0Ls: What's your plan B? Forum

[02889]

While many people on TLS have heard positively from at least a couple of schools, and we begin moving to the phase of the process where we decide which school to attend, I'm still caught on what I would do if I did not attend, either this year or at all. I'm currently a paralegal in a large PI organization, and I think with some networking I could switch to something in the general public policy or government sector (though I can't say when my career would hit a ceiling requiring a masters in something).

I'm just wondering: for all the 0Ls out there, what would/will you do if you don't matriculate in a school this fall?

[El_Gallo]

I decided not to go to law school last year even though I had T14 numbers. I am currently doing Teach for America. I feel like a lot of liberal arts majors feel pressure to go to law school, just because they don't feel like they have other options. So far, for me education have been an extremely rewarding field. I would encourage other people to look into it.

There are a lot of ways to get a masters in education for nearly free. There are parts of the country that are in desperate need of teachers. After 3-6 years you can reasonably expect to move into administration and and make between 50k-90k. If you become a principle of a big school or a superintendent you can make well over 100k.

Check out this link for a list of educator salaries in in Washington State. There are 100's of people that make a six figure income. http://wwwb.thenewstribune.com/databases/school_pay/

Not that I advocate going into education for money, but I feel like a lot of people don't even look into it because they believe they will be poor for their entire lives.

[francesfarmer]

We've already messaged about this, but I'm contemplating not going despite my multiple T-14 acceptances. The issue is cost. I have zero safety net. If I don't have a suitable job 6 months after graduation when loan repayment kicks in, I will immediately be in default. That is horrifying.

I'm contemplating either getting a high-paying, high-stress, long-hours paralegal gig, or starting my own nonprofit. In both cases I would reassess the law school dream in a couple years. In the first situation, I would be going into law school with much more significant savings than I have now--or be satisfied being a high-paid paralegal and forego law school. In the second situation, I could hopefully parlay my experiences into some public interest fellowships--or forego law school.

[Rahviveh]

......

[sinfiery]

Probably pay off my UG debt with some job, retake the SAT, get a physics degree, and then go for my PHD.

[thelawdoctor]

Probably pay off my UG debt with some job, retake the SAT, get a physics degree, and then go for my PHD.

[ironrenegade21]

Continuing to work for family, which pays decent and has decent benefits but our company is srsly TTT as fuck. I wonder if the debt is worth it but I know I cant stay here for the rest of my life and be miserable. So I guess either look for a job with a lolCJ degree or work here be miserable or law school it is.

[fallingup]

keep working at my current job, retake the LSAT in June, and then try again in the next law school admissions cycle. it wouldn't be a disaster by any means. i'm only 23 and i have a good job that is a viable career.

[Micdiddy]

While many people on TLS have heard positively from at least a couple of schools, and we begin moving to the phase of the process where we decide which school to attend, I'm still caught on what I would do if I did not attend, either this year or at all. I'm currently a paralegal in a large PI organization, and I think with some networking I could switch to something in the general public policy or government sector (though I can't say when my career would hit a ceiling requiring a masters in something).

I'm just wondering: for all the 0Ls out there, what would/will you do if you don't matriculate in a school this fall?

If I did not attend this year (which I am considering because I only sent apps out last week and may not get what I'm looking for) I would retake in June and send out apps THE DAY I can next cycle.
If I didn't go to law school at all...hmm, I would teach the LSAT for the rest of my life? That actually already sounds appealing.

[thelawdoctor]

keep working at my current job, retake the LSAT in June, and then try again in the next law school admissions cycle. it wouldn't be a disaster by any means. i'm only 23 and i have a good job that is a viable career.

what's the job?

If its so great, why even consider anything else?

[bizzybone1313]

If I do not attend law school, I am going to get 2 or 3 master's from elite schools and start my political career right after.

[justonemoregame]

Work 60 hours+ per week for $8-10 per hour. Hope desperately to beat out every other hapless, over-credentialed fuck for an entry-level admin. job at the best employer in town. Smile like a clown for a year and cross fingers for a dollar raise. Keep smiling and hope to level-up.

This doesn't come off well; I actually do enjoy life. No reason to sugar-coat it, though.

ITT: we answer the scamblogger's musings on why "the word just hasn't gotten out yet." So who out there wants a Red Robin franchise? Come on, admit it.

[fallingup]

@thelawdoctor, it's consulting. the problem is that i have to put in way too many years at a low salary to advance to the level i want to be at. i can stay here with just a bachelor's degree and wait another 6 years to start earning 120K. or i can go to law school and earn that kind of salary at a law firm in 3 years, and also have more career options (my end goal is to be in-house at a tech company).

of course, getting 120K out of law school is far from guaranteed. i've already started talking to executives at my company about the possibility of returning to my current firm after i go to law school. i probably wouldn't make 120K if i come back here with a JD, but i'd still get more than i would have made had i not gone out and gotten the degree.

because i wouldn't have to fear unemployment/default as much post-law school, i feel much more confident about my choice to apply. anyways, in the end i'd like to get out of consulting just because you're forced to travel Monday-Friday a lot more once you hit manager level or above, and i have a serious boyfriend with whom i'd like to live. if i'm going to work a 14 hour day, i'd like to come home to him, not to a hotel room/plane flight.

[bizzybone1313]

consulting. the problem is that i have to put in way too many years at a low salary to advance to the level i want to be at. i can stay here with just a bachelor's degree and wait another 5 years to start earning 120K. or i can go to law school and earn that kind of salary at a law firm in 3 years, and also have more career options (my end goal is to be in-house at a tech company).

of course, getting 120K out of law school is far from guaranteed. i've already started talking to executives at my company about the possibility of returning to my current firm after i go to law school. i probably wouldn't make 120K if i come back here with a JD, but i'd still get more than i would have made had i not gone out and gotten the degree. because i wouldn't have to fear unemployment/default as much post-law school, i feel much more confident about my choice to apply.

I did consulting. The super repetitive nature of some of the work really blew.

[North]

I'd go back to my UG and get an engineering degree. Almost did that instead of retaking, actually. Either that or I'd save up to open a bakery/restaurant.

[ksllaw]

Post-baccalaurate in accounting.

I mentioned it elsewhere, but the good salary and stable career prospects are attractive. I've heard it said that one can literally leave the job for a year or two and come back with ease to find a job in accounting again. I'm researching the job market to double-check that claim, but it does seem so far to have some of those qualities of stability and demand I've been hearing about.

I like that it is mental work, because that's partially what attracted me to law school as well.

For those who may be interested in accounting, I'll post back here maybe with more info. as I learn it. On the other hand, feel free to teach me as well!

[Rahviveh]

Post-baccalaurate in accounting.

I mentioned it elsewhere, but the good salary and stable career prospects are attractive. I've heard it said that one can literally leave the job for a year or two and come back with ease to find a job in accounting again. I'm researching the job market to double-check that claim, but it does seem so far to have some of those qualities of stability and demand I've been hearing about.

I like that it is mental work, because that's partially what attracted me to law school as well.

For those who may be interested in accounting, I'll post back here maybe with more info. as I learn it. On the other hand, feel free to teach me as well!

Yeah feel free to post or PM about this... I'd be interested in learning more

[ksllaw]

Post-baccalaurate in accounting.

I mentioned it elsewhere, but the good salary and stable career prospects are attractive. I've heard it said that one can literally leave the job for a year or two and come back with ease to find a job in accounting again. I'm researching the job market to double-check that claim, but it does seem so far to have some of those qualities of stability and demand I've been hearing about.

I like that it is mental work, because that's partially what attracted me to law school as well.

For those who may be interested in accounting, I'll post back here maybe with more info. as I learn it. On the other hand, feel free to teach me as well!

Yeah feel free to post or PM about this... I'd be interested in learning more

Will do, CP. Will post back here.

On a different more light-hearted, but also serious note, has anyone ever wanted to get onto Shark Tank? I have a few ideas I'm playing with. ...Anyone have an entreprenurial and/or inventive spirit?

This was one of my favorites (The Sweep Easy):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E00xhjmkL5I

And another favorite (The Plate Topper):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TknN8ptDTqo

[bizzybone1313]

Even though a lot of you scored well on the LSAT, you guys don't sound so sure about a legal career. Are you guys seriously considering turning down T-14 schools? It sounds like a lot of that depends if they are willing to cough up some decent $$$.

[fallingup]

Even though a lot of you scored well on the LSAT, you guys don't sound so sure about a legal career. Are you guys seriously considering turning down T-14 schools? It sounds like a lot of that depends if they are willing to cough up some decent $$$.

It's not that I would turn down a good school, even at sticker. I just think there's a strong possibility I won't get into one because I'm a splitter. So I've spent a lot of time considering my alternatives.

[Rahviveh]

Even though a lot of you scored well on the LSAT, you guys don't sound so sure about a legal career. Are you guys seriously considering turning down T-14 schools? It sounds like a lot of that depends if they are willing to cough up some decent $$$.

Its not that. I'm as sure I want to be a lawyer as a 0L could possibly be, just the risk of striking out (at any non-HYS school) is making me hesitant to take the plunge. If I thought there was a guarantee then I'd go, no questions asked, even at sticker price.

I will probably end up going though.

[thelawdoctor]

Post-baccalaurate in accounting.

I mentioned it elsewhere, but the good salary and stable career prospects are attractive. I've heard it said that one can literally leave the job for a year or two and come back with ease to find a job in accounting again. I'm researching the job market to double-check that claim, but it does seem so far to have some of those qualities of stability and demand I've been hearing about.

I like that it is mental work, because that's partially what attracted me to law school as well.

For those who may be interested in accounting, I'll post back here maybe with more info. as I learn it. On the other hand, feel free to teach me as well!

CPA can be ok, but I know a lot who still ended up going JD after doing that for a few years (for whatever reason)

[thelawdoctor]

Wouldn't the realistic "Plan B" for most just to be attend a safety law school?

[North]

Wouldn't the realistic "Plan B" for most just to be attend a safety law school?

I'm calling BOOMER on this dude.

[ksllaw]

Wouldn't the realistic "Plan B" for most just to be attend a safety law school?

It depends on what you want to do with your law degree. A "safety" school that is outside of the T20 or so that may offer you a full or hefty scholarship may limit you in various ways:

a.) regional commitment (you will likely need to stay in that region for your career without national portability of degree)

b.) limited to non-existent biglaw opportunities

c.) possibly "undesirable" non-biglaw opportunities (for some)

A T14 does increase one's chances at things like biglaw; mid-law (as a mostly exclusive post-biglaw exit option); in-house counsel; federal clerkships; and government and prestigious PI work.

For some people, a "desirable" post-law school outcome consists mainly of those things above. Small law and things like ID defense, which are primarily the main employment options for a lot of these "safety schools," for some aren't very attractive, despite being able to potentially go to law school for free or at a low debt load at a "safety" school.

There just isn't the kind of guaranteed "good" outcome that you see with a field like medical school. Law school (and the legal economy) is more fragile and uncertain.