Cold Feet for LS Forum

[CordeliusX]

What the hell am I doing? I am totally unsure about LS.

3 years of my life, tons of money, and the feeling that once I work in the field I am forever "stuck." I would rather do something creative, but it seems like everywhere is a closed door for me... plus I crave security.

I think LS will give me the ability to forge ahead, and if i absolutely hate it, leave biglaw after a couple of years working to pay off debt.

Part of this is due to those who make LS out to be a passion they've had since childhood. I am looking at it as a good way to earn a living, expose me to other areas of life/business, and I believe it's a good match for my skills.

Advice? Is this normal?

[thinkbig]

What the hell am I doing? I am totally unsure about LS.

3 years of my life, tons of money, and the feeling that once I work in the field I am forever "stuck." I would rather do something creative, but it seems like everywhere is a closed door for me... plus I crave security.

I think LS will give me the ability to forge ahead, and if i absolutely hate it, leave biglaw after a couple of years working to pay off debt.

Part of this is due to those who make LS out to be a passion they've had since childhood. I am looking at it as a good way to earn a living, expose me to other areas of life/business, and I believe it's a good match for my skills.

Advice? Is this normal?

crave security lol

[miamiman]

right there with you man.

seriously, i have tremendous misgivings about this direction but I think I'll embrace it.

[Snarleyow]

you and me both. part of me is excited and energized. I think there's some very interesting intellectual questions in law, obviously. but law school? debt? being a lawyer? can't help but be nervous about it.

[nol607]

I'm there too. I've known that I want to be an attorney for several years, and I've known what type of attorney for well over a year--so I've done my homework... All of a sudden I've been thinking- how about another year of work (I have a VERY low-paying, but pretty exciting job, with weekends totally free). I'm not going to act on it but the temptation to postpone is there.

[traehekat]

I'm a former graphic designer turned pharmacy major turned political science major/prospective law student, so I know what you mean about craving something creative (granted, my days of graphic design were back in high school, but back then I didn't think I would want to do anything but art/design). I still dabble in something creative every now and then to get my fix.

Law school is a huge commitment of time and money, there is no reason not to be worried/nervous, even if you are going to a great school. Just keep in mind it isn't something you can half ass - you have to be 100% dedicated, and it may be hard to be 100% dedicated if you aren't sure law is even for you. Unfortunately, that is the nature of the beast. Most people don't know if law is REALLY for them until they actually start practicing. The whole system is screwy, in my opinion, but before I go into a rant I'll just end with what another poster on here said to me which gave me some comfort - taking risks is part of life, no matter what you do. Have faith in your work ethic and make sure you are doing everything in your power to put yourself in a position to succeed, you should be fine.

[DoubleChecks]

i kinda know what you're saying. lately my roommate and i have been seriously regretting not pursuing dentistry our freshman yr of college. id have the connections, know the process, and it is a lucrative field that has...wait for it...a reasonable workload! lol i think that is what im dreading the most. i believe ill love law, but biglaw hours are scaring me...and the feeling of being 'stuck' in a job that requires so many draining hours for the rest of my life is...worrisome lol. dental would have meant a job closer to 9-5 w/ potential...and i dont mind staring at teeth all day long.

[CordeliusX]

crave security lol

Well to put it in perspective: I know a fair amount of aspiring actors/artists and it's depressing. A buddy of mine is a musician. I had a neighbor who is like late 30s and a theatre actor and... it seems like your whole life is a waitlist for your "big break." I too wish I could do something creative like that but I'm just too chicken. But what gets me is that going to LS is basically a stake through the heart of trying to "make it big." I'm getting nostalgic for the past - when you're in HS and can do whatever and dream whatever you want.

[jks289]

You're about to make a huge life-altering financial, academic, and professional commitment. You would have to be crazy to not get a little nervous. If you want to be a lawyer (and the law is a big place, so don't fixate on too specific an idea) then there is only one path to take. That's law school.

[rando]

If it makes any of you feel better, I was one of the morons who went into law school having no idea what I wanted to do, not sure if I wanted to be a lawyer, but unsure of the rest of my life. I knew I wanted to go to grad school but didn't know why, where, what so I basically just ran down the list and ended up on law school.

Well it turns out that I love it. And I can't wait to practice. I wouldn't recommend the path I took, but I wouldn't be so sure that those people who have known their entire lives they want to be lawyers really have it all thought out the way you think they might. It seems that people's perceptions of law school tend to be skewed regardless of the angle you look at it.

[thinkbig]

I'm scared too. But I take that as a sign that I've actually thought this through realistically and know the financial and professional implications of entering law school. But my confidence that I will succeed is stronger than the fear. I've been uneasy at every major turning point up to now. I always have succeeded despite that uneasiness. I have no reason to believe that I won't succeed now and in the future.

[mugrad06]

im kinda feeling that way now, but mine is a little different. I got into a TTTT school without any scholly so I was looking at 50,000 my first yr so I decided not to attend. The one part of me I hate the most is I am always very indecisive. I'm in a tough spot at the moment, do I take the LSAT for a 4th time and try again (this would be the 3rd time applying to LS) or do I chose a different path? I have wanted to be an attorney for as long as I can remember, it's the only thing I really ever want to do and I never thought of a back up. My previous LSAT scores are low, 146 being my highest. In order to get into the school I want, I'd have to get at least a 155 to really truly have a shot. A part of me is really sacred that I won't be able to get my score that high, no matter how many practice tests I take or how hard I study. And I've been trying for 4 yrs to get into LS. First time I applied was 2006-2007 cycle as I was finishing my MA, applied before I took the LSAT since I wasn't taking it until Dec, bombed it and signed up for Feb and still did bad. I took it again in 2008 but waited till now to apply. I feel like I have put my life on hold to try to attain a dream that sometimes I feel is just a little to far from my reach. And if by some miracle I manage to push my LSAT up a few points, I could still end up etting rejected and be in the same position I am now a yr from now. I really don't want to be sitting a desk answering phones all day making 17,000 a yr.

The only other option in terms of going back to school other than LS, is to go back for a Masters in Teaching which is kinda the direction I am leaning, but at the same time I hate to give up on something I have wanted for so long. LS was all I talked about since high school, so if I end up not going, then I feel like a failure. The one thing I do know is I want to make a difference in people's lives.

[clintonius]

i kinda know what you're saying. lately my roommate and i have been seriously regretting not pursuing dentistry our freshman yr of college. id have the connections, know the process, and it is a lucrative field that has...wait for it...a reasonable workload! lol i think that is what im dreading the most. i believe ill love law, but biglaw hours are scaring me...and the feeling of being 'stuck' in a job that requires so many draining hours for the rest of my life is...worrisome lol. dental would have meant a job closer to 9-5 w/ potential...and i dont mind staring at teeth all day long.

Aren't dentists the only professionals with a higher suicide rate than lawyers?

[traehekat]

i kinda know what you're saying. lately my roommate and i have been seriously regretting not pursuing dentistry our freshman yr of college. id have the connections, know the process, and it is a lucrative field that has...wait for it...a reasonable workload! lol i think that is what im dreading the most. i believe ill love law, but biglaw hours are scaring me...and the feeling of being 'stuck' in a job that requires so many draining hours for the rest of my life is...worrisome lol. dental would have meant a job closer to 9-5 w/ potential...and i dont mind staring at teeth all day long.

Aren't dentists the only professionals with a higher suicide rate than lawyers?

Pfft, what do dentists have to worry about? It's just TEETH.

[CordeliusX]

I'm in a tough spot at the moment, do I take the LSAT for a 4th time and try again (this would be the 3rd time applying to LS) or do I chose a different path? I have wanted to be an attorney for as long as I can remember, it's the only thing I really ever want to do and I never thought of a back up.

I hate to give up on something I have wanted for so long. LS was all I talked about since high school, so if I end up not going, then I feel like a failure. The one thing I do know is I want to make a difference in people's lives.

Jeez, you're in a bad situation at the moment.

I would honestly try everything you can to get a paralegal job and see if its really what you want. Then, study like mad for the LSAT...

Otherwise I would try other career paths. You're bound to find something you like. Don't let the fact you were enamored with law make you feel like you can't be "wrong" and do something else.

[traehekat]

im kinda feeling that way now, but mine is a little different. I got into a TTTT school without any scholly so I was looking at 50,000 my first yr so I decided not to attend. The one part of me I hate the most is I am always very indecisive. I'm in a tough spot at the moment, do I take the LSAT for a 4th time and try again (this would be the 3rd time applying to LS) or do I chose a different path? I have wanted to be an attorney for as long as I can remember, it's the only thing I really ever want to do and I never thought of a back up. My previous LSAT scores are low, 146 being my highest. In order to get into the school I want, I'd have to get at least a 155 to really truly have a shot. A part of me is really sacred that I won't be able to get my score that high, no matter how many practice tests I take or how hard I study. And I've been trying for 4 yrs to get into LS. First time I applied was 2006-2007 cycle as I was finishing my MA, applied before I took the LSAT since I wasn't taking it until Dec, bombed it and signed up for Feb and still did bad. I took it again in 2008 but waited till now to apply. I feel like I have put my life on hold to try to attain a dream that sometimes I feel is just a little to far from my reach. And if by some miracle I manage to push my LSAT up a few points, I could still end up etting rejected and be in the same position I am now a yr from now. I really don't want to be sitting a desk answering phones all day making 17,000 a yr.

The only other option in terms of going back to school other than LS, is to go back for a Masters in Teaching which is kinda the direction I am leaning, but at the same time I hate to give up on something I have wanted for so long. LS was all I talked about since high school, so if I end up not going, then I feel like a failure. The one thing I do know is I want to make a difference in people's lives.

What has your method of studying looked like? As I'm sure you have heard, the LSAT is extremely learnable, and there is no reason why someone can't break into the 158-160 range with proper preparation. Beyond that I will admit there is probably a bit of natural predisposition to the material that helps achieve higher scores.

[miamiman]

im kinda feeling that way now, but mine is a little different. I got into a TTTT school without any scholly so I was looking at 50,000 my first yr so I decided not to attend. The one part of me I hate the most is I am always very indecisive. I'm in a tough spot at the moment, do I take the LSAT for a 4th time and try again (this would be the 3rd time applying to LS) or do I chose a different path? I have wanted to be an attorney for as long as I can remember, it's the only thing I really ever want to do and I never thought of a back up. My previous LSAT scores are low, 146 being my highest. In order to get into the school I want, I'd have to get at least a 155 to really truly have a shot. A part of me is really sacred that I won't be able to get my score that high, no matter how many practice tests I take or how hard I study. And I've been trying for 4 yrs to get into LS. First time I applied was 2006-2007 cycle as I was finishing my MA, applied before I took the LSAT since I wasn't taking it until Dec, bombed it and signed up for Feb and still did bad. I took it again in 2008 but waited till now to apply. I feel like I have put my life on hold to try to attain a dream that sometimes I feel is just a little to far from my reach. And if by some miracle I manage to push my LSAT up a few points, I could still end up etting rejected and be in the same position I am now a yr from now. I really don't want to be sitting a desk answering phones all day making 17,000 a yr.

The only other option in terms of going back to school other than LS, is to go back for a Masters in Teaching which is kinda the direction I am leaning, but at the same time I hate to give up on something I have wanted for so long. LS was all I talked about since high school, so if I end up not going, then I feel like a failure. The one thing I do know is I want to make a difference in people's lives.

Mugrad, generally speaking, in situations like yours, I'd have instinctively defaulted to: (1) take the LSAT again or (2) really strongly reconsider if this path is for you. But you've done those things. You've thought about why you want to be an attorney.

Finances aside, I fee like you should at least explore that inclination. I feel like you're the kind of person that will regret not going (even to a t4 school).

As crazy as this sounds, and as against my better judgment it may be, I think you should go to law school.

Good luck.

[mugrad06]

For the Oct 2008 test I started studying right after the 4th of July, so for about 3 mos I took a lot of practice tests, probably 20 or more in total. I also took the Kaplan course. I was practicing in the 155-156 range and even had a couple 159s. I felt fully prepared for the test. I had taken it twice before and knew what to expect. I felt good about the test afterwards, didn't feel like I struggled with it. So u can imagine how disappointed I was to only go up 1 pt from my previous test. I took a diagnostic on Sat and I got a 145 =(

Also I knew LS is a huge financial and personal sacrfice, and I think the thing I am struggling with most now is if I am really willing to make that sacrfice now. I know 27 is relatively young still but I think if I was 23-24 then it would be a non brainer. I don't want to say the biological clock is ticking, but def the sense to settle down is a lot stronger now that it was 4 yrs ago. So its really a struggle btw what I have always wanted to do, and the reality of my life now and how my domestic wants are changing.

and miamiman why would it be against your better judgement? I've done a lot of things that were against my better judgment, wish now I would have listened.

[ladysixmonkey]

you and me both. part of me is excited and energized. I think there's some very interesting intellectual questions in law, obviously. but law school? debt? being a lawyer? can't help but be nervous about it.

Doesn't a lot of the actual work of an attorney involve transactional stuff, meetings, trying to make the client happy/less angry and carefully traversing the rocky terrain of the firm's politics? My friends tell me that it isn't all that intellectual once you get out and practice. I guess because of the intensity of my work experiences this doesn't seem so different from any other job. I'm just afraid of the debt. I don't want to be the contemporary version of a sharecropper.

w.ch. edit

[miamiman]

and miamiman why would it be against your better judgement? I've done a lot of things that were against my better judgment, wish now I would have listened.

because im not sure if following dreams are justified when the employment outcomes are almost uniformly shitty.

[mugrad06]

and miamiman why would it be against your better judgement? I've done a lot of things that were against my better judgment, wish now I would have listened.

because im not sure if following dreams are justified when the employment outcomes are almost uniformly shitty.

yeah thats the other concern I have. The market is so saturated. I got to church with two of the prosecutors for my county and one of them was telling me Easter Sunday, that her niece's boyfriend is having a really diffcult time finding a job and he went to a top tier school, I hoenstly can't remember which one she said but it was def somewhere in the T20-30 range. Also the majority of law students that go to WVU, end up staying here (reason y they go there is WVU dominates the legal market in WV and is the smart choice if you want to stay in state) so comptetion for certain types of jobs in the state are fierce. I've never been an awesome student, usually about average. I had to study a lot and bust my butt to graduate with honors, and even in grad school to maintain my gpa.

[DoubleChecks]

i kinda know what you're saying. lately my roommate and i have been seriously regretting not pursuing dentistry our freshman yr of college. id have the connections, know the process, and it is a lucrative field that has...wait for it...a reasonable workload! lol i think that is what im dreading the most. i believe ill love law, but biglaw hours are scaring me...and the feeling of being 'stuck' in a job that requires so many draining hours for the rest of my life is...worrisome lol. dental would have meant a job closer to 9-5 w/ potential...and i dont mind staring at teeth all day long.

Aren't dentists the only professionals with a higher suicide rate than lawyers?

lol an urban legend based on shifty data

[mirpanda]

What the hell am I doing? I am totally unsure about LS.

3 years of my life, tons of money, and the feeling that once I work in the field I am forever "stuck." I would rather do something creative, but it seems like everywhere is a closed door for me... plus I crave security.

I think LS will give me the ability to forge ahead, and if i absolutely hate it, leave biglaw after a couple of years working to pay off debt.

Part of this is due to those who make LS out to be a passion they've had since childhood. I am looking at it as a good way to earn a living, expose me to other areas of life/business, and I believe it's a good match for my skills.

Advice? Is this normal?

I feel ya. I've been exploring this career option, researching like mad and preparing as if I'm going to law school. Though I am interested in law and think it would be a good match for my skills as well, a huge part of me just wants to say, "screw it" and go to film school or take a low stress day job and write the "Great American Novel" or some other creative, nonpaying shit like that. Nevermind that I'll have to live in a cheap studio apartment with 5 roommates and dumpster for my food.

So then the opposing faction warring for my soul chimes in. "Well, that's not very practical and hardly productive. You need to be a contributing member of society."

Uh, oh. It's on.

"Oh yeah? That's what the man wants you to think so you fit into his system, a dutiful little cog in the machine fulfilling her respectable service to the greedy fucking empire. Screw em!"

And so it goes, on and on while I question my sanity and begin searching WebMD for home treatment of multiple personality disorders...

No, not really that dramatic, but I feel ya, Cordelius. I feel ya...

[quickquestionthanks]

Don't forget that drug mule is always on the table.

[A'nold]

Most of you will be the trolls that come back in a year or two and completely scare the crap out of 0L's that will be certain that law school is the worst thing you could ever possibly imagine and that they should have gone to H-Vac school or became a plumber's apprentice. You'll be all "lulzzzzzz at u thinkin' you'll get a 30k job out of Haavad, you'll be lucky to be da dumpster lickerz at Mickey D's and /self b/c uf 800k in debt."