Law School

[SdK]

If any of you remember, I helped a young lady study for the bar over the summer. We would take turns quizzing one another and to my credit I got roughly half of the questions right. It got me thinking about law school then, and then on campus two weeks ago I saw a poster for a free LSAT diagnostic test and it made me think again about it. I had dinner with the woman (now a lawyer in Topeka) that I had helped study over the summer last night and she interrupted me mid sentence to tell me that I would make a great lawyer. I asked her some questions and am seriously considering trying to get into law school. I am a pre-med/biochem major and still plan to take the MCAT but think I may also take the LSAT in October.

I was just looking for insight into law school, the LSAT, and being a lawyer as a profession. Thanks for any and all commentary.

[Institutional Control]

Are you a good driver? Could you keep up with an ambulance speeding toward a hospital?

[SdK]

I am a phenomenal driver and own a fast car. So...check!

[steve dave]

stick with med

[Rams]

law school is super pud. you could do both easily.

[SdK]

stick with med

I may. I'm also 27 and don't want to waste away my thirties tied up in school. I'd like to get married and start a family and being able to contribute financially. I'm also a well spoken, intelligent guy who is great at debate. All of these things have me considering it. I'm not decided yet, just know that there are a few lawyers and law students on here and wanted to hear what they had to say.

I mean, I could go to grad school and get a masters in 2 years, get a doctorate in 4, go to med school and start practicing in at minimum 6, or I could get my JD and get hired on with a firm and start kicking ass and working my way up to the top in 3.

[bubbles4ksu]

http://abovethelaw.com/2012/02/dear-16-year-old-me-dont-go-to-law-school/

[john "teach me how to" dougie]

Go with lawyer. Doctors will be making 1/2 what they do now in a few years and still have huge malpractice payments.

[bubbles4ksu]

Go with lawyer. Doctors will be making 1/2 what they do now in a few years and still have huge malpractice payments.

don't go with what the cynical conservative who doesn't work in either field says.

[steve dave]

stick with med

I may. I'm also 27 and don't want to waste away my thirties tied up in school. I'd like to get married and start a family and being able to contribute financially. I'm also a well spoken, intelligent guy who is great at debate. All of these things have me considering it. I'm not decided yet, just know that there are a few lawyers and law students on here and wanted to hear what they had to say.

I mean, I could go to grad school and get a masters in 2 years, get a doctorate in 4, go to med school and start practicing in at minimum 6, or I could get my JD and get hired on with a firm and start kicking ass and working my way up to the top in 3.

I think you may have some misconceptions about the market/career outlook for attorneys is right now. This advice can be thrown out the door if you are confident you can get into a T14 school.

[The Tonya Harding of Twitter Users Creep]

Go with lawyer. Doctors will be making 1/2 what they do now in a few years and still have huge malpractice payments.

Link? LOL

[Emo EMAW]

My attorney tells me job market is kinda rough.

[SdK]

http://abovethelaw.com/2012/02/dear-16-year-old-me-dont-go-to-law-school/

Haven't finished, but dear 16 year old me, congrats on graduating high school. I'll now go back to finishing the video.

[chum1]

Law school isn't worth it.  Too few jobs.  And only the top ones pay a lot, but the hours are awful.  Med school has a better payoff. 

[steve dave]

Law school isn't worth it.  Too few jobs.  And only the top ones pay a lot, but the hours are awful.  Med school has a better payoff.

^

[Boom Roasted]

Interesting, just saw this today http://www.businessinsider.com/december-lsat-statistics-2013-1

[SdK]

So I watched the video that Ging posted. I'm not a pussy, have already battled addiction issues and gotten over them, I'm 27 and not a kid, I know the job market is rough, I know what most law grads that get a job are making (less than an RN). My motivations are not heroic, I'm not out to save the world. I'm out to have a career that being intelligent and hard working and well spoken and not afraid of challenges will be traits that will help me succeed. I know that is general and could apply to many things, but I thrive on competition.

I guess that was a response to the video and the comments since I last posted.

[steve dave]

So I watched the video that Ging posted. I'm not a pussy, have already battled addiction issues and gotten over them, I'm 27 and not a kid, I know the job market is rough, I know what most law grads that get a job are making (less than an RN). My motivations are not heroic, I'm not out to save the world. I'm out to have a career that being intelligent and hard working and well spoken and not afraid of challenges will be traits that will help me succeed. I know that is general and could apply to many things, but I thrive on competition.

I guess that was a response to the video and the comments since I last posted.

why did you come ask for input on this decision if you had already accepted that it is a bad financial/career choice and were going to do it anyway?

[Ghost of Stan Parrish]

I know a lot of motivated, intelligent, well-spoken recent law grads who are struggling.  I think they've all found something, but the market is really tough.  That said, three years will make a big difference.  I'd research how much applications are down because this might actually be a good time to get in the game with less competition.

If you go to a great law school you'll be fine.  If you go to a local law school, pick the one with the lowest tuition.

My gut says to tell you "no" based on the recent grads (and 3Ls) I know who are struggling, but if you find apps to law school are way down this might actually be the right time...

[ben ji]

Law school isn't worth it.  Too few jobs.  And only the top ones pay a lot, but the hours are awful.  Med school has a better payoff.

I have 4 friends that went to law school. 2 went to KU, 1 still goes to MU and 1 went to SLU or Wash U.

All 3 that have graduated already have jobs. From what they have told me the job market isnt very bad for new grads who were in the top of their class or went to a really good program. Its the people that graduated in the bottom 1/3rd of their class with no connections who are screwed.

[SdK]

So I watched the video that Ging posted. I'm not a pussy, have already battled addiction issues and gotten over them, I'm 27 and not a kid, I know the job market is rough, I know what most law grads that get a job are making (less than an RN). My motivations are not heroic, I'm not out to save the world. I'm out to have a career that being intelligent and hard working and well spoken and not afraid of challenges will be traits that will help me succeed. I know that is general and could apply to many things, but I thrive on competition.

I guess that was a response to the video and the comments since I last posted.

why did you come ask for input on this decision if you had already accepted that it is a bad financial/career choice and were going to do it anyway?

Because I'm not afraid. I will succeed. I know what the gen pop can get out of law school. I don't see myself as average. I also feel that the attorneys on this board are successful individuals, and that's the company I feel I would find myself in. If I thought we had a bunch of pud, jobless, idiot lawyers here, I wouldn't have asked for input.

[steve dave]

So I watched the video that Ging posted. I'm not a pussy, have already battled addiction issues and gotten over them, I'm 27 and not a kid, I know the job market is rough, I know what most law grads that get a job are making (less than an RN). My motivations are not heroic, I'm not out to save the world. I'm out to have a career that being intelligent and hard working and well spoken and not afraid of challenges will be traits that will help me succeed. I know that is general and could apply to many things, but I thrive on competition.

I guess that was a response to the video and the comments since I last posted.

why did you come ask for input on this decision if you had already accepted that it is a bad financial/career choice and were going to do it anyway?

Because I'm not afraid. I will succeed. I know what the gen pop can get out of law school. I don't see myself as average. I also feel that the attorneys on this board are successful individuals, and that's the company I feel I would find myself in. If I thought we had a bunch of pud, jobless, idiot lawyers here, I wouldn't have asked for input.

You know what would make you more elite? Being the stud MD in goEMAW residence.

[Emo EMAW]

Lots of legal work is being moved to India these days.  The more routine type stuff, obviously.  I guess that means that 1) the stuff you'd work on could generally be more interesting, if 2) the opportunity is even there for you to do it.

[SdK]

So I watched the video that Ging posted. I'm not a pussy, have already battled addiction issues and gotten over them, I'm 27 and not a kid, I know the job market is rough, I know what most law grads that get a job are making (less than an RN). My motivations are not heroic, I'm not out to save the world. I'm out to have a career that being intelligent and hard working and well spoken and not afraid of challenges will be traits that will help me succeed. I know that is general and could apply to many things, but I thrive on competition.

I guess that was a response to the video and the comments since I last posted.

why did you come ask for input on this decision if you had already accepted that it is a bad financial/career choice and were going to do it anyway?

Because I'm not afraid. I will succeed. I know what the gen pop can get out of law school. I don't see myself as average. I also feel that the attorneys on this board are successful individuals, and that's the company I feel I would find myself in. If I thought we had a bunch of pud, jobless, idiot lawyers here, I wouldn't have asked for input.

You know what would make you more elite? Being the stud MD in goEMAW residence.

This is a very solid point. I'm still going to take the MCAT regardless. I just wanted to put feelers out about law school as well. So that if I had to choose between the two in a year, I'd have some solid advice to reflect upon.

[steve dave]

So I watched the video that Ging posted. I'm not a pussy, have already battled addiction issues and gotten over them, I'm 27 and not a kid, I know the job market is rough, I know what most law grads that get a job are making (less than an RN). My motivations are not heroic, I'm not out to save the world. I'm out to have a career that being intelligent and hard working and well spoken and not afraid of challenges will be traits that will help me succeed. I know that is general and could apply to many things, but I thrive on competition.

I guess that was a response to the video and the comments since I last posted.

why did you come ask for input on this decision if you had already accepted that it is a bad financial/career choice and were going to do it anyway?

Because I'm not afraid. I will succeed. I know what the gen pop can get out of law school. I don't see myself as average. I also feel that the attorneys on this board are successful individuals, and that's the company I feel I would find myself in. If I thought we had a bunch of pud, jobless, idiot lawyers here, I wouldn't have asked for input.

You know what would make you more elite? Being the stud MD in goEMAW residence.

This is a very solid point. I'm still going to take the MCAT regardless. I just wanted to put feelers out about law school as well. So that if I had to choose between the two in a year, I'd have some solid advice to reflect upon.

well, that's a good plan