Choosing Schools Advice Forum

[A. Nony Mouse]

Sure. There are lots of lawyers who need to do the same thing. The part-time cashier probably didn't go into 6 figures of debt to be in that position, though.

[addie1412]

Sure. There are lots of lawyers who need to do the same thing. The part-time cashier probably didn't go into 6 figures of debt to be in that position, though.

My point was, we talk about how one should think long and hard about being a lawyer because lawyers are miserable. But we have no problem telling people to just "try and be happy" when they're currently doing something that makes them miserable just so we can then give the "don't go to law school" advice. Seems like there's just misery all around. Who are we to tell the part-time cashier their current misery is better than what they'd be facing with a law degree?

[A. Nony Mouse]

Sure. There are lots of lawyers who need to do the same thing. The part-time cashier probably didn't go into 6 figures of debt to be in that position, though.

My point was, we talk about how one should think long and hard about being a lawyer because lawyers are miserable. But we have no problem telling people to just "try and be happy" when they're currently doing something that makes them miserable just so we can then give the "don't go to law school" advice. Seems like there's just misery all around. Who are we to tell the part-time cashier their current misery is better than what they'd be facing with a law degree?

I get that. My point was was the misery of being a part-time cashier doesn't dig you into the same kind of financial hole/limit your future options the way that going to law school does. (I also didn't take that as Zuck saying that the part-time cashier should be happy staying in that position forever; just that it's arguably a better position for figuring out what they do want to do than law school is.)

That said, I'm not going to tell someone not to go to law school. I think folks would be better off working for a while (yes, even crappy jobs - lots of people find careers starting in crappy jobs) and learning more about what their options are, in part because I think that as a society we do a terrible job educating kids about job options (not calling any of you kids; I mean earlier in life when people need to start thinking about this stuff). But in the end it's up to everyone to decide for themselves.

[BigZuck]

Sure. There are lots of lawyers who need to do the same thing. The part-time cashier probably didn't go into 6 figures of debt to be in that position, though.

My point was, we talk about how one should think long and hard about being a lawyer because lawyers are miserable. But we have no problem telling people to just "try and be happy" when they're currently doing something that makes them miserable just so we can then give the "don't go to law school" advice. Seems like there's just misery all around. Who are we to tell the part-time cashier their current misery is better than what they'd be facing with a law degree?

My point most certainly was not "Think long and hard about being a lawyer because lawyers are miserable." I guess that's your point? For me I suppose that could potentially be some small part of the calculus but there's a lot more than that.

[dormaus]

Pitt has a joint MBA/JD program http://law.pitt.edu/academics/juris-doc ... rams/jdmba, which seems to align with your interests despite the broader conversation above. And if you can do that for free...?

[cavalier1138]

Pitt has a joint MBA/JD program http://law.pitt.edu/academics/juris-doc ... rams/jdmba, which seems to align with your interests despite the broader conversation above. And if you can do that for free...?

Those generally aren't free, because the law school has no control over your tuition expenses at other graduate programs. Also, I have no idea whether Pitt has a reputable MBA program, which becomes another consideration with a dual degree.

In general, JD/[fill-in-the-blank] programs aren't highly recommended, because they rarely ever get you a job in a field that you couldn't have gotten with just one of the degrees. The only exception I can think of would be a JD/Ph.D for academia, but that's a horse of a different color.

[katthegreat11]

The life choices of every single STEM major on this board astound me, for example.

Why?