LAW SCHOOL CAN BITE ME.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by socialite

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...

This is a very good question to ask yourself. Most lawyers make a comfortable living. Not all lawyers "roll in the money." A lot depends on where you live and what kind of practice you have.

Originally Posted by KSigkid

. . . 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.

I'm going to disagree with this just a little. I think it depends on what you mean by "successful." If you mean "making the most money," then you're probably right (except you should remove public interest and government lawyers from your list -- they'll rarely make as much in those sectors as they could in private or corporate practice). If you mean quality of life -- family, outside interests, etc. -- then I'd say maybe, maybe not. After 20+ years of practice, I've seen way too many "successful lawyers" who lament missing big chunks of their kids' lives or who are looking at serious burnout. It's kind of like the old saw -- nobody ever uttered the last words "I wish I'd spent more time at the office."

Don't get me wrong -- I know plenty of lawyers who love the "tons of hours at the office" life and don't regret it all, and who have happy family and personal lives. But I also know many who are looking to "escape" private practice for what they see as a more balanced life. (I've also known my fair share of wives -- almost always wives -- who want their husbands to get out of the jobs that require so much time at the office and who really resent that he's not there for meals, for bedtimes, for soccer games, etc.) Again, a lot can depend on where you are and what kind of practice you have.

The important thing is for a lawyer to decide for him- or herself what "success" means and then go for it . . . even if it means making less money.

[ASTalumna06]

Near the end of my sophomore year of college, I also decided that I wanted to go to law school (after dreading the fact that I spent 2 years thinking I wanted to be an engineer). I changed my major to political science, and I took a few upper-level classes that were law-based… American Judicial Behavior, Constitutional Law, International Law and Organizations, etc. Near the end of my undergraduate studies I took the LSAT. Was it long and painful? Yes. But I got through it and I did well.

I knew that I had to get a job following graduation, and I attempted to find a position as a paralegal. It didn’t work out so well. I then decided to go back to school for a paralegal certificate at Northeastern University. The course was a lot of hours (ranging from 6 to 14 hours per week, not including time for homework), but it was only over a period of a few summer months. I received the certificate with a 4.0 for the course. I knew that law is what I wanted to be involved with, and I figured this was a good start for me. I planned that sometime over the next year or two I would start law school and take night classes.

I then started working as a paralegal. I love it. But sometimes I look at some of the lawyers and they seem extremely stressed. I understand that comes with the job, but I don’t know if that’s what I want to deal with on a daily basis. I enjoy where I am, and I have a lot of room for growth in this career. Quite honestly, in the firm I work for, I sometimes feel that I have a better understanding for some of the cases because I work so extensively on them, while the attorneys have to constantly be reminded of the details because they work on so many cases each day.

Some people know that it’s what they want to do, and that may be you. But don’t jump into it so quickly without first knowing what you’re getting yourself into. Many law students find halfway in that it’s not where they want to be. Some actually graduate law school and find that the real world experience is completely different from what and how they were taught in school. And some make incorrect assumptions that the profession is as glamorous as it’s portrayed in movies and on tv.

My suggestion to you is to step back and analyze your current situation. Find out what kind of person you are and what you’re truly interested in. You just started this endeavor toward entering law school. Why are you stressed? You took a practice LSAT and didn’t do well. I didn’t either my first time. Many people don’t. Some people study and practice for a year before they make their first attempt at taking the test. As I’ve said, law can be a high stress practice. Will you be able to handle that if you’re already overwhelmed with tests and applications?

Another suggestion is to write to law schools and ask if there are current students or alumni you can contact to inquire about their situations and experiences. Also consider writing to attorneys in the surrounding community asking them about their positions and the advantages and disadvantages in the profession. This would also be a good measure if you were looking to decide what type of law you think you would like to eventually like to practice.

[fantASTic]

Yeah..I've been thinking about law school as well. What is considered a good LSAT score for a T1 school? I took a practice one and got a 164, and have been studying since then with a prep book.

What kinds of scores do you need for a T1 school? What about GPA? What is more important, a good GPA or a good LSAT score?

Also: I heard that if you take the LSAT twice, they average the scores instead of replacing. Is this true?

Thanks!

[DoubleTDG]

Most schools do not average the scores anymore (at least when I took it because they changed it). A good place to start is look at the websites of the schools you want to attend. They will post what their mean LSAT and GPA. The GPA, LSAT and personal statement are weighted differently at either school but for T1 if they are not stellar then you are going to have problems.

[unspokenone25]

Originally Posted by socialite

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?

Geez. If you can't get through the LSAT, how are you going to get through three years of law school and the Bar? Calm down and follow some of the advice that was given here from fellow attorneys, lawyers, law students, and fellow intelligent GCers.

[ree-Xi]

Originally Posted by socialite

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?

Yes, it's great to start "early". But no one is going to take you seriously if you continue to approach a possible career in law (or anything else, for that matter), so haphazardly. My thoughts:

1. If you are freaking out this much about something that you just "decided" a few days ago, then you really need to reassess the matter by which reach any major decision in your life. If you have done your due diligience, you would have a better idea of what to expect in terms of skills you need to develop, typical learning curves, and the lifelong commitment practicing law entails. Once your pass the bar, your studies do not end.

It goes without saying that if you are willing to give up after just a few days pretty much shows that you haven't put much thought into it.

2. "Law school can bite my ass". This does not sound like something that someone who truly respects the field or law would say. A legitimate law candidate understands and accepts the time and cost of education, skills development, open mindedness for multiple thought processes and personal growth that goes into preparing for, passing and succeeding in each step of his/her studies and career.

3. After taking one or two practice tests, you are so willing to give up, then please do. No one is going to offer advice or pity to you simply because you are casually entertaining taking on something that takes intense dedication.

It sounds to me like it's time to start taking yourself seriously, ask yourself what you really want in life, and see where or if pursuing law (not everyone makes it) is a path you want to consider. I also suggest following the advice of those professionals here who have been through the law school process.

If you are serious, I wish you the best of luck.

[socialite]

Thanks for the crude advice... I assure you I needed it...

You're right and after reading that post I decided to do more research on something other than the internet and from personal experience...

I went to a bookstore and skimmed books for about an hour and found a book called "Going to Law School?", it is very interesting and exactly what i needed to put my mind at ease, it even had a little personality aptitude test to see if you could fit the profile of a successful law student =D... not that I'm putting any faith in it but it was interesting no less... but it does have a step by step guide of what happens at a normal law school which is what i was looking for

The truth is my biggest fear is the future so my seemingly crazed nutso rant is really just me scared out of my mind at me failing miserable in a life long commitment because i have a problem with nitpicking every possible detail and deciding what could happen if I went down that path. Unfortunately most of those paths are failure as with any other field. I'm really not crazy, i just worry about different things than most people. Once again thank you so much for all of your help! Its all very appreciated.

[KSigkid]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

I'm going to disagree with this just a little. I think it depends on what you mean by "successful." If you mean "making the most money," then you're probably right (except you should remove public interest and government lawyers from your list -- they'll rarely make as much in those sectors as they could in private or corporate practice). If you mean quality of life -- family, outside interests, etc. -- then I'd say maybe, maybe not. After 20+ years of practice, I've seen way too many "successful lawyers" who lament missing big chunks of their kids' lives or who are looking at serious burnout. It's kind of like the old saw -- nobody ever uttered the last words "I wish I'd spent more time at the office."

Don't get me wrong -- I know plenty of lawyers who love the "tons of hours at the office" life and don't regret it all, and who have happy family and personal lives. But I also know many who are looking to "escape" private practice for what they see as a more balanced life. (I've also known my fair share of wives -- almost always wives -- who want their husbands to get out of the jobs that require so much time at the office and who really resent that he's not there for meals, for bedtimes, for soccer games, etc.) Again, a lot can depend on where you are and what kind of practice you have.

The important thing is for a lawyer to decide for him- or herself what "success" means and then go for it . . . even if it means making less money.

I meant more in the sense that they are best able to serve the interests of their clients, not necessarily in a monetary sense. I think I went a bit overboard in my response to socialite's post; I was mainly trying to stress that, while law school is a lot of hard work, so is the practice of law.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by KSigkid

I meant more in the sense that they are best able to serve the interests of their clients, not necessarily in a monetary sense. I think I went a bit overboard in my response to socialite's post; I was mainly trying to stress that, while law school is a lot of hard work, so is the practice of law.

Agreed, and I see your point on serving your clients. I was probably still reacting to the OP questioning whether she just was interested in rolling in the dough -- that plus I'm getting to the age where I've just seen too many friends who are good lawyers hit burnout (or worse) and too many marriages suffer or fail because of work.

[KSigkid]

Originally Posted by fantASTic

Yeah..I've been thinking about law school as well. What is considered a good LSAT score for a T1 school? I took a practice one and got a 164, and have been studying since then with a prep book.

What kinds of scores do you need for a T1 school? What about GPA? What is more important, a good GPA or a good LSAT score?

Also: I heard that if you take the LSAT twice, they average the scores instead of replacing. Is this true?

Thanks!

It really depends on your GPA, where you went undergrad, and the school where you're applying. A 164 is a good score, so if your GPA is good, and you went to a solid undergrad, you're on the right track. I'm at a school on the back end of T1, and a 164 would have put you in good position.

That said - you really should check the stats on the school website, as well as on the LSAC site. Like DoubleDTG said, each school will weigh GPA and LSAT scores differently. Generally, though, you should be strong in both areas, especially if you're looking T1.

Also - if anyone is thinking of applying to law school and has any specific questions, you can certainly send me a PM. I've answered questions before for posters and tried to give good advice.

[Troll Buster]

Originally Posted by socialite

I went to a bookstore and skimmed books for about an hour and found a book called "Going to Law School?", it is very interesting and exactly what i needed to put my mind at ease, it even had a little personality aptitude test to see if you could fit the profile of a successful law student =D... not that I'm putting any faith in it but it was interesting no less... but it does have a step by step guide of what happens at a normal law school which is what i was looking for

Come, come, now. You and I both know this is a lie. You and I both know you do not plan on going to lawschool. I read your post in another closed thread about you rolling up your sleeves....like you're really going to do something. See, it's comments like these that tell me YOU ARE A TROLL. You've just wasted professional attorneys and hard working law students time. You said it yourself. You weren't expecting so many responses. Why is that?

I'm watching you.

[Troll Buster]

Please do not feed the troll. This one seems mild, but may bite.