Need some advice Forum

[lemoncircus]

I've been wanting to go to law school for most of my life, but everyone always expected me to so I decided to pursue a career in music instead. It made me miserable, because it wasn't what I really wanted to do, so I quit, but now I don't know if I should still pursue law school because half the people I talk to say it is the worst thing ever. I work for a lawyer now as a legal secretary and I am fascinated by everything I come across, even though the branch of law she practices isn't really of particular interest to me. I have both a bachelor's and a master's in music performance (useful, I know), a 3.9 from both undergrad and grad school, and a 167 LSAT. I know I would love law school and practicing--provided I could get a job, which I know isn't easy. But so many people are so negative about law school and the legal profession, it's making me wonder if I would be, too. I know it's really hard work and I will still be paying for it in forty years, but I'm equally sure I would really enjoy it. Advice?

[dietcoke0]

Well, you have a leg up in that you have a good GPA, and knowing what it's like to work in a law office. Many law students go from K-JD and never sniff a law office, and go to law school like you were expected to, while others are just disenfranchised from whatever major they took in undergrad. Your music degree doesn't mean much to law schools, as they don't care that much about any undergrad degree. If anything, might round you out, and make you more desirable when they release class profile.

Do you have your LSDAS GPA yet? It factors only your undergrad GPA, and will take more into account than your University does when calculating it.

If it's still about 3.9, you sitting pretty.

Next is your LSAT. 167 is good, but if you can bounce that up to 172 and with your 3.9, you're looking at an excellent law school. Just about everyone here is going to tell you to retake. The people who say law school is the worse thing ever generally aren't going to a good school, or a top school at least. If you can get a top 6 school, do decent there (top half) and you will be in a much better situation.

But no one can tell you if you should go to law school. Most people would kill for a 3.9 here, so be proud of that. But there is no reason to get a JD unless you really think you want to be a lawyer. It sounds like you might just be nervous about the proposition of law school.

[idk]

If you are sure you want to be a lawyer and you aren't just looking for an escape, you should ABSOLUTELY GO TO LAW SCHOOL. first, however, you should study like mad for the lsat or take a prep course. with your gpa, you're already looking at full rides from t2 schools. if you can get a 173+, you're looking at serious money from t20 schools. good luck!

[2014jd]

I work for a lawyer now as a legal secretary and I am fascinated by everything I come across . . . I know I would love law school and practicing-

Sounds like you should do it then. Even in this tough economy, law school remains the primary way to become a lawyer. Don't let a down market totally scare you off from doing what you want to do. Just make an intelligent decision about where to go and how much debt you take out so you can leave yourself with options.