Would you go to law school in my situation? Forum

[Bankrupt257]

If you have a strong chance of landing a job in corporate America (think Microsoft, Pfizer, Coca Cola, etc) with advancement opportunities in a field where according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics there is a 41% need for the job in the next 10 years (with about 2000 open positions globally at the moment)

-And-

I have a 2nd Graduate degree (MS in Economics) that I deferred till Fall 2013 (if i bow out of the graduate program I am in now or dont go to law school - I am decent at math)

Would you go to law school? I am interested in practicing law and my end game is politics...Whereas the other two directions I could go in, would lead me either to be a Corporate Cog making 100k+ by 30 (not really 100% happy with it ) or getting a MS in Economics and trying to fight my way into consulting/banking/public policy or becoming and economic/history teacher/community college prof?

I dont want to disclose personal info, so if you have personal questions, PM me. But would you go to law school? What would be your ranking/school cut off?

[top30man]

It depends on which school. If you have a stable career with room for advancement I'd stick with that unless you have great options.

[Bgibbs]

It depends on which school. If you have a stable career with room for advancement I'd stick with that unless you have great options.

TCR

I wouldn't give that job up for anything but T14 schools (or something like Texas with a huge scholarship if you're from there), and depending on the starting salary I might want a scholarship at the lower T14 (below T6 + Penn for me) to convince me to take the risk. Due to the salary structure of the law profession you'd pretty much have to be biglaw or bust to have better initial career prospects than what you currently have, and that would come at the cost of 3 years of lost wages and potentially major debt. If you would be really unhappy at your current job that is definitely something to consider, but it'll be a risk economically.

How familiar are you with the actual day to day work experience for a lawyer? Know what you'd be getting yourself into.

[dingbat]

If you have a strong chance of landing a job in corporate America (think Microsoft, Pfizer, Coca Cola, etc) with advancement opportunities in a field where according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics there is a 41% need for the job in the next 10 years (with about 2000 open positions globally at the moment)

-And-

I have a 2nd Graduate degree (MS in Economics) that I deferred till Fall 2013 (if i bow out of the graduate program I am in now or dont go to law school - I am decent at math)

Would you go to law school? I am interested in practicing law and my end game is politics...Whereas the other two directions I could go in, would lead me either to be a Corporate Cog making 100k+ by 30 (not really 100% happy with it ) or getting a MS in Economics and trying to fight my way into consulting/banking/public policy or becoming and economic/history teacher/community college prof?

I dont want to disclose personal info, so if you have personal questions, PM me. But would you go to law school? What would be your ranking/school cut off?

lol

[sunynp]

No.

[Bankrupt257]

It depends on which school. If you have a stable career with room for advancement I'd stick with that unless you have great options.

TCR

I wouldn't give that job up for anything but T14 schools (or something like Texas with a huge scholarship if you're from there), and depending on the starting salary I might want a scholarship at the lower T14 (below T6 + Penn for me) to convince me to take the risk. Due to the salary structure of the law profession you'd pretty much have to be biglaw or bust to have better initial career prospects than what you currently have, and that would come at the cost of 3 years of lost wages and potentially major debt. If you would be really unhappy at your current job that is definitely something to consider, but it'll be a risk economically.

How familiar are you with the actual day to day work experience for a lawyer? Know what you'd be getting yourself into.

I would say I am pretty knowledgeable on the day to day practice of a lawyer. I guess I understand what your saying too. Thats good stuff.

[Bankrupt257]

If you have a strong chance of landing a job in corporate America (think Microsoft, Pfizer, Coca Cola, etc) with advancement opportunities in a field where according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics there is a 41% need for the job in the next 10 years (with about 2000 open positions globally at the moment)

-And-

I have a 2nd Graduate degree (MS in Economics) that I deferred till Fall 2013 (if i bow out of the graduate program I am in now or dont go to law school - I am decent at math)

Would you go to law school? I am interested in practicing law and my end game is politics...Whereas the other two directions I could go in, would lead me either to be a Corporate Cog making 100k+ by 30 (not really 100% happy with it ) or getting a MS in Economics and trying to fight my way into consulting/banking/public policy or becoming and economic/history teacher/community college prof?

I dont want to disclose personal info, so if you have personal questions, PM me. But would you go to law school? What would be your ranking/school cut off?

lol

Its true. Scarcity of Talent = Higher salaries. People pay for math and computer science talent (which I have).

[dingbat]

If you have a strong chance of landing a job in corporate America (think Microsoft, Pfizer, Coca Cola, etc) with advancement opportunities in a field where according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics there is a 41% need for the job in the next 10 years (with about 2000 open positions globally at the moment)

-And-

I have a 2nd Graduate degree (MS in Economics) that I deferred till Fall 2013 (if i bow out of the graduate program I am in now or dont go to law school - I am decent at math)

Would you go to law school? I am interested in practicing law and my end game is politics...Whereas the other two directions I could go in, would lead me either to be a Corporate Cog making 100k+ by 30 (not really 100% happy with it ) or getting a MS in Economics and trying to fight my way into consulting/banking/public policy or becoming and economic/history teacher/community college prof?

I dont want to disclose personal info, so if you have personal questions, PM me. But would you go to law school? What would be your ranking/school cut off?

lol

Its true. Scarcity of Talent = Higher salaries. People pay for math and computer science talent (which I have).

A first year biglaw associate makes $160k, and there are quite a few under 30. Now go figure why I lolled.

[Bankrupt257]

Oh, I thought you were laughing because you did not believe my claim.lol

[seahawk32]

No.

TITCR

[alwayssunnyinfl]

Oh, I thought you were laughing because you did not believe my claim.lol

[CorkBoard]

I would not go to law school if it wasn't t-14 or above and I definitely wouldn't go if I was not sure I wanted to go at all. There's a risk involved in law school. You might be stuck with a shit ton of debt and no employment prospects whatsoever after it's over.

[Ozymandias]

No.

[Danteshek]

No. Law school is for people who can't get anything better.

[BuckinghamB]

No. Law school is for people who can't get anything better.

[romothesavior]

No. Law school is for people who can't get anything better.

Sadly, this.

[PaulKriske]

No. Law school is for people who can't get anything better.

Sadly, this.

give me a break.

[3ThrowAway99]

No. Law school is for people who can't get anything better.

Sadly, this.

lol, yep more or less. Actually, for the best of ppl who can't get any better though lol.

[romothesavior]

No. Law school is for people who can't get anything better.

Sadly, this.

give me a break.

Relax dude, I'm sure its not true for everyone. But it does describe a HUGE portion of law students, including myself to some degree. I certainly would have waited on law school if I had a decent job offer after undergrad, and I know a lot of other people in the same boat. No need to get your panties in a bunch over some honest law student self-deprecation.

[PaulKriske]

Relax dude, I'm sure its not true for everyone. But it does describe a HUGE portion of law students, including myself to some degree. I certainly would have waited on law school if I had a decent job offer after undergrad, and I know a lot of other people in the same boat. No need to get your panties in a bunch over some honest law student self-deprecation.

i feel sorry for your lot.

[CanadianWolf]

No. Nevertheless, it really depends upon the law school in question & the total COA.

[romothesavior]

Relax dude, I'm sure its not true for everyone. But it does describe a HUGE portion of law students, including myself to some degree. I certainly would have waited on law school if I had a decent job offer after undergrad, and I know a lot of other people in the same boat. No need to get your panties in a bunch over some honest law student self-deprecation.

i feel sorry for your lot.

You also ignore the fact that giving up on a solid career to go to law school is an objectively bad financial and career decision 95% of the time. Unless you go to an elite school, its an enormous gamble.

Why are you so sensitive about this? Appreciate your sympathy though.

[PaulKriske]

Relax dude, I'm sure its not true for everyone. But it does describe a HUGE portion of law students, including myself to some degree. I certainly would have waited on law school if I had a decent job offer after undergrad, and I know a lot of other people in the same boat. No need to get your panties in a bunch over some honest law student self-deprecation.

i feel sorry for your lot.

You also ignore the fact that giving up on a solid career to go to law school is an objectively bad financial and career decision 95% of the time. Unless you go to an elite school, its an enormous gamble.

Why are you so sensitive about this? Appreciate your sympathy though.

i'm not ignoring that at all. but to treat the legal profession as a shitty if-all-else-fails backup comes across as ridiculous.

[Danteshek]

Relax dude, I'm sure its not true for everyone. But it does describe a HUGE portion of law students, including myself to some degree. I certainly would have waited on law school if I had a decent job offer after undergrad, and I know a lot of other people in the same boat. No need to get your panties in a bunch over some honest law student self-deprecation.

i feel sorry for your lot.

You also ignore the fact that giving up on a solid career to go to law school is an objectively bad financial and career decision 95% of the time. Unless you go to an elite school, its an enormous gamble.

Why are you so sensitive about this? Appreciate your sympathy though.

i'm not ignoring that at all. but to treat the legal profession as a shitty if-all-else-fails backup comes across as ridiculous.

You really need to check out the crowd at Albany or Javitz on the day of the NY bar exam. Truly a pathetic bunch.