Law School

ShaedyKD · #1 07-09-2003, 11:52 PM

I have a couple questions for all of you law students out there, and I know there are quite a few of you!

I'm taking an LSAT prep course right now, and plan to take the test in October. I have mainly been looking at schools in Florida, but am starting to think that I should broaden my search to other states. Did any of you make a huge move when you started law school? I've moved many times in my life, but have always been with my family. I would love to go to school in Washington DC, but think that it's a huge change to make while starting law school.

As far as financial aid goes, were you able to get scholarships/loans to cover your expenses? My college fun is basically spent, so I plan on applying for financial aid...but I'm worried about not having enough. Did you have time for a part time job while attending school?

Thanks to everyone who answers my questions! I was just looking online all day at different school's websites, and it got me thinking about a lot of things. Attending law school is something I am very serious about, and I just wanted to hear some advice from people who have been in my shoes!

~Shae

AlphaChiCutie · #2 07-11-2003, 11:42 AM

I'm looking at law schools too. I won't be graduating until next year though. I'm starting to go through LSAT books, and I'm going to take a Kaplan class in the spring. Where are you looking to apply? I'll probably stay in state (UGA or Emory).

cashmoney · #3 09-07-2003, 02:13 AM

Going out of state can depend on a lot of things. It'll cost more if you dont have a residency, for starters. And as far as financial aid goes, I wouldn't worry myself with that just yet. Wait until after you get back your LSAT scores, you could do well enough to get a full ride. I have 4 friends who all got full rides to UF law. I'd also suggest that you look at each school and try to find out what they're known for more less. For example, Stetson down by where you are is known more less as a school where litigators like to go. Litigation is not my thing and so I wouldn't like to go there. It's also more expensive being a private school. I, like you, will be taking the LSAT this Fall term. My GPA isnt the best in the world and so I have to do good on the LSAT. I have good test taking skills. Thats basically the reason why I got into college in the first place. I did really well on the SAT but my GPA wasn't something I liked to talk about. And from what I understand, while in your first year in Law School there is simply no time for a job on the side. It's kinda like this: 1st year they scare you to death, 2nd death they work you to death, 3rd year they bore you to death.

Munchkin03 · #4 09-07-2003, 11:24 AM

I think the jobs in law school thing has been discussed by some of the law students and attorneys on GC. From what I can remember, they highly discourage it in the first year, and some schools downright prohibit first years from working.

I don't know if it helps you any, but I made a pretty big move for architecture school (another place where it's three years of intensely hard work, and you're not supposed to have a PT job)--to NYC, nonetheless. Most schools will provide housing (especially law schools), and larger loans are available to offset the cost of an expensive legal education than are available for undergrad. I guess it depends on if you're really interested in going to a prestigious school. Personally, I think taking out loans is worth it if you want to go to a "good" school.

valkyrie · #5 09-07-2003, 11:36 AM

I went only an hour away for law school, but it was kind of a spur of the moment decision for me -- I took the LSAT in June, applied, and started in August. I took out loans for my first year, which was more than enough money, but I attended a super cheap, public school in an area where it's very inexpensive to live. Our administration told us that the ABA prohibited first year law students from having jobs. I don't know if that's actually true, but I would strongly advise against having a job first year. Your first year grades are incredibly important in terms of finding summer jobs and making law review -- which can both be very, very important to your career. Attorneys tend to be both school and grade snobs, so it's in your best interest to go to the best school that you can. Second and third year I got scholarships but I still took out student loans to pay my living expenses, but I also worked part time. That was fine for me, and I actually found that I was better at managing my time when I had more to do -- class, work, law review, etc.

When deciding where to go to school, you should think about what you want to do after you graduate. If you want to work at a large law firm (and if you do, more power to you!) you should look at the US News law school rankings and attend the highest ranked school that you can, although you should also take into account where you want to practice law and consider going somewhere nearby so you will have lots of alumnae support when you graduate.

This has nothing to do with what you've asked, and I hope I don't sound bitchy (because that is not my intent at all) but I hope that you have VERY SERIOUSLY considered why you want to attend law school and what you want out of a legal career. Quite honestly, I wish that someone had told me that before I went because I probably shouldn't have gone at all. I harp on this all the time -- be sure you know what you're getting into because it's a rough, expensive journey. I hope that you're going into this with realistic expectations as to what a legal career involves (I say that because I did not). In other words, I hope that other people can learn from my mistakes.

Good luck, and let me know if you have any other questions!

AchtungBaby80 · #6 09-07-2003, 12:01 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by valkyrie
This has nothing to do with what you've asked, and I hope I don't sound bitchy (because that is not my intent at all) but I hope that you have VERY SERIOUSLY considered why you want to attend law school and what you want out of a legal career. Quite honestly, I wish that someone had told me that before I went because I probably shouldn't have gone at all. I harp on this all the time -- be sure you know what you're getting into because it's a rough, expensive journey. I hope that you're going into this with realistic expectations as to what a legal career involves (I say that because I did not). In other words, I hope that other people can learn from my mistakes.

What happened?

valkyrie · #7 09-07-2003, 12:57 PM

I just hate being an attorney.

cashmoney · #8 09-07-2003, 02:21 PM

But do you like the money? I'd be rather happy to just be a University professor of Western Humanities or European/American History. But based on the money I see being made by friends and family members in the field of personal injury, I just cant turn down that opportunity. Most would agree that I'm wanting to go into it for all the wrong reasons, but most personal injury attorneys seem to be in everything for the wrong reason....money.

valkyrie · #9 09-07-2003, 02:27 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by cashmoney
But do you like the money?

Actually, no, I don't particularly care about money. I had the chance to go work at a large law firm making tons of $$$ (after clerking for a federal judge), but the lifestyle and long hours required is absolutely NOT WORTH IT to me. My friends at large law firms are all unhappy. The people I have enountered who work at large law firms and are not unhappy are, IMHO, freaks with whom I would not wish to have contact on a regular basis.

Anyway, I work as a public defender now so I don't make jack. I actually like my job, except for the law part, lol. Money would absolutely never make me happy if I didn't like my job.

bruinaphi · #10 09-08-2003, 07:19 PM

Valkyrie is on the money in terms of evaluating why you want to go to law school. I applied to law school knowing I didn't want the big firm thing. Taking out loans and putting myself in that position was risky knowing that I was not going to wind up in a job where I would start at 100K.

On the job issue, if you go to a school that is a member of NALP: National Association of Law Placement, you have to sign something when you're admitted that says you won't work your first year. I think that it might have specified that you couldn't have a legal job, but am getting old. Some of my friends worked as aerobic instructors and taught really early before class, but other than that no one could really hold a job and meet the requirements of first year.

I also want to confirm that lawyers are HUGE grade and school snobs. It is definitely in your best interest to go to the best school you can get into. Keep in mind that law schools look at everything about you. I had ok grades from a prestigous undergrad and a very good LSAT score. I applied to 14 schools and was accepted at 9 of them, waitlisted at 3 and rejected from 2. I highly recommend working with an academic counselor on targeting "Sure Thing," "Likely," and "Reach" schools to apply to.

Good luck!

LD

jonsagara · #11 09-08-2003, 11:50 PM

Question for either valkyrie or lauradav:

Should I go to school in the state where I intend to practice, or are law school curriculums general enough where I can go to any school and then study to take a particular state's bar exam?

CC1GC · #12 09-09-2003, 12:07 AM

It seems a lot of people consider taking the LSAT just for the hell of it. I had two roommates in consecutive years that both took the test and although they finished with respectable scores, it wasn't enough for them to even consider applying to law school.

bruinaphi · #13 09-09-2003, 12:22 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by jonsagara
Question for either valkyrie or lauradav:

Should I go to school in the state where I intend to practice, or are law school curriculums general enough where I can go to any school and then study to take a particular state's bar exam?

It depends upon the school and the state. If you go to a national law school you can live where ever you want. If you go to a more local law school (not nationally ranked), you have to go to one located close to where you want to practice (if you want to work for a big firm).

LD

ShaedyKD · #14 09-09-2003, 01:08 AM

Thanks to everyone who replied, I'm soaking up all the helpful info! I just have a few more questions though...

Any thoughts on 1st Tier, 2nd Tier, etc? I have the 2004 US News and World Report rankings, and were a little bit confused. Some schools are ranked #1 for say environmental law, yet they are a Tier 3 school in the general ranking. Would you recommend going to a school with a higher specialty ranking, or higher overall ranking?

Did any of you start law school planning on being a defense lawyer and totally change tracks and go into international law or something? I guess I'm just wondering if changing directions in law school is as easy as changing majors in undergrad.

Lauradav, you mentioned applying to 14 schools...that seems like a lot! Is that so you had a lot of options, or were you not exactly sure where you wanted to go? How did you narrow it down after you got accepted to 9 schools? It was suggested to me to apply to about 5-7 schools, would it be in my best interest to apply to more?

I'm really starting to get nervous about the LSAT, can anyone give me pointers that got them through the few weeks prior to the test and the test itself?!! I take it October 4th and I'm skrrred!

Thanks again everyone for sharing your experiences!

bruinaphi · #15 09-09-2003, 01:45 AM

I would completely disregard the specialty rankings and go to the best law school that you get into. Lawyers care a lot more about what school you went to and what your grades were than what the specialty is that the law school is known for. I went to law school thinking that I wanted to practice Environmental Law (my undergrad was Geography & Environmental Studies). When I took Env. Law in law school and would be happy doing that some day, but since graduating I've practiced Criminal and Corporate Litigation and Corporate Transactional Law. I never would have guessed that I would be doing what I'm doing now when I started or even graduated from law school. To make a long story short I would go to the highest ranking school you get into if you are planning on applying for firm jobs.

I applied to a lot of law schools compared to some people primarily b/c I was a really borderline candidate for top tier schools and my counselor told me to apply to a lot of them to increase my admissions chances. I also had a lot of extraciriculars going for me (I played lacrosse and was on student government at a large state school). They boosted my admissions chances as well. It was very interesting to see where I got in and where I didn't.

The only advise I can give on the LSAT is to do your Kaplan homework. I took Kaplan too and I just did workbook problems again and again. I figured I couldn't practice too much. Back in the day we didn't get our results for 6 weeks -- that was actually the worst part -- waiting for results. I had a recurring nightmare about bailing on the LSAT every night for 6 weeks. Of course after that it was that I didn't get into law school and then after that it was that I failed out of law school. It is always something in the process unless you are smart and do it the way Valkyrie did.

It's a very emotional process. I lived in the house while applying and there were six of us going through it plus my boyfriend. Talk about tough tension to deal with -- ugh!