"major in anything and go to law school"

[XXXNoahXXX]

HLS2k6,

Serious question...are you black?

[HLS2k6]

[ QUOTE ]
HLS2k6,

Serious question...are you black?

[/ QUOTE ]

White, middle class, Non legacy.

A urm with my lsat would not be dinged by Yale.

[dawade]

One of my classes this semester is Mass Media Law and we have a practicing attorney teaching the class.

Seems like every time I am in class I am thinking about what it would be like to be a lawyer, so much that I was actually excited when I saw this thread since I'm majoring in Broadcast Journalism.

I've been doing alright in school mostly just because I was more interested in partying more than I was making straight As.

As a result, my GPA at Middle Tenn State is 3.4 and should increase over the next several semesters (this is my fall semester Junior year).

Is it still too late to think about law school or should I just consider something else?

[Bork]

How might it be too late? You can still take LSAT and apply next fall.

I didn't apply for Law School until a year after finishing my undergrad and didn't start until two years after. Oh, and I had a worse GPA too. Do more research and if you think you would be good at Law School and like being a lawyer then go for it. There are successful lawyers who didn't go to top tier schools.

[CalledDownLight]

I'm a junior in college and really have no idea what I want to do postgrad. I have a 2.96 at Duke majoring in economics. Many of my peers have told me that I would do well on the LSAT, including those that are studying for it (obviously the only ones that really matter). My only experience with the test is taking one section of a practice test after a friend asked me for help on a question. I missed one question within the time limit. In general, I test extremely well; this is magnified on standardized tests.

I have thought about law school in the past and even thought about being a lawyer. I don't have a great work ethic which would seem to be a necessity, but do get very attached to things I find interesting, including specific classes. How did you guys that attended/are attending law school decide that this is what you want to do? How long do I have until I need to make up my mind on taking the LSAT? I'm really looking for advice as to why you guys have chosen this route and to become lawyers since I have no idea what I want to do after college.

[XXXNoahXXX]

CDL,

The last LSAT that I'd take is September of senior year. Right now, I'd focus on getting that GPA up, at least over the 3.0 hump. Even if you take June test, don't worry about it until the new year.



I had no idea what I wanted to do as an UG. I did mock trial and enjoyed it, did moot court and enjoyed it, did a legal internship and thought it was alright. I knew that I didn't want to do anything with psychology (my major), and I didn't want to get some entry level finance/business type job. During college, I did no work and BSd my way through class, and I was looking forward to the academic challenge of law school. That being said, my laziness and procrastinating continued in law school, but was balanced out by my good test taking.









This last graph is from '06, but it makes my point nicely. The point is, not everyone is going to be making the big bucks as a lawyer. Schools will publish their average salary as 125k or something, but that is an awful # to use, because its not spread out over the range, but is some people with 160k and the rest with 40k, etc.

This is why if you 1)have dreams of big bucks and 2)can't get into a good law school, then maybe law school isn't for you. Only the cream of the crop at lower ranked law schools will get these big firm market paying jobs, but 90% are going to be shelling out 150k, not to mention the lost earning potential of spending three years in school.

Obviously this went off-track, and I can definitely go more in depth, but one thing that I think is lacking in discussion of "should i go to law school" is the job market/practical side. Who care if you can handle the work and would like being a lawyer if you're buried in debt and can't get a job?


If you have any more specific questions, feel free, I check on this thread often.

[Bork]

As far as shelling out 150k for school I don't think many schools cost that much, especially the lower tier ones. Are you factoring in housing/transport/other living costs? You are going to pay those whether you are in school or not, so they shouldn't factor in. What the opportunity cost is obviously depends on what the other jobs you could get for those three years are, and if you will be making any money while in school.

Why focus so much on the income following graduation and not on the income you can make over the next 25+ yrs as an attorney vs alternative career?

I am not saying everyone should go to Law School and I'm not saying you are mistaken that it (often?) doesn't make financial sense to go lowly ranked school. I am however not close to convinced that you are correct in that assertion. So the supply has gone up.. Is there really a signifigant amount of un/underemployed lawyers out there?

Simply saying it's expensive and supply has gone up and starting pay has a split distribution isn't enough to determine that it financially/practically makes little sense if you don't go to a top school. That is only three reasons to think it won't make sense, seemingly without consideration of the reasons it might make financial sense to do so. I'm sure for some it makes no sense, but some could be giving up money by not to a lower ranked school, no?

I agree that people should carefully consider whether it is really right for them to invest so much in the education. Why are you trying to scare people away unless they can get into a top school? I'm not directing this only at you. There do seem to be others who share the view, and I would like it if they responded.

[cgrohman]

Insta no based on the math if you have a 2.2 even if you get a 180 on the lsat

[cgrohman]

"top 1% at Cardoza is probably >>>>>> bottom 10% at yale when it comes to ability, motivation, etc."

Agreed, but you would ahve to work your ass off to get top 1% at Cadoza whereas you should be able to pull off top 50% pretty much anywhere without even showing up

[Misfire]

[ QUOTE ]
Okay, let's say I'm a Junior now (I am), is it too late to sign up for the LSAT?

[/ QUOTE ]

It's never too late to take the LSAT. I was out of school 5 years before I took it.

[ QUOTE ]
Remember, I'm just playing with the idea. Never thought of it before, but don't have any other great plans, either.

[/ QUOTE ]

Being good at standardized tests is no reason to go to law school. The only important question is, "DO I ACTUALLY WANT TO WORK AS A LAWYER?"