Law School

[valkyrie]

Originally posted by APhi Diva
Go to the best school you can get into. Period. Everyone takes a bar review class the summer before the bar exam and that is where you learn what you need to pass the bar.

I mostly agree with this, BUT it depends on what you want to do. If you want to work at a large law firm, you should absolutely go to the best school you can get into. However, if the big firm lifestyle isn't appealing to you and you'd rather do public interest work, you should seriously consider going to a cheaper school. It's impossible to work in public interest (and that includes being a public defender or prosecutor) if you went to a very expensive school because the salaries are low. I did not go to a top school, but I graduated summa cum laude & was on law review, so I had my pick of public interest positions (I got a lot of, "Wow, we've never had someone with such a high GPA apply!") and I landed a federal clerkship. I was never interested in working at a big firm, so going to a top school wasn't important to me at all.

If you don't know what kind of law you want to do, really think about it before you start law school. I'm amazed and saddened every day when I hear about the many unhappy attorneys who feel trapped in their horrible law firm jobs because of their loan debt. Don't let that happen to you!