Should I go to law school? Forum

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myrockyourrock911

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Should I go to law school?

Post by myrockyourrock911 » Fri Jun 25, 2010 2:09 pm

I am very interested in becoming an attorney and hope to do biglaw/biggov on the east coast. i am also interested in mid-size firm and pi work. i am attending uva with a small scholarship and am a light-skinned hispanic (mexican male). i dont know how much the latter benefits me. i am reading more and more on here and autoadmit that most uva amd mpb grads are stuck unemployed or working crazy hours at small firms for little pay. am i taking a huge gamble by attending, or is this a wise investment?

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stintez

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Re: Should I go to law school?

Post by stintez » Fri Jun 25, 2010 2:15 pm

At least you are well informed. Yes you are taking a gamble as with any choice you make in life. The law employment outlook is very scary. However, if you want to do it study hard for your lsat and see what you get, then go from there.

myrockyourrock911

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Re: Should I go to law school?

Post by myrockyourrock911 » Fri Jun 25, 2010 2:21 pm

stintez wrote:At least you are well informed. Yes you are taking a gamble as with any choice you make in life. The law employment outlook is very scary. However, if you want to do it study hard for your lsat and see what you get, then go from there.
I took the LSAT and did pretty well, getting into UVA with a small merit award.

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stintez

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Re: Should I go to law school?

Post by stintez » Fri Jun 25, 2010 2:21 pm

Then go for it.

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mec30

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Re: Should I go to law school?

Post by mec30 » Fri Jun 25, 2010 2:22 pm

Whether law school is a good investment is a question of numbers: what are your scores, what is the probability-weighted return you’re likely to see after law school, what else could you be doing other than law school and what is the return on that, what is the additional cost of paying interest on COL expenses, ect. For a significant number of people the math doesn't work out, for others it does.

I think (and this is my opinion only, obviously) the investment aspect of law school should not be the only consideration. I know a number people who like their jobs as lobbyists, leg staff members, researchers, and consultants because they can have that "change the world" effect many law students seek but never find. On the other hand, law gives you the opportunity to have very important influence on the way very big (and small) organizations work and do business. Not to mention peoples lives. In the end, the answers you’re seeking probably won’t be found on a law school forum.

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myrockyourrock911

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Re: Should I go to law school?

Post by myrockyourrock911 » Fri Jun 25, 2010 2:54 pm

mec30 wrote:Whether law school is a good investment is a question of numbers: what are your scores, what is the probability-weighted return you’re likely to see after law school, what else could you be doing other than law school and what is the return on that, what is the additional cost of paying interest on COL expenses, ect. For a significant number of people the math doesn't work out, for others it does.

I think (and this is my opinion only, obviously) the investment aspect of law school should not be the only consideration. I know a number people who like their jobs as lobbyists, leg staff members, researchers, and consultants because they can have that "change the world" effect many law students seek but never find. On the other hand, law gives you the opportunity to have very important influence on the way very big (and small) organizations work and do business. Not to mention peoples lives. In the end, the answers you’re seeking probably won’t be found on a law school forum.
I have pretty much nothing else to do other than law school, and I got about $40k in scholarship aid. I'm not looking for the "change the world" effect; I just want a decent job.

Miniver

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Re: Should I go to law school?

Post by Miniver » Fri Jun 25, 2010 3:53 pm

...
Last edited by Miniver on Tue Jul 06, 2010 7:23 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Bosque

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Re: Should I go to law school?

Post by Bosque » Fri Jun 25, 2010 6:25 pm

Generic post is generic.

xyzzzzzzzz

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Re: Should I go to law school?

Post by xyzzzzzzzz » Fri Jun 25, 2010 6:30 pm

:P
Last edited by xyzzzzzzzz on Thu Jul 08, 2010 10:53 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Patriot1208

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Re: Should I go to law school?

Post by Patriot1208 » Fri Jun 25, 2010 9:00 pm

myrockyourrock911 wrote:I am very interested in becoming an attorney and hope to do biglaw/biggov on the east coast. i am also interested in mid-size firm and pi work. i am attending uva with a small scholarship and am a light-skinned hispanic (mexican male). i dont know how much the latter benefits me. i am reading more and more on here and autoadmit that most uva amd mpb grads are stuck unemployed or working crazy hours at small firms for little pay. am i taking a huge gamble by attending, or is this a wise investment?
I'm not sure where you read mpbv grads are unemployed and broke? Most mpbv grads are employed than, and at all those schools its at least a third getting big law, especially for your class. A around 50 percent of your class will probably get nlj250.

Listen, if you read all the posts on here and other sites of actual students currently attending, you'll realize employment opportunities aren't quite as bad as everyone people make it out to be. There are horror stories of kids with good grades not getting jobs but they all have something in common, social fucktards and not willing to work in a secondary market. And in every case there are many kids with worse grades getting jobs. Just be willing to work midsize in a secondary market and don't say DC or bust. The outlook is definitely worse today than several years ago, but it will be better in two-three years and its not now nearly as bad as some people would have you think.

myrockyourrock911

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Re: Should I go to law school?

Post by myrockyourrock911 » Fri Jun 25, 2010 9:42 pm

Patriot1208 wrote:
myrockyourrock911 wrote:I am very interested in becoming an attorney and hope to do biglaw/biggov on the east coast. i am also interested in mid-size firm and pi work. i am attending uva with a small scholarship and am a light-skinned hispanic (mexican male). i dont know how much the latter benefits me. i am reading more and more on here and autoadmit that most uva amd mpb grads are stuck unemployed or working crazy hours at small firms for little pay. am i taking a huge gamble by attending, or is this a wise investment?
I'm not sure where you read mpbv grads are unemployed and broke? Most mpbv grads are employed than, and at all those schools its at least a third getting big law, especially for your class. A around 50 percent of your class will probably get nlj250.

Listen, if you read all the posts on here and other sites of actual students currently attending, you'll realize employment opportunities aren't quite as bad as everyone people make it out to be. There are horror stories of kids with good grades not getting jobs but they all have something in common, social fucktards and not willing to work in a secondary market. And in every case there are many kids with worse grades getting jobs. Just be willing to work midsize in a secondary market and don't say DC or bust. The outlook is definitely worse today than several years ago, but it will be better in two-three years and its not now nearly as bad as some people would have you think.
Ok, but what if you have no connections to any secondary markets?

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Patriot1208

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Re: Should I go to law school?

Post by Patriot1208 » Fri Jun 25, 2010 9:52 pm

myrockyourrock911 wrote:
Patriot1208 wrote:
myrockyourrock911 wrote:I am very interested in becoming an attorney and hope to do biglaw/biggov on the east coast. i am also interested in mid-size firm and pi work. i am attending uva with a small scholarship and am a light-skinned hispanic (mexican male). i dont know how much the latter benefits me. i am reading more and more on here and autoadmit that most uva amd mpb grads are stuck unemployed or working crazy hours at small firms for little pay. am i taking a huge gamble by attending, or is this a wise investment?
I'm not sure where you read mpbv grads are unemployed and broke? Most mpbv grads are employed than, and at all those schools its at least a third getting big law, especially for your class. A around 50 percent of your class will probably get nlj250.

Listen, if you read all the posts on here and other sites of actual students currently attending, you'll realize employment opportunities aren't quite as bad as everyone people make it out to be. There are horror stories of kids with good grades not getting jobs but they all have something in common, social fucktards and not willing to work in a secondary market. And in every case there are many kids with worse grades getting jobs. Just be willing to work midsize in a secondary market and don't say DC or bust. The outlook is definitely worse today than several years ago, but it will be better in two-three years and its not now nearly as bad as some people would have you think.
Ok, but what if you have no connections to any secondary markets?
Listen, I can't help you out that much. I'm just an undergrad but I have done an extensive amount of research and I have good law connections in a secondary market. But my two cents is this from those i've talked to, there is probably about a 40-50% chance of getting nlj250 out of uva in three years. Take in account the 5-10% of people who want different jobs but are at the top of the class that equals about 60% getting very good jobs. Just work on your interview skills and don't be awkward. And be willing to move around. Be smart with where you bid oci and try to get jovs. i.e. if your top 40% don't just go bid all the top firms in DC. And try to make some connections. Out of those other 40% probably a good 30% will get ok jobs, just not great ones. And out of the other 10% most will get crappy jobs or will be offered crappy jobs and will choose to instead be unemployed.

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northwood

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Re: Should I go to law school?

Post by northwood » Fri Jun 25, 2010 10:01 pm

Work hard, build and maintain solid relationships with professors, get an internship every summer, work hard, keep your grades up, stay out of trouble, and be flexible where you work, and what aspect of law you do, and minimize your debt as much as possible. If you do this, you will most likely ( KEY PHRASE MOST LIKELY) be okay. If you really want to be a lawyer, and you are willing to work hard and network, then go to law school. If not, or you arent totally sure, then take a deferrment for a year and think hard about what you want to do, and what you need to do to get there. IF you think you can go through the motions and have the career services of your school find you a job, then you will be in for a big shock come graduation.

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