent your time studying and reading, you wouldn’t have to sabotage others. But I suppose you can only level the playing field by cheating. And it IS cheating.
Scumbags like you give this profession its bad name.
Gotta love the a-hole who mansplained some minor spelling errors to a commenter. Notice that he didn’t bother with the more significant grammatical and spelling errors of the commenters without identifiably female names.
Misogynists are so transparent.
Gotta love an a-hole who mansplains some minor spelling errors to a commenter. Notice that he didn’t bother with the more significant grammatical and spelling errors of the commenters without identifiably female names.
Misogynists are so transparent.
@Douglas Sowash,
It’s true. A lot of people think and act just as this Sowash character describes. That’s why it’s important to really look into the schools you want to attend, and to arm yourself with the requisite knowledge to be able to stand by your decisions.
If you have very thick skin and want to get into the mix and fight it out with cut-throat classmates then go find an appropriate school–in my school visits, these were the top-tier schools. If you want a friendlier peace, love and whatever school, those exist as well–few top-tiers were like this, but many third and fourth tier schools are full of more mature students who don’t have time for childish games and elitism.
The most important thing to do is to know yourself before you make your decision. There are PLENTY of happy lawyers–the trick is that they know themselves. They know what they will and will not tolerate, and they know what is most important to them. Some knew they just wanted a legal education, so they decided that whether they end up as a courtroom deputy, a postal worker, or a big-time lawyer, they will not live a life of regret. This is how I feel–I’m lucky to have come this far, to have been an extern for two federal judges, and to have fallen into a wonderful niche with a bright future.
The question is whether you are motivated enough to look past the LONG nights, bad attitudes, and negative people to make great friendships, learn from excellent professors, and gain a serious “leg up” from a legal education.
Think about that first big fat check, or your first victory, or your first client who bursts into tears because you saved that client’s home from foreclosure, or helped them to resolve a long-lasting dispute with someone who used to be a close friend.
Don’t listen to the negative people who say, “don’t do it.” They can’t accept the choices that they made for one reason or another.
@Justin,
You sound like you belong at a top-tier so go for it or you will spend your entire law school career complaining about how you don’t like the school you’re attending–it brings down the mood.
Also, I wouldn’t suggest going to a school for a particular discipline, especially if you’re already considering tiers. Just go to the highest ranked school you can get into. From what I’ve heard, IP firms don’t hire because you went to X school that is #6 in IP, unless it is in the top 50 (or 68, heh).
Just go for the highest-ranked school.
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