Last minute cold feet Forum

[lawschoolwoohoo]

I'm hoping someone here can give me some advice. I have a 3.65/167 and am graduating from college this may. I'm a K-JD and always intended to go to law school because there's no other field or job that at all interests me. I've tried to get myself interested in other fields but there's really nothing I would rather do than practice law, and I absolutely hate the idea of going to graduate school in my major.

My dilemma is this: I always wanted to go into prosecution (state, preferably) in the south of the US (I have a lot of ties to the region and it's where I'm from). Now I realize those jobs are completely impossible to get. I have a 3/4 scholly at a Southern school in the top 25, but it's not the top 14. I know usual TLS wisdom is retake, but I actually seriously over-performed to even get my 167 (I have this thread: http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 6&t=207576 and other TLSers advised me to just go for it. I'm just starting to worry I have no shot at job after law school, and that going straight through might be really stressful. I already put down a deposit and secured an apartment in the city of the school I deposited at, but I'm starting to get cold feet here in the 11th hour. Is this normal? Should I still go? Should I re-take? Am I being irrational here?

[Younger Abstention]

You shouldn't go -- it's an incredibly difficult job market and a very stressful career. I'm a graduate of a top 10, but I transferred from a top 25, and of my classmates at the top 25, maybe 3/4th are -- a year after graduation -- still unemployed. There are plenty of jobs you can get with your current degree, and many different paths you could take regarding a higher education that will lead to more satisfying careers. That being said, the people who knew what they wanted to do going in to law school tended to do better than the people going in because they had no other options. I can't quite figure out which you are, but I'm leaning toward the latter.

[Trout et al]

How did you come to the realization that state prosecution is completely impossible to get. Are you saying it is that way in the area you are from?

[Nova]

of my classmates at the top 25, maybe 3/4th are -- a year after graduation -- still unemployed.

Statistics say otherwise.

[lawschoolwoohoo]

How did you come to the realization that state prosecution is completely impossible to get. Are you saying it is that way in the area you are from?

I feel like I've seen it everywhere TLS that prosecution jobs and government jobs is really hard to get. Do they only mean federal prosecution/government/etc? I would rather do state just because I feel very tied to my area and I like the idea of working on a much smaler scale than federal. I'm from the Southeast.

[84651846190]

of my classmates at the top 25, maybe 3/4th are -- a year after graduation -- still unemployed.

Statistics say otherwise.

While true, I bet at least 3/4 of his classmates are in jobs they did not want when they started law school.

[Nova]

Are you ok with working at a small firm?

If not dont go.

[PM2353]

I feel you Lawschoolwoohoo, Im a 0L thats been getting a case of cold feet as well. Take this with way more than a grain of salt.

I dont have any first hand accounts of law students who have successful careers and arent too stressed to live life. But what I do have is a ton of first hand accounts of college grads getting absolutely Nothing after undergrad. The successful ones landed low level entry positions starting at 34k (and sometimes they even had large school loan debts. Some have unpaid internships in expensive cities and get no offered. A lot of them have no jobs lined up whatsoever.

I guess what im getting at is that the employment in this country isnt great in any circumstance. The debt load would be huge, but if you have always wanted to do prosecution then maybe read some books about practicing prosecution attorneys or see if you could speak with some to make sure that is exactly what you want to do.

Im interested in this thread, I am kinda in a similar situation although I am almost dead set on going myself

[Younger Abstention]

of my classmates at the top 25, maybe 3/4th are -- a year after graduation -- still unemployed.

Doctored Statistics say otherwise.

I went ahead and fixed that for you.

[Nova]

of my classmates at the top 25, maybe 3/4th are -- a year after graduation -- still unemployed.

Doctored Statistics say otherwise.

I went ahead and fixed that for you.

..........

http://www.lawschooltransparency.com/

[Younger Abstention]

of my classmates at the top 25, maybe 3/4th are -- a year after graduation -- still unemployed.

Doctored Statistics say otherwise.

I went ahead and fixed that for you.

..........

http://www.lawschooltransparency.com/

Those statistics come pretty close to confirming my point, actually, as to my particular school.

[PM2353]

Lawschoolwoohoo

Is it possible to live with your parents where your law school is located? Maybe ask your parents to front you the money for COL the first year and see if you do well or bomb.

I think a 3/4th scholarship is great. I think if you had some savings or some parental backing it would make the idea of going much better.

[jenesaislaw]

..........

http://www.lawschooltransparency.com/

Those statistics come pretty close to confirming my point, actually, as to my particular school.

If you have evidence of overwhelming fraud, you should say so.

[Dmini7]

Those statistics come pretty close to confirming my point, actually, as to my particular school.

Genuinely curious as to which school it is... the closest school I could come up with is Indiana, and you are still grossly over estimating. You sure you are not mixing your school up with Whittier?

http://www.lstscorereports.com/?school=indiana

[bchirco]

Those statistics come pretty close to confirming my point, actually, as to my particular school.

Genuinely curious as to which school it is... the closest school I could come up with is Indiana, and you are still grossly over estimating. You sure you are not mixing your school up with Whittier?

http://www.lstscorereports.com/?school=indiana

This, which T25?

[A. Nony Mouse]

of my classmates at the top 25, maybe 3/4th are -- a year after graduation -- still unemployed.

Statistics say otherwise.

While true, I bet at least 3/4 of his classmates are in jobs they did not want when they started law school.

I graduated 2011 from a lower T1, and pretty much everyone from my class is employed (I say pretty much just because I'm sure there are a few people I haven't tracked down through obsessive LinkedIn stalking). However, I agree that a lot of them are probably not in the jobs they expected to get.

OP, the really really tough prosecution/government jobs are federal, or in some particularly badly-off cities. For instance, rumor here has it that LA is strapped and not hiring. And no job is easy to get. But there are entry level DA jobs out there. (I should add: in the grand scheme of things. I don't know anything about NC.)