3L Looking Back (worth it?) Forum

[snowpeach06]

I have no job yet, but I have no regrets either. With my useless undergrad degrees, there is really no other career path I could have taken, and I've really enjoyed law school. It's stressful, but I've made some good friends and had some good times. Plus, I learned a few things that might eventually help me in life.

[thelawdoctor]

Damn this scares the hell out of me.

You getting ready to matriculate this fall I take it?

Actually applying next cycle.

good luck, hope it all goes well for you bro

[thelawdoctor]

I have no job yet, but I have no regrets either. With my useless undergrad degrees, there is really no other career path I could have taken, and I've really enjoyed law school. It's stressful, but I've made some good friends and had some good times. Plus, I learned a few things that might eventually help me in life.

which things?

[BaiAilian2013]

I would absolutely do it again, every time. Law school was probably the best decision I could have made for myself.

[hiima3L]

It was definitely worth it for me, but I went into minimal debt, have always wanted to be a lawyer, and miraculously landed an awesome job. I would never have gone to the school I did (Hastings) had I paid anywhere near what just about everyone else there has to.

Also, I truly underestimated just how horrendous the job market is. My class (2012) is arguably the last class that didn't have all the info to make a reasonably informed decision, but even then, I did not appreciate the whole biglaw or bust mentality that I thought was silly gunnerism on TLS. While I don't think you 100% NEED biglaw guarantees or else law school isn't worth it, I certainly did not appreciate how slim your chances are of having a decent job if you miss the biglaw boat.

TL;DR it was worth it for me but I am, in fact, a special snowflake.

[traehekat]

I would absolutely do it again, every time. Law school was probably the best decision I could have made for myself.

Is it sad that my most immediate thought is flame?

[2013applicant]

.

[Younger Abstention]

If I knew what it was about going in, I probably wouldn't have bothered. But I'm glad I did. What a fucking gamble it was though.

[BarbellDreams]

If I knew everything I know now I would still have gone to law school, but to a very different school at a very different price. TTT/TTTT in a region you are 100% sure you wanna practice in for the rest of your life on a full ride FTW.

[IAFG]

If I knew everything I know now I would still have gone to law school, but to a very different school at a very different price. TTT/TTTT in a region you are 100% sure you wanna practice in for the rest of your life on a full ride FTW.

Looking back, I still don't agree with this at all.

[BarbellDreams]

If I knew everything I know now I would still have gone to law school, but to a very different school at a very different price. TTT/TTTT in a region you are 100% sure you wanna practice in for the rest of your life on a full ride FTW.

Looking back, I still don't agree with this at all.

To me its T14 or TTTT with full ride and live there forever. There is no in-between unless you're getting serious money from a T30 making it much less of a trap school. As a 0L I advocated sticker @ Fordham. As a 3L I wouldn't pay sticker at GULC. I am still an advocate of sticker @ T10 + D/C, but even that notion is starting to wail a bit. Its basic math to me. Taking out 200K for a 50% (roughly) chance to work biglaw, in which, if you get it, you will need to live modestly while paying off your loans for 5 years anyway, during twhich you may A.) Get fired or B.) Burn out and quit and C) Even if neither happen you will hate your life and can never get those 5 years back...idk, not my idea of the best investment around. I like TTTT's in secondary markets where there are 5 or less law schools on a full ride with no stips (and preferably stipend). My friend went to a T20 over a TTT on a fullride + stipend and severely regrets it. Now if you're biglaw or bust thats kind of a different story. But if instead you want to be an attorney and work in PI or small law I cannot express to a 0L the type of stress relief you would have from having no debt during your job search. Graduating unemployed ain't that bad when you have 0 debt, and that 40K/year job is gonna look a lot sweeter when its all going in your pocket.

To be clear, I think T10 +D/C is the best way to go, but if you can't get that I would go to the best school in the region that you 100% wanna reside at for the best of your life while taking out no more than 50K total over 3 years. If thats a TTTT then so be it.

[Bikeflip]

If I knew everything I know now I would still have gone to law school, but to a very different school at a very different price. TTT/TTTT in a region you are 100% sure you wanna practice in for the rest of your life on a full ride FTW.

Looking back, I still don't agree with this at all.

To me its T14 or TTTT with full ride and live there forever. There is no in-between unless you're getting serious money from a T30 making it much less of a trap school. As a 0L I advocated sticker @ Fordham. As a 3L I wouldn't pay sticker at GULC. I am still an advocate of sticker @ T10 + D/C, but even that notion is starting to wail a bit. Its basic math to me. Taking out 200K for a 50% (roughly) chance to work biglaw, in which, if you get it, you will need to live modestly while paying off your loans for 5 years anyway, during twhich you may A.) Get fired or B.) Burn out and quit and C) Even if neither happen you will hate your life and can never get those 5 years back...idk, not my idea of the best investment around. I like TTTT's in secondary markets where there are 5 or less law schools on a full ride with no stips (and preferably stipend). My friend went to a T20 over a TTT on a fullride + stipend and severely regrets it. Now if you're biglaw or bust thats kind of a different story. But if instead you want to be an attorney and work in PI or small law I cannot express to a 0L the type of stress relief you would have from having no debt during your job search. Graduating unemployed ain't that bad when you have 0 debt, and that 40K/year job is gonna look a lot sweeter when its all going in your pocket.

To be clear, I think T10 +D/C is the best way to go, but if you can't get that I would go to the best school in the region that you 100% wanna reside at for the best of your life while taking out no more than 50K total over 3 years. If thats a TTTT then so be it.

Change TTTT to "the best school in the state," and I'd agree. Utah Law/BYU's way different than Thomas Jefferson. Granted the whole "best in state" v T14 doesn't work in CA, MA, NY, IL etc. But it works for UT, AL, IN etc. If the latter states don't sound appealing, rethink the whole law school idea or get a 170+.

With sticker price at TTT's over $180,000 ($2,000/mo repayment on 10 yr), getting a 165+ LSAT should be litmus test. Get yourself into a position where you won't ruin your financial future.

[thelawdoctor]

Well I am a "grad" now..................still feel like a student due to barprep being in all reality a summer semester.