Good reason to go to law school? Forum

[Tarheel1234]

I was pre-med but I dropped that due to my B in organic chemistry. Is this a good reason to go to law school? Also, have you met other law students who experienced a similar situation, i.e. they were first premed then became prelaw? How did these people end up (enjoying law school, enjoying their job, etc.)?

I am currently working full time and just graduated undergrad from a top public school with above a 3.75. I was thinking about law school, but wanted to get some work experience first. I also haven't taken the LSAT yet. Thanks!

[Davidbentley]

Generally, going to law school is a good idea if you want to practice law.

[CanadianWolf]

A mediocre grade in organic chemistry is not the motivator for most law school applicants.

[094320]

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[CanadianWolf]

Okay, but what was your grade in organic chemistry ?

[094320]

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[traehekat]

I was pre-med but I dropped that due to my B in organic chemistry. Is this a good reason to go to law school?

Is this really a question? Of course it's not a good a reason, despite the fact that there are plenty of law students who took a similar "path."

I was actually pre-pharmacy (for about a semester), but I received a D+ or something in general chemistry, and so I decided that pre-pharmacy just wasn't for me. On a whim I took a business law class and ended up loving it. From then on I took any class I could that was related to law, and at some point decided law school was "right for me." Someone compiled a quick list of some the personality traits of law students a few days ago: "meticulous , obsessive, enjoy games, puns, reading, writing, mildly risk averse, competitive, works well with (and enjoys the company of) others, having balanced views and generally see both sides." This describes me pretty well, I think, and if you possess a lot of these traits I think you will at the very least enjoy law school.

However, the sad truth is there really aren't any good reasons to attend law school (no matter how much you think it will fit your personality) if you are going to be shelling out $200k for a small chance at landing a job that will allow you pay back that debt. The one and only "good" reason to attend law school is probably the situation where you are guaranteed a job afterward, in which case you go to a school that will give you a full ride.

[dissonance1848]

So, am I hearing that people ITT were bailing on medical careers because they didn't do well enough in classes, and then decided on law school?

Doesn't make sense. You simply haul ass for the science classes you take.

OP, don't go to law school. Hustle like hell in your course work. Are you going to be a top medical specialist? No. And guess what? >95% of your peers, who definitely will have better stats than you, won't either.

You can still get into medicine, probably as a GP. Is med school hell? Yeah, but so is doing everything right, striking out with no job, and graduating with tons of debt (i.e >95% of law school grads).

[094320]

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[ahnhub]

A B in Orgo is, um--okay, isn't it? From your posts you're either a flame or someone who has no great passion, but is (hopefully) pretty smart and willing to work hard and just wants a steady well-paying living. Medical school is tons better for that purpose than law school, even a T-14 law school. (I think job prospects at T-14s are pretty good, too--but the element of risk is much higher. If you just want to be rewarded for working hard I don't think it's the answer).

You can get into an MD program with a mediocre GPA if you kill the MCAT and interview well. You can get into a D.O. program even if you don't kill the MCAT. You can get into a P.A. program if you don't want to be a doctor.

[Geetar Man]

At my undergrad, failed classes don't show up on your transcript, so it's the same thing as non-punitively dropping the course.

I'm sorry, but this is bull shit and I'm jealous.

[justinp]

Isn't a B in Orgo sort of... fine?

Not great obviously, but I can't imagine anyone is ever going to look at your transcript and throw you into the reject pile over that.

Maybe I'm wrong, I'm a dedicated humanities kid.

[TheBiggerMediocre]

At my undergrad, failed classes don't show up on your transcript, so it's the same thing as non-punitively dropping the course.

I'm sorry, but this is bull shit and I'm jealous.

I agree

[srfngdd6]

I was pre-med but I dropped that due to my B in organic chemistry. Is this a good reason to go to law school? Also, have you met other law students who experienced a similar situation, i.e. they were first premed then became prelaw? How did these people end up (enjoying law school, enjoying their job, etc.)?

I am currently working full time and just graduated undergrad from a top public school with above a 3.75. I was thinking about law school, but wanted to get some work experience first. I also haven't taken the LSAT yet. Thanks!

haha thanks i hadnt had a chuckle in like a half hour

[Tarheel1234]

Thanks for all the reply posts. I just want to believe that the whole point of going to professional school is to get a job, and if law school cannot provide that sometimes, then why do people still go to law school? At what point do you not go to law school even if you really want to? I just am curious to see responses and one's thought process. I would like to go to law school, but am honestly a little hesitant. Thanks!

[romothesavior]

Thanks for all the reply posts. I just want to believe that the whole point of going to professional school is to get a job, and if law school cannot provide that sometimes, then why do people still go to law school?

Because they are misguided, hard-headed, and vastly overrate their own capabilities.

Also, it's not that "law school cannot provide that (a job) sometimes," it's more like "law school cannot provide that about half the time." And the number of people getting decent jobs is probably like "a third of the time." Of course, schools like Cooley, JMLS, Thomas Jefferson, "insert horrible Florida school here," etc. graduating thousands of unemployed JDs all by themselves skews things a bit, but things are even risky higher up in the rankings.

Don't go to law school unless you really want to and can do it in a way that isn't financially irresponsible. You're in the right place and asking the right questions, so stick around TLS.

[t14fanboy]

Thanks for all the reply posts. I just want to believe that the whole point of going to professional school is to get a job, and if law school cannot provide that sometimes, then why do people still go to law school? At what point do you not go to law school even if you really want to? I just am curious to see responses and one's thought process. I would like to go to law school, but am honestly a little hesitant. Thanks!

[TheWeeIceMon]

So, am I hearing that people ITT were bailing on medical careers because they didn't do well enough in classes, and then decided on law school?

Doesn't make sense. You simply haul ass for the science classes you take.

OP, don't go to law school. Hustle like hell in your course work. Are you going to be a top medical specialist? No. And guess what? >95% of your peers, who definitely will have better stats than you, won't either.

You can still get into medicine, probably as a GP. Is med school hell? Yeah, but so is doing everything right, striking out with no job, and graduating with tons of debt (i.e >95% of law school grads).

OP, you have a 3.75 cGPA and a B in O-Chem, and you're bailing ship? I'm not sure where you are getting the idea that you must ace O-chem to get into med school, but it is simply not true. I'm really hoping that you have other reasons for switching, because a 3.75 is actually above the average med school matriculant average.

Also, regarding the quoted post, correct me if I'm wrong, but are you saying he should settle for being a GP because he got a B in O-chem? That's not really how it works. Medical school performance and step scores (along with research, etc.) are what determines specialty, not ugrad grades. He would have more or less the same chances to match into a competitive specialty as every other med student.

[jarofsoup]

I pretty sure you should go to law school if you want to be a lawyer........I really extreme situations I would say if you want to be a lobbyist or someone who does legislative drafting....but I am pretty sure these things come after a brief legal career....

[johansantana21]

Okay, but what was your grade in organic chemistry ?

Well, I decided february of Freshman year that I didn't want to go to med school anymore, but shopping period had ended already and I was still stuck in Organic Chem. I accordingly didn't try anywhere near as hard as people who actually needed the class and did poorly. I could've just dropped it, but I figured I'd help lower the curve somewhat and failed the class on purpose. At my undergrad, failed classes don't show up on your transcript, so it's the same thing as non-punitively dropping the course.

Man, Stonybrook is such a joke.

[romothesavior]

Okay, but what was your grade in organic chemistry ?

Well, I decided february of Freshman year that I didn't want to go to med school anymore, but shopping period had ended already and I was still stuck in Organic Chem. I accordingly didn't try anywhere near as hard as people who actually needed the class and did poorly. I could've just dropped it, but I figured I'd help lower the curve somewhat and failed the class on purpose. At my undergrad, failed classes don't show up on your transcript, so it's the same thing as non-punitively dropping the course.

Man, Stonybrook is such a joke.

Seriously, you'd be better off failing than getting a D+? What kind of TTT nonsense is that?

[094320]

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[romothesavior]

Man, Stonybrook is such a joke.

Seriously, you'd be better off failing than getting a D+? What kind of TTT nonsense is that?

What's Stonybrook? Didn't have any grades below Cs other than No Credit, which just results in a transcript wipe of the course.[/quote]
I dunno anything about stonybrook, I am just commenting on how much of a joke that policy is. If you did bad on the first test you might as well fail and retake than try the rest of the way and take your B.

[Olittle]

You also realize that a B in O-chem will not lock you out of med school right? With some really killer WE and a great MCAT score, you could still make it into a T10 med school.

If you still don't want med school, then I'm going to echo what people in this thread are saying: chill out and figure out what you're into instead of trying to go to law school because you think it means a guaranteed job (spoiler: it doesn't)

[Geist13]

yeah this is a flame. I had a lot of bio/chem friends in undergrad. The ones who managed a C in orgo were thrilled.