My goals/situation and law school Forum

[Maw0200]

Alright so my situation is far from typical and was just looking for input/opinions on my options. I am entering my 7th year as a teacher and a coach (football practice actually starts tomorrow). I would be giving up a decent salary to go to law school (about 60k) and I work big law hours or more especially during football season. I have a 3.3 gpa and won't take the lsat until June if I proceed. Obviously my gpa sucks, but how much would my work experience help? I live in Texas and would like to practice in DFW, making more than I do currently. Other considerations are my s/o has her dds and is currently practicing. My dream school is Duke, but I would have no problem at all with UT. Basically, what is my best course of action in my situation? Would UT be the best school for my goals?


Sorry for terrible grammar and typo's on my tablet trying to get dinner ready. Also, might be hard to get s/o to leave Texas but if she can stay home with our future kids and work part time when she wants it is possible, but not on 60k and no chance to make more. She would be working while I'm in law school and getting licensed in another state could be tough for her... Not sure maybe someone here has a spouse who is also a dentist.

[BigZuck]

I go to UT

Check out www.mylsn.info for chances. Your numbers will get you what they get you, being a teacher won't give you a boost.

If you went to UT there is a decent chance you would make more than 60K but a not insubstantial chance you will be worse off than if you had never quit your teacher job. Check out www.lawschooltransparency.com for job placement statistics.

It's highly unlikely that you actually work big law hours, especially in the way in which those hours are worked. If you're thinking "I make 60K right now so I might as well work the same amount of hours and make 160K" I don't think that's actually correct and even if it is that's not the best way to approach the decision to go to law school IMO.

Duke would be a great choice if the price was appropriate and you wanted big law.

[Maw0200]

I go to UT

Check out http://www.mylsn.info for chances. Your numbers will get you what they get you, being a teacher won't give you a boost.

If you went to UT there is a decent chance you would make more than 60K but a not insubstantial chance you will be worse off than if you had never quit your teacher job. Check out http://www.lawschooltransparency.com for job placement statistics.

It's highly unlikely that you actually work big law hours, especially in the way in which those hours are worked. If you're thinking "I make 60K right now so I might as well work the same amount of hours and make 160K" I don't think that's actually correct and even if it is that's not the best way to approach the decision to go to law school IMO.

Duke would be a great choice if the price was appropriate and you wanted big law.

I get what you're saying on the quote at the end it's more than that. I've looked at the numbers, but it's kind of an incomplete picture. I guess what I'm getting at would going to Texas be an advantage for my goals since we're in Texas and it's far and away the best school in the state or would a higher ranked school with really strong ties to DFW be a bigger advantage sense that is not as common as a UT grad. Assuming class rank would be at median because nothing is guarunteed

[BigZuck]

You'd likely have a much better shot at big law in TX and elsewhere if you go to Duke