thinking about law school?

<p>I'm Econ major ( transfer will graduate 2013), and wonder if law school is the right path or not. I heard that, nowadays, lawyers actually don't earn a lot (most lawyers earn less than 6 figure?) I had an NP already b/c not able to drop an impacted course, and always had not heavy courseloads. How hard to get into law schools (the prestigous ones) ?</p>

<p>Is it worthy to pursue law school? ( I'm not very interested in law, but heard some people say that lawyers earn a lot.) Is business school should be more suitable?</p>

<p>Want to hear your view points, thank you.</p>

<p>Go look at the bls for salary info: [url=&lt;a href=“http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos053.htm]Lawyers[/url”&gt;http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos053.htm]Lawyers[/url</a>] </p>

<p>If you do not want to practice law than more than likely law school is not for you. Gone are the days of the universal JD where people often went to law school with the hope of it advancing them in a bank or in non legal job.</p>

<p>To figure out how your GPA will be figured go to LSAC website and use their calculator to see if your GPA will preclude you from getting accepted into the tier of school you want.</p>

<p>Go take a practice LSAT (timed and in one sitting… anyone can make a 180 on the LSAT if it is untimed or you take a break between sections) Whatever you make, if you study you will more than likely only raise your score by 3 points… and lots of people spend tens of thousands of dollars on powerscore and private tutors to get those 3 points.</p>

<p>If you decide you are interested go ahead and hire a law school adviser, everyone is using them now.</p>

<p>Do not go to law school.</p>

<p>There is a vast over-supply of lawyers.</p>

<p>I have a JD and an MBA.</p>

<p>I think the MBA is the better course of action, although even on that issue, the MBA degree has been cheapened a bit over the years, as more and more people go that route.</p>

<p>I base my advice not only on my own experiences as a lawyer, but that of a myriad of friends and co-workers as well, many of them who were top people.</p>

<p>Do not go – completely agree with floridadad.</p>

<p>Why not?

  1. Your reasons for even thinking about going to law school are lousy.
  2. You have no (or minimal) interest in the law.
  3. Your writing skills are less than optimal (unless you were drafting your question in the middle of a sleepless night after taking medication).</p>

<p>The practice of law is a profession. A service profession – helping people.</p>

<p>Not necessarily life or death work, like a physician, but if I were going to either a doctor’s office or a lawyer’s office, I would be hoping (and expecting) these professionals to have more of an interest in helping me than an interest in getting me to part with my money. I would hope that a lawyer would have more of an interest and some passion for what they are doing than just to make a quick buck.</p>

<p>And no, these days (unless you’ve had enormous student aid assistance or wealthy parents) you will spend your first 10 years – assuming you get a job – spending a good chunk of whatever you earn paying back your student loans. Gone are the good old days when I was in law school when you could get out with maybe $10k in loans and a ready job at $70k a year.</p>

<p>Even the high paying jobs (far and few between these days) for novice attorneys mean nothing if you factor in quality of life issues and billable hours. Consider this: if you get a nice $140k/year to start job, you are generally expected to be there 80 hrs a week. What does that mean? You are working 2 full time jobs for $70k/year. With nearly $200k in student loans.</p>

<p>So . . . unless you have real passion for the law; are in it to educate yourself and help people FIRST and make money LAST, and have some talent in the area in which you work, you will be extremely unhappy.</p>

<p>If you want to go to law school, you should be interested in law and you should want to be a practicing attorney for your career.</p>

<p>You are neither interested in law nor are you interested in becoming a practicing attorney. Therefore, you should not go to law school.</p>

<p>And no, lawyers do not make a lot. The only lawyers that make a lot are those in the top of their class. You have to go to a T-14 school and be at least in the top half of your class to secure a big law job. If you go to a regional school, you have to be in the Top 10-20% of your class. If you go to a TTT, you are effed if you are not in the top 1%.</p>

<p>UCLA77:</p>

<p>Your post was excellent, and should be required reading for all kids thinking about going to law school.</p>