<p>Alright CC, I'm about 18 years old and I just got into college. My main interests are Economics, Chemistry/Physics, and Philosophy in that order. As a result of my high school debate career, I've been filled with these grandiose ideas involving values and justice and whatnot. However, my intended major is engineering even though I have no idea what it means -- I picked it because it's practical and it incorporates a lot of chemistry/physics. Now, I feel like I've made a bad choice. Ideally, I would like to help prosecute war criminals and bring light to human rights violations across the world. If I could somehow bag a job in the world court or International criminal court, I'd be set. Working for the ACLU also sounds like a good idea. I don't care about money, but why would I? I don't have responsibilities. Second to the ideal, I would like to work in an investment firm. </p>
<p>I like taking standardized tests because they seem like fun logic puzzles that you would find in a newspaper or something. That being said, I just took a practice LSAT and got a 168. I'm sure I can raise it by a few points in the next few years insofar as I don't drink like a fish. Would you advise me to stick with engineering or change to economics? Would you advise me to go to law school to do my ideal work or do you think this is some sort of naive, 18 year old's fantasy? I feel like I'm being a sellout by trying to be practical. </p>
<p>Also, I read a lot that Law school is about LSAT/GPA, but to what extent would I need to get involved in extracurriculars to attend a top 10 law school? </p>
<p>Any personal stories by you CC lawyers would be greatly appreciated. You can give me insight into how realistic my goals are.</p>
<p>There are like… maybe 50 people in the world who practice international war crime law. Half of them have to defend the war criminals rather than prosecute them. Planning to be a war crimes prosecutor is really, really, really not smart.</p>
<p>It sounds nice to say that you want to do public interest work and don’t care about the money. But the fact of the matter is, after making your student loan payments, public interest work is probably going to pay at or below the average income. Not horrible, sure, but not what most people expect coming out of law school.</p>
<p>So let’s say you understand that, and you’re willing to work in any field of law. Well… you still have a problem. Less than half of law school graduates get long term full-time legal employment by nine months after graduation, for one. Many of those that do end up working 60 hour weeks, and they don’t spend that 60 hours browsing the internet or anything.</p>
<p>Now, does that mean you absolutely shouldn’t go into law school? No. If you do get into a top 10 school, and you’re a competent student, you’ll probably be fine. But more importantly, you don’t have to make this decision now. For now, just get good grades (GPA and LSAT really are the only things that matter), and keep this in the back of your mind. If you decide it’s worth the risk, and you can get into a good enough law school, go ahead.</p>
<p>Switch to Econ, follow your dreams. Don’t live a life of regret, you’ll be miserable in a job you hate. Yes, top law schools are hard and the bar is a very tough exam but you’re obviously smart and dedicated to being a lawyer. Your LSAT score is also impressive for a no study practice test. </p>
<p>You’re only 18, don’t give up on your dreams this early. If it doesn’t pan out, find another job or switch your major. But try, as you never know what you are capable of until you take that first step. I wish you the best of luck.</p>
<p>Well, those are two extremely divergent answers. </p>
<p>“Your LSAT score is also impressive for a no study practice test”
I wouldn’t say that this is a no study test. Like I said, I enjoy standardized tests and find practice problems to solve in my free time.</p>
<p>Don’t get me wrong, you’re smart and your LSAT score is impressive for a no formal study practice test. You shouldn’t give up on your dreams either; it’s just that for a lot of kids in your position, actual legal practice isn’t much like their dream.</p>
<p>In terms of war crimes work and such, often it’s not a field in and of itself. Expert lawyers with years of experience take on those cases.</p>
<p>Do a great job in college and then reassess. The legal market is spectacularly tough right now, but who knows what it might be in four years.</p>