LAW SCHOOL CAN BITE ME.
 

I am soo frustrated right now with the whole process and granted I'm only a sophomore but I'm the kind of person who freaks out easily about the near and up and coming future... I just recently decided that maybe I should go to law school and I just feel soooooo stupid every time I look at stats or take a Practice LSAT...

Granted I just decided this a couple of days ago but I feel like I could do well in law but so far I just feel more or less retarded...

Advice from any of you older/wiser crowd to put my nerves at ease?

I really hope your thread gets responses from greekchat attorneys or law students, or just plain ol' seasoned members. If it doesn't, I'll have to take you off of my troll suspicion list and classify you as a complete troll.

Ok; I'm going into my third year of school (a 4-year evening program), so here are my two cents. Also, I believe Shinerbock had a great post on the application process somewhere in this forum. You may want to look for it.

You mentioned that you "think you maybe" should go to law school. I would suggest that, before you go through all the trouble and cost of applying to school, you figure out whether you really want to do it. Law school is a ton of work, and a ton of money. Even for those of us who really want to do it, it can be frustrating at times, and make you want to pull your hair out. The application process can be annoying, but it's no match for the stress of finals (or, for taking the bar). You should think long and hard whether it's something you really want to do.

Now, if you do really want to do it, you need to first sit back and take a deep breath. The process is less annoying if you put a lot of thought into it. Unless you have the grades and are planning on going to a top-ranked school (like an Ivy, U of Chicago, University of Michigan, etc.), figure out where you'd want to practice when you graduate. You'll want to go to school in that geographic area, because once you get out of the top 20 or so, local connections become much more important.

Also, be very honest with yourself about where you would fit, numbers-wise. Your grades and LSAT scores are going to dictate where you'll be admitted. Some extracurriculars may help a bit in rounding out your profile, but the importance of your numbers can't be over-emphasized.

Now if your grades and LSAT scores aren't that good, it's not the end of the world. But, you also have to keep future job prospects in mind, and be VERY honest with yourself about your potential for good grades in law school. If you're at one of those top-20 schools, your grades aren't going to matter so much. Anywhere else, though, law school grades will make a big difference, for everything from law journal to jobs. No matter what you want to do, whether it be big law, government work, or public interest, they'll be looking for people with good grades. The general idea is, as you get into T2 and T3 schools, you're going to need higher grades, and higher class rank, to compete in the job market. Also, it will be more important that you've chosen a school with local connections.

As I said, I'm in my third year, and I couldn't be happier with the decision I made. I'm in an evening program at a school that's well-respected in the northeast, I've gotten good grades, and I'm a member of a law journal. It's very tough, and it's a whole lot of work, but I'm working to my goal of being an attorney. Any trouble with the application process was well worth it in the results I've seen in my education. If it's something you truly want to do, then I wish you the best of luck.

Socialite, i second everything in KSig's post. I just graduated in May and I've gotta agree with KSig, you REALLY have to decide for yourself if being an attorney is something you really really want. There were a number of times during my first year that I considered droppng out b/c of the stress, etc. But being a lawyer is something i've wanted since I was little so that kept my motivation up.

I also want to point out not to be stressed that you didnt do so hot on some pre-LSAT exams. It doesn't mean you are retarded and can't do it. All it takes is practice practice practice and learning the tricks to taking the test.
Once you decide that law school is REALLY where you want to be, i would recommend taking an LSAT course like Kaplan or whatever. I remember when i took my first practice LSAT I got a 140....and I too felt pretty retarded. But after practicing a million of those things and taking an LSAT course I ended up with a 165 so i can't complain. Also, bear in mind, even if you don't do the greatest on the LSAT doesnt mean you're going to totally bomb in law school. The dude that ranked first in my graduating class had an LSAT score of 151, so there ya go.

Geesh...you won't be a very functional human being then.

My advice:

It's a very good idea to start early. When I wanted to go to law school, I did the pre-law thing and worked at a law school. I got to schmoooze with law folk and take practice LSATS. It was fun stuff at the time but I decided before I graduated that my heart and mind were elsewhere that I found more interesting. :)

Remember that law school isn't for those without a degree of patience, diligence, determination, and logic. It isn't so much about being "smart." Plus, there are graduate degrees that let you exercise your love of certain aspects of the law without law school, if that's your desire.

Since you're starting so early, you have time to feel your way through, get frustrated and take a break, and then get right back on it. But don't get frustrated and give up completely, youngin. Your "youth" is supposed to give you energy and an ability to be optimistic about your future. :)

Don't go, it's a terrible idea!

Ditto almost everything that has been said.

I would add two other comments:

First, I would avoid majoring in pre-law or the like. Majoring in pre-law does nothing but prepare you for law school, and in my experience and from my conversations with law school administrators, law schools consider pre-law majors a dime a dozen. Besides, law schools want to be the ones to teach you about the law. Major in something you really enjoy (which will likely yield better grades with less stress) and that will give you something to fall back on if law school doesn't pan out or if you decide against it. It may also provide some student body diversity that law school admissions people are looking for. (I had quite a few tell me that my major in music was considered a big plus for me.)

Second, learn how not to be "the kind of person who freaks out easily about the near and up and coming future." Seriously! If you don't, law school and practicing law will be unbearable.

And one other thing -- drop the word "retarded" from your vocabulary. It doesn't impress.

Are you implying my advice was not sound? :(

Good advice and this also depends on what your college/university considers "pre-law." Some pre-law programs are by name only and are really just a mixture of courses from different departments that seem "lawish." They really don't prepare for law school.

I found that a lot of students are able to enjoy the "lawish" types of programs because they end up settling into a department that they love. Then this prepares many of them for graduate school, if they don't want to go to law school.

Now, why would you assume that your very apt post was the reason for my "almost"? Your advice was quite sound. ;)

I will be starting Law School in the fall, and would suggest you find the book Law School Confidential (it was suggested by a 3L to me and has been helpful in the entire process). Read it cover to cover, and pay close attention to the first section called "So you wanna be a lawyer..." After reading this book you might have a better idea if law school is really for you.

WOW! I didn't expect the flood! But this is awesome thank you so much guys/gals!

I'm actually a psychology major for those of you who pointed out that a dif. major is important...
I have alot to think about based on all of this, like whether or not I'm going into law because I want to be an attorney or whether or not I'm going into law to roll in the money...
I used to work in a law office as a legal investigator (which is like french for gopher) =D but I got a good feel because I attended many things such as meetings and court-dates with my boss and I know I could excell in the courtroom...
From reading this though the question is whether or not I have the gahones to do all the work it takes to make it out of law school alive...

Once again thanks for all the responses it was a pleasant surprise!

My apologys, I did not mean to offend.

Not to harp on this response, but your statement may be a clue to your final answer. Law school is a lot of work, don't get me wrong, but in my experience most of the successful attorneys are ones who put in a TON of hours at the office, doing high-pressure work, whether it be corporate, public interest, government, or whatever. The attorneys I know work a lot, and have a lot of stresses in their professional lives. It's really their love of the work that helps them enjoy the profession.

That's not even mentioning the time involved in studying for the bar exam, which is a full-time job on its own. Getting through law school is just the start.

I'm not saying you shouldn't do it; I don't know you and I don't know how you really feel, beyond your posts on a message board. I'm just saying that you should think very hard before investing your time, money and emotions into the process.

I understand what you're saying, well put...
I believe a wise man once said 'everything worth having is worth working for'