T6 Law school - hard for lib art grads to regret? Forum

[miamiman]

I don't know what else to do and I'm too awesome to not have an important job.

accounts for... what, half of law students? 60%?

I will say it again and I will inevitably catch flack for doing so: I don't necessarily see this as such a huge problem. It's excruciatingly difficult, I dare say impossible, to know reflexively, natively, or in any other instinctive capacity that you want to go to law school, let alone practice as an attorney.

Going to law school is an exercise in faith. OP had the balls to verbalize it.

[IAFG]

I don't know what else to do and I'm too awesome to not have an important job.

accounts for... what, half of law students? 60%?

I will say it again and I will inevitably catch flack for doing so: I don't necessarily see this as such a huge problem. It's excruciatingly difficult, I dare say impossible, to know reflexively, natively, or in any other instinctive capacity that you want to go to law school, let alone practice as an attorney.

Going to law school is an exercise in faith. OP had the balls to verbalize it.

you and i will never see eye to eye on this, i suspect. it's stupid to go deeply in debt for professional school when you're really just grasping at straws. a truly horrific decision.

[miamiman]

I think going to any professional school obligates some degree of faith.

[09042014]

I think going to any professional school obligates some degree of faith.

Yes, but not in the form of, "I'm too good for entry level work, I'll go to school instead."

[miamiman]

I think going to any professional school obligates some degree of faith.

Yes, but not in the form of, "I'm too good for entry level work, I'll go to school instead."

well that I agree with. i mean it's not like BigLaw is fucking lemondrops and sunshine. It's glorified scutwork that the market has (inexplicably) priced at being worth 160k/yr

[IAFG]

well taking a leap of faith is a bit different than really feeling you don't have many other options, yet i still think as many law students as is practicable should seek out legal-related work experience before attending law school.

[totalidiot]

fwiw, I had a lib arts degree sort of, and I went to the T6 law school; decided that being a lawyer isn't for me, and now I'm leaving law school to pursue a different field.

[miamiman]

fwiw, I had a lib arts degree sort of, and I went to the T6 law school; decided that being a lawyer isn't for me, and now I'm leaving law school to pursue a different field.

which school? and why if you dont mind our (or my) asking?

[IAFG]

fwiw, I had a lib arts degree sort of, and I went to the T6 law school; decided that being a lawyer isn't for me, and now I'm leaving law school to pursue a different field.

which school? and why if you dont mind our (or my) asking?

or, perhaps more relevant, do you think there is something you could have done prior to LS to find that out?

[Emma.]

You sound like law school isn't something you want to do, but I think you'd be hard pressed to find someone who thinks that T6 is a mistake.

Going almost a quarter million dollars in debt to do a job you don't want to do is insane. Worse yet, even at the T6, you've got a 25% chance of missing big law and making only marginally more than you can with a BA anyway.

Don't go.

Most people who make tons of money don't start making it from day 1.

How do you figure 250K in debt? I was planning on more like 100+K

Are you planning on getting a scholarship? Cost of attendance for NYU for this last year is 70K per year. And tuition costs up every year. Plan on around 220K.

And then add the compounded interest from the 3 years you are studying and deferring payments.... In the end, over 10 years of repayments at 7% that $220K is going to be more like $370K.

[NayBoer]

It's not like you have to be unknowledgeable about what attorneys do When You Apply to Law School. You can snag an internship/PT job during school or work as a clerk or paralegal after graduating, just to see what happens at a firm.

I work at a small boutique firm and for over a year we fucking tore through assistants. Just ripped to shreds. Part of it is my bosses having high standards, but part of it is the law being tedious and detail-oriented. There have been over a dozen assistants who came here from UG (or a few years after). Over half quit within a few months to work for something other than a law firm. Better that than wasting 3 years at law school, than a few years as an attorney.

They learned in a few months what many lawyers take half a decade to find out - they hate the legal field.

[fangonk]

Seriously, why are you going to law school? I hate to whine, but I really really want to get into a T6 school and practice law. I've been working really hard to make that happen. I hate the idea that I have to compete with somebody who is applying just because he/she happens to be in a position to do so. What is worse is that you are advertising it on a board full of other gunners who probably feel the same way. Go do something that will make you happy, or at the very least try not making other people nuts.

[NayBoer]

"That's a RIGHT triangle!"

nice tar

[AngryAvocado]

I think going to any professional school obligates some degree of faith.

This. With the possible exception of business school, the majority of kids going into something like med school or law school really have no idea what the hell they're getting themselves into. Let's be honest-- probably half the kids on this board who "have always wanted to practice law" only think that because people told them that they're "good at arguing" and/or because they love watching Law and Order.

OP is just someone with the self-awareness to realize that he isn't absolutely positive that law is what he wants to do, and he's asking if a JD from a top school is something he's likely to regret. It's a fair question, and one that I've asked myself daily despite being 99% convinced I'm making the right decision. Unfortunately, I don't think anybody can really answer that question for him, but it might help to hear from people that have gone to law school with similar concerns.

[miamiman]

I think going to any professional school obligates some degree of faith.

This. With the possible exception of business school, the majority of kids going into something like med school or law school really have no idea what the hell they're getting themselves into. Let's be honest-- probably half the kids on this board who "have always wanted to practice law" only think that because people told them that they're "good at arguing" and/or because they love watching Law and Order.

OP is just someone with the self-awareness to realize that he isn't absolutely positive that law is what he wants to do, and he's asking if a JD from a top school is something he's likely to regret. It's a fair question, and one that I've asked myself daily despite being 99% convinced I'm making the right decision. Unfortunately, I don't think anybody can really answer that question for him, but it might help to hear from people that have gone to law school with similar concerns.

I'm glad AA came to my defense. Now we know there are 2 people attending the same T6 who are uncertain of this lifecourse.

[hiromoto45]

I think going to any professional school obligates some degree of faith.

This. With the possible exception of business school, the majority of kids going into something like med school or law school really have no idea what the hell they're getting themselves into. Let's be honest-- probably half the kids on this board who "have always wanted to practice law" only think that because people told them that they're "good at arguing" and/or because they love watching Law and Order.

OP is just someone with the self-awareness to realize that he isn't absolutely positive that law is what he wants to do, and he's asking if a JD from a top school is something he's likely to regret. It's a fair question, and one that I've asked myself daily despite being 99% convinced I'm making the right decision. Unfortunately, I don't think anybody can really answer that question for him, but it might help to hear from people that have gone to law school with similar concerns.

I'm glad AA came to my defense. Now we know there are 2 people attending the same T6 who are uncertain of this lifecourse.

I agree with you guys. I don't think law school is a narrow path as some argue.

[GATORTIM]

how does any 0L know with 100% certainty that law is for them? I don't see anything wrong w/ OP's question. Everything we do requires a certain degree of faith from sitting in a chair (who the fuck inspects it to ensure its not going to collapse) to attending school, both undergrad and professional.

[IAFG]

i dont understand how the fact that it's a common concern makes it ok to forge ahead anyway. my point is, if you have doubts, and feel like you are going because your liberal arts degree aren't opening prestigious doors, explore law with a job, not six-figure debt.

[miamiman]

i dont understand how the fact that it's a common concern makes it ok to forge ahead anyway. my point is, if you have doubts, and feel like you are going because your liberal arts degree aren't opening prestigious doors, explore law with a job, not six-figure debt.

I actually disagree with this (and strongly). Everyone I've ever known that was or is a paralegal, many of whom were on a fast-track towards law school, quickly ruled out law as a career path. They quite simply hated their job. Current attorneys I know, ones who even enjoy their job (!), admit that they, too, would probably have ruled out law if they had done paralegal work.

The fact is that baby-stepping towards law school will not, on average, inform your decision any more than jumping in head first.

[IAFG]

i dont understand how the fact that it's a common concern makes it ok to forge ahead anyway. my point is, if you have doubts, and feel like you are going because your liberal arts degree aren't opening prestigious doors, explore law with a job, not six-figure debt.

I actually disagree with this (and strongly). Everyone I've ever known that was or is a paralegal, many of whom were on a fast-track towards law school, quickly ruled out law as a career path. They quite simply hated their job. Current attorneys I know, ones who even enjoy their job (!), admit that they, too, would probably have ruled out law if they had done paralegal work.

The fact is that baby-stepping towards law school will not, on average, inform your decision any more than jumping in head first.

TLS is full of paralegals and other people who have had law-related jobs. the fact is, many people who become paralegals simply discover that law appeals to a narrow set of personalities and that they are not among them.

[ConMan345]

i dont understand how the fact that it's a common concern makes it ok to forge ahead anyway. my point is, if you have doubts, and feel like you are going because your liberal arts degree aren't opening prestigious doors, explore law with a job, not six-figure debt.

I actually disagree with this (and strongly). Everyone I've ever known that was or is a paralegal, many of whom were on a fast-track towards law school, quickly ruled out law as a career path. They quite simply hated their job. Current attorneys I know, ones who even enjoy their job (!), admit that they, too, would probably have ruled out law if they had done paralegal work.

The fact is that baby-stepping towards law school will not, on average, inform your decision any more than jumping in head first.

I'm a paralegal/law clerk right now and I can vouch for this. I don't hate my job, but only because I get to do things an associate would do at a large firm because ours is so small. When it starts getting to me, I just think about having the attorneys' jobs and am excited for law school again.

[Action Jackson]

i dont understand how the fact that it's a common concern makes it ok to forge ahead anyway. my point is, if you have doubts, and feel like you are going because your liberal arts degree aren't opening prestigious doors, explore law with a job, not six-figure debt.

I actually disagree with this (and strongly). Everyone I've ever known that was or is a paralegal, many of whom were on a fast-track towards law school, quickly ruled out law as a career path. They quite simply hated their job. Current attorneys I know, ones who even enjoy their job (!), admit that they, too, would probably have ruled out law if they had done paralegal work.

The fact is that baby-stepping towards law school will not, on average, inform your decision any more than jumping in head first.

TLS is full of paralegals and other people who have had law-related jobs. the fact is, many people who become paralegals simply discover that law appeals to a narrow set of personalities and that they are not among them.

TITCR.

[IAFG]

i dont understand how the fact that it's a common concern makes it ok to forge ahead anyway. my point is, if you have doubts, and feel like you are going because your liberal arts degree aren't opening prestigious doors, explore law with a job, not six-figure debt.

I actually disagree with this (and strongly). Everyone I've ever known that was or is a paralegal, many of whom were on a fast-track towards law school, quickly ruled out law as a career path. They quite simply hated their job. Current attorneys I know, ones who even enjoy their job (!), admit that they, too, would probably have ruled out law if they had done paralegal work.

The fact is that baby-stepping towards law school will not, on average, inform your decision any more than jumping in head first.

I'm a paralegal/law clerk right now and I can vouch for this. I don't hate my job, but only because I get to do things an associate would do at a large firm because ours is so small. When it starts getting to me, I just think about having the attorneys' jobs and and excited for law school again.

so... it DID give you a good idea of What It's Like To Be a Lawyer and inform your decision, then?

[GATORTIM]

The fact is that baby-stepping towards law school will not, on average, inform your decision any more than jumping in head first.

I totally agree with this. How many doctors were working blue collar jobs, but compelled to attend medschool by moonlighting as ER assistants. I cannot begin to fathom what its like to be the CEO of my company simply b/c I hear him on the phone occasionally and breathe the same air 8hrs/day.

[miamiman]

i dont understand how the fact that it's a common concern makes it ok to forge ahead anyway. my point is, if you have doubts, and feel like you are going because your liberal arts degree aren't opening prestigious doors, explore law with a job, not six-figure debt.

I actually disagree with this (and strongly). Everyone I've ever known that was or is a paralegal, many of whom were on a fast-track towards law school, quickly ruled out law as a career path. They quite simply hated their job. Current attorneys I know, ones who even enjoy their job (!), admit that they, too, would probably have ruled out law if they had done paralegal work.

The fact is that baby-stepping towards law school will not, on average, inform your decision any more than jumping in head first.

I'm a paralegal/law clerk right now and I can vouch for this. I don't hate my job, but only because I get to do things an associate would do at a large firm because ours is so small. When it starts getting to me, I just think about having the attorneys' jobs and am excited for law school again.

conman you doing paralegal work at a big PA firm?