Lack of Knowledge? Forum

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LegaleZy

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Lack of Knowledge?

Post by LegaleZy » Tue Jan 29, 2013 9:21 pm

I just returned from a lecture for URM students interested in law held by the office of diversity at my university and the advice was utterly terrible. One student asked how important law school rank was for job prospects and one panel member stated, and I'm paraphrasing "the school is not important- whether you go to Harvard or Akron Law- is irrelevant, but what you are able to accomplish while a law student is what's most valued". Based on the information I've garnered from TLS I have reason to believe that's not only untrue, but dangerous advice. I wanted to know if students/ faculty are much more informed about law school rankings and prospects at your UG institutions or if the ignorance is simply at my university. I am so thankful I stumbled onto TLS or else I would undoubtedly be accepting a full ride to a low ranked school and graduating law school in 3 years with no career prospects. I try to explain my reasoning to others for postponing law school and it's almost unfathomable to them, and given the panels advice this evening I can understand their confusion. If this has been discussed elsewhere I apologize for re-posting and would appreciate if you could point me to the appropriate thread.

suralin

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Re: Lack of Knowledge?

Post by suralin » Tue Jan 29, 2013 9:51 pm

LegaleZy wrote:I just returned from a lecture for URM students interested in law held by the office of diversity at my university and the advice was utterly terrible. One student asked how important law school rank was for job prospects and one panel member stated, and I'm paraphrasing "the school is not important- whether you go to Harvard or Akron Law- is irrelevant, but what you are able to accomplish while a law student is what's most valued". Based on the information I've garnered from TLS I have reason to believe that's not only untrue, but dangerous advice. I wanted to know if students/ faculty are much more informed about law school rankings and prospects at your UG institutions or if the ignorance is simply at my university. I am so thankful I stumbled onto TLS or else I would undoubtedly be accepting a full ride to a low ranked school and graduating law school in 3 years with no career prospects. I try to explain my reasoning to others for postponing law school and it's almost unfathomable to them, and given the panels advice this evening I can understand their confusion. If this has been discussed elsewhere I apologize for re-posting and would appreciate if you could point me to the appropriate thread.
Holy shit that's bad advice. However, the bolded can be a good decision depending on your personal circumstances (and the difference in employment prospects between that school and the higher-ranked one, etc).

And to your question, my university's "pre-law advisors" give hilariously bad advice as well. I've heard the same from others.

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wbrother

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Re: Lack of Knowledge?

Post by wbrother » Wed Jan 30, 2013 1:57 pm

That advice is dangerous and wide spread. Most people giving it graduated law school (or their friends did) in 19xx, not post 2008 shit show. So I guess you can't fault them too much, but you should definitely tell everyone you know to check out the employment data, so they can see that the full ride to GGU isn't better than Hastings at half which isn't better than Stanford at sticker.

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