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I've been a poster here for a few months now, but have planned on law school for a lot longer than that. However, lately I've been reading a lot of Paul Campos's blog "Inside the Law School Scam" and it's made me reconsider whether law schools is worth it at least right now. I do think I would enjoy being a lawyer, but after reading numerous stories of people graduating from elite schools and 5+ years in Biglaw suddenly finding themselves out of work, I'm not sure it's worth the risk anymore. My numbers, roughly 3.0-3.3ish GPA will likely keep me from getting anything close to a full ride. I haven't taken the LSAT yet, but even a 180 would likely still require me to take some loans at a good school due to my low GPA.

My original plan was to take the LSAT this June and apply in December with my Fall semester grades, but now I'm really not sure it is worth paying sticker at a T-14 or even going to one with a half tuition. I'm seriously considering taking the LSAT in June (retaking if I don't get high enough), working at a local newspaper or something for a year or so and EDing to NU and hoping for a full ride there. I figure even if I start law school at 27 it's better than starting at 26 and going into massive debt.

Alternately, I've started considering saying "screw law school" going back to UG getting a degree in Computer Science/Software Engineering and trying to fulfill my childhood goal of designing video games. It's got to be at least plausible as finding and keeping a legal job. This isn't my first choice as I have always wanted to be a lawyer, but from a purely economic standpoint I'm not sure it's worth the risk. Besides I figure a software engineer can find decent work anywhere so I won't be limited to my current location, which is good because the thought of living here my whole life terrifies me.

So, do you current law students and graduates have any advice for someone in my position?

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You almost certainly wouldn't get the full ride ED with your GPA. Obviously when they started giving the full ride with ED admits, they raised the standards; the point of the full ride ED is to poach qualified students from CCN and occasionally YHS. That said, no one can tell you if it's worth it for you, or for that matter if you are capable of scoring high enough to put T14 on the table at all... Hit the books, take June, and then reevaluate where you could end up and what it would cost. Right now you're not in a position to speculate yet, you don't have an official lsat. Best of luck!

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eric922 wrote:I've been a poster here for a few months now, but have planned on law school for a lot longer than that. However, lately I've been reading a lot of Paul Campos's blog "Inside the Law School Scam" and it's made me reconsider whether law schools is worth it at least right now. I do think I would enjoy being a lawyer, but after reading numerous stories of people graduating from elite schools and 5+ years in Biglaw suddenly finding themselves out of work, I'm not sure it's worth the risk anymore. My numbers, roughly 3.0-3.3ish GPA will likely keep me from getting anything close to a full ride. I haven't taken the LSAT yet, but even a 180 would likely still require me to take some loans at a good school due to my low GPA.

My original plan was to take the LSAT this June and apply in December with my Fall semester grades, but now I'm really not sure it is worth paying sticker at a T-14 or even going to one with a half tuition. I'm seriously considering taking the LSAT in June (retaking if I don't get high enough), working at a local newspaper or something for a year or so and EDing to NU and hoping for a full ride there. I figure even if I start law school at 27 it's better than starting at 26 and going into massive debt.

Alternately, I've started considering saying "screw law school" going back to UG getting a degree in Computer Science/Software Engineering and trying to fulfill my childhood goal of designing video games. It's got to be at least plausible as finding and keeping a legal job. This isn't my first choice as I have always wanted to be a lawyer, but from a purely economic standpoint I'm not sure it's worth the risk. Besides I figure a software engineer can find decent work anywhere so I won't be limited to my current location, which is good because the thought of living here my whole life terrifies me.

So, do you current law students and graduates have any advice for someone in my position?

If the LSAT is not high enough to score a 50% or more scholarship get the computer degree. There are too many lawyers at all levels of practice and too few jobs.