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Personal Statement: "Don't want to be a lawyer."
Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2012 1:37 am
by tyrantlytamale
.
Re: Personal Statement: "Don't want to be a lawyer."
Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2012 1:39 am
by Br3v
I don't even....
Think of a new topic.
Re: Personal Statement: "Don't want to be a lawyer."
Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2012 1:40 am
by FlanAl
flame
Re: Personal Statement: "Don't want to be a lawyer."
Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2012 1:47 am
by 20121109
From someone who dated a guy that got recruited by the FBI, you definitely don't need a JD.
Re: Personal Statement: "Don't want to be a lawyer."
Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2012 1:49 am
by bk1
tyrantlytamale wrote:As an example, a JD is a route into the FBI. It opens a lot of other doors, too.
While it's possible to parlay a JD into the FBI, it isn't easy and it's probably not even the path of least resistance into the FBI. While a JD *can* open non-lawyer doors, it doesn't open them very wide so it's unlikely that you'd be able to use a JD to get through those doors.
If you don't want to be a lawyer, don't get a JD.
Re: Personal Statement: "Don't want to be a lawyer."
Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2012 1:50 am
by dproduct
tyrantlytamale wrote:I want to complete a JD, but I do not actually want to become an attorney afterward. Or a clerk. Or whatever. I don't want to practice law. I want to work in an investigative field. As an example, a JD is a route into the FBI. It opens a lot of other doors, too.
My question then, is how do I talk about this in a personal statement? Don't schools want you to really want to be a lawyer?

Re: Personal Statement: "Don't want to be a lawyer."
Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2012 1:52 am
by 20121109
^^^ Weirdest choice of gif eva?
Re: Personal Statement: "Don't want to be a lawyer."
Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2012 1:55 am
by Br3v
If you don't want to be a lawyer, don't get a JD.
TITCR
Re: Personal Statement: "Don't want to be a lawyer."
Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2012 2:20 am
by tyrantlytamale
.
Re: Personal Statement: "Don't want to be a lawyer."
Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2012 2:22 am
by Br3v
tyrantlytamale wrote:If you don't want to be a lawyer, don't get a JD.
I get it. And I'm not planning on going to Harvard or Yale. But that's not my question: should I leave the "don't want to be a lawyer" bit out of the personal statement?
Yes
Re: Personal Statement: "Don't want to be a lawyer."
Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2012 2:32 am
by Excellent117
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Re: Personal Statement: "Don't want to be a lawyer."
Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2012 2:33 am
by Tom Joad
I heard the FBI likes accounting and engineering majors.
Re: Personal Statement: "Don't want to be a lawyer."
Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2012 2:51 am
by FryBreadPower
1. Apply for JD
2. Lock self in room for 3 years
3. Light $150k on fire
4. Complete Application for the FBI
5. ????
6. Profit!
Re: Personal Statement: "Don't want to be a lawyer."
Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2012 2:57 am
by Mal Reynolds
tyrantlytamale wrote:
And I'm not planning on going to Harvard or Yale.
I don't see how this is relevant. You say this like not going to one of these schools means you don't have to be a lawyer after you graduate. If there was ever an argument for a law student who didn't really need to be a lawyer after school it would be from one of these two schools. And even then that wouldn't be the best plan.
Re: Personal Statement: "Don't want to be a lawyer."
Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2012 11:17 am
by jkpolk
Re: Personal Statement: "Don't want to be a lawyer."
Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2012 11:29 am
by JCFindley
Actually the FBI has very specific needs that they are looking for at any given time.
At one time that was either a JD or being a CPA. They do actually still like those but the door is open to a LOT of other paths as well now. Instead of spending the money on a JD going in the military in one of the investigative services will help just as much and they will pay you. (I mean the NCIS, OSI or CID and NOT being an MP) Civilian LE can also help as much as a JD. Being fluent in foreign languages can help as much as a JD if that language is Arabic or Farsi or something they need. (Also a cheaper route than a JD.)
I went a good ways through their hiring cycle way back when and decided I did NOT want to do that but there are many other routes that are less expensive.......
All that said, I would just leave that off the PS.
JC
Re: Personal Statement: "Don't want to be a lawyer."
Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2012 11:49 am
by AntipodeanPhil
I know someone who went to law school to work for the FBI. If you visit the right Washington DC GAP store, you might meet her. She's there about 40 hours a week.
Please don't get a JD. If you must, don't apply with this personal statement.
Re: Personal Statement: "Don't want to be a lawyer."
Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2012 11:52 am
by TommyK
sure, above advice might be correct... but law schools won't care if you're above their medians. They just want to NOMNOMNOM your money.
Re: Personal Statement: "Don't want to be a lawyer."
Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2012 11:57 am
by CanadianWolf
If you do write your law school personal statement based on the theme that you don't want to become a lawyer, then apply to reach schools emphasizing that you don't want to be accepted. Who knows--maybe reverse psychology will work with admissions.
Re: Personal Statement: "Don't want to be a lawyer."
Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2012 12:01 pm
by mattviphky
Military-->FBI
Re: Personal Statement: "Don't want to be a lawyer."
Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2012 12:04 pm
by rglifberg
It would probably be a good idea to leave that out. Also, take everything you read on here with a grain of salt. People on here tend to think they're all knowing and experts on everything relevant to the legal field. There probably are cheaper ways of getting into the FBI like the military, but that isn't easy to get into either.
This is from the FBI website:
9. Do certain degrees provide a more desirable educational background for the Special Agent position?
The FBI does not recommend particular courses or schools. Any degrees that develop research and analytical skills are desirable educational backgrounds. For example, a Law degree is a desirable asset because Special Agents are charged with investigating violations of federal laws of the United States; an Accounting degree is also desirable because Special Agents trace financial transactions and review/analyze complex accounting records in criminal investigations; an Engineering degree is desirable because Special Agents often have to critically analyze large amounts of information in order to plan the next steps in an investigation; etc.
Re: Personal Statement: "Don't want to be a lawyer."
Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2012 12:08 pm
by Samara
rglifberg wrote:It would probably be a good idea to leave that out. Also, take everything you read on here with a grain of salt. People on here tend to think they're all knowing and experts on everything relevant to the legal field. There probably are cheaper ways of getting into the FBI like the military, but that isn't easy to get into either.
This is from the FBI website:
9. Do certain degrees provide a more desirable educational background for the Special Agent position?
The FBI does not recommend particular courses or schools. Any degrees that develop research and analytical skills are desirable educational backgrounds. For example, a Law degree is a desirable asset because Special Agents are charged with investigating violations of federal laws of the United States; an Accounting degree is also desirable because Special Agents trace financial transactions and review/analyze complex accounting records in criminal investigations; an Engineering degree is desirable because Special Agents often have to critically analyze large amounts of information in order to plan the next steps in an investigation; etc.
What that says to me is don't go to law school if you want to work for the FBI unless you're on a full ride. And even then, it's probably not worth the opportunity cost.
Re: Personal Statement: "Don't want to be a lawyer."
Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2012 12:12 pm
by rglifberg
Samara wrote:rglifberg wrote:It would probably be a good idea to leave that out. Also, take everything you read on here with a grain of salt. People on here tend to think they're all knowing and experts on everything relevant to the legal field. There probably are cheaper ways of getting into the FBI like the military, but that isn't easy to get into either.
This is from the FBI website:
9. Do certain degrees provide a more desirable educational background for the Special Agent position?
The FBI does not recommend particular courses or schools. Any degrees that develop research and analytical skills are desirable educational backgrounds. For example, a Law degree is a desirable asset because Special Agents are charged with investigating violations of federal laws of the United States; an Accounting degree is also desirable because Special Agents trace financial transactions and review/analyze complex accounting records in criminal investigations; an Engineering degree is desirable because Special Agents often have to critically analyze large amounts of information in order to plan the next steps in an investigation; etc.
What that says to me is don't go to law school if you want to work for the FBI unless you're on a full ride. And even then, it's probably not worth the opportunity cost.
Wow you're really cool! You must be an FBI expert??????
Re: Personal Statement: "Don't want to be a lawyer."
Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2012 12:12 pm
by ringo
polkij333 wrote:I know a JD who works for the FBI. She went to Yale.
http://www.law.yale.edu/faculty/ARangappa.htm
Re: Personal Statement: "Don't want to be a lawyer."
Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2012 12:15 pm
by Samara
rglifberg wrote:Samara wrote:rglifberg wrote:It would probably be a good idea to leave that out. Also, take everything you read on here with a grain of salt. People on here tend to think they're all knowing and experts on everything relevant to the legal field. There probably are cheaper ways of getting into the FBI like the military, but that isn't easy to get into either.
This is from the FBI website:
9. Do certain degrees provide a more desirable educational background for the Special Agent position?
The FBI does not recommend particular courses or schools. Any degrees that develop research and analytical skills are desirable educational backgrounds. For example, a Law degree is a desirable asset because Special Agents are charged with investigating violations of federal laws of the United States; an Accounting degree is also desirable because Special Agents trace financial transactions and review/analyze complex accounting records in criminal investigations; an Engineering degree is desirable because Special Agents often have to critically analyze large amounts of information in order to plan the next steps in an investigation; etc.
What that says to me is don't go to law school if you want to work for the FBI unless you're on a full ride. And even then, it's probably not worth the opportunity cost.
Wow you're really cool! You must be an FBI expert??????
They give three examples of getting into the FBI. Two of them involve a bachelor's degree that can be achieved cheaply at an in-state school and has strong job prospects in case the FBI doesn't work out. One of them is an expensive graduate degree that has weak job prospects unless you're going to a top school and even worse prospects if you don't want to work in that field. One of these things is not like the other...