Is becoming a lawyer a mistake?

[Kuro]

Originally Posted by Siggy

Quoted for truth. Law school right now is a losing proposition for about 80% of law students, which means for about a few million people. Plus, tuition is sky high. Tuition at NYU or Columbia (the more expensive schools) is about 50 grand a year.

The tuition is one big

... almost every school charges what a T5 school charges.

 

[TheFoo]

Originally Posted by Siggy

Tuition at NYU or Columbia (the more expensive schools) is about 50 grand a year.

Yes, but a law degree from NYU or Columbia will pay for itself--in all likelihood. You cannot say the same for lower tier schools that charge 40-45 grand.

 

[Kuro]

Originally Posted by mafoofan

Yes, but a law degree from NYU or Columbia will pay for itself--in all likelihood. You cannot say the same for lower tier schools that charge 40-45 grand.

and this isn't even as certain as it once was. recently saw a resume from an unemployed Harvard law, ex-Cravath, ex-GS lawyer....

 

[rjakapeanut]

Originally Posted by Flambeur

80? ****, more like 90+... Or maybe it's just me.

probably.

it's just not a good idea right now unless your plan is really solid.

i think it's a good idea if....

1.) you actually want to be a lawyer, and not just a rich guy.
2.) you identify your floor, and know you'll be satisfied with that career for atleast a few years. it's obviously years away, but i have a few friends at the public defenders office and i wouldn't be unhappy with that job.
3.) work out your opportunity costs and tuition costs. law school is going to be free for me. i'll come out with $0 debt.

the reason it looks so bad right now is the kids who DON'T want to be lawyers who decide that being a lawyer will make you rich (it won't) and they go $160k in debt to get there.

 

[AR_Six]

^The reason this is wrong is that anyone with a plan is almost guaranteed to change it. I've been heading to this career since I was 12. But I thought I'd be a litigator or a crim def attorney spending all my time in court until about mid way through 2nd year law school. I'm now doing something completely different. However, in your case, coming out with 0 in debt, and feeling like it's what you want to do (even if you turn out to be wrong) it is a worthwhile venture. I do think you need to go in with a more open mind than you seem to have about, hey, this might just not be for me, but I'll give it a go. Because it will end up being different than your preconceptions no matter where you end up. It takes real honesty and courage to spend that much of your time on something and be able to assess and say, you know, I don't think the law is the right career for me. A lot of people end up staying because they feel like they're pot committed, to use the poker analogy, and I think that produces the sense that a lot of lawyers aren't happy with their profession. It's not just the ones who go in not wanting to be lawyers or not knowing what they want, it's the ones who have convinced themselves that they want to be lawyers (especially a particular kind of lawyer) and aren't willing to admit to themselves that they were wrong.

 

[Radagast]

..

 

[bluemagic]

Originally Posted by Siggy

Quoted for truth. Law school right now is a losing proposition for about 80% of law students, which means for about a few million people. Plus, tuition is sky high. Tuition at NYU or Columbia (the more expensive schools) is about 50 grand a year.

thanks. only about 10% of law students nationwide get jobs through OCIs

 

[arirang]

Originally Posted by mafoofan

Yes, but a law degree from NYU or Columbia will pay for itself--in all likelihood. You cannot say the same for lower tier schools that charge 40-45 grand.

I looked at the US News rankings which helpfully provide tuition fee information.

GOOD GOD it is scandalous how much some of the lowest-ranked law schools charge students.

Anyone paying $40,420 a year to attend the Vermont School of Law (a few Gs less than what Harvard/Stanford/Yale charge) is going to be mighty unhappy when they find out that their starting salary (and possibly their salary for the next couple of years afterward) is probably going to be lower than that.

No one signing up for that could possibly know what they are getting into - otherwise they'd never sign up for it to begin with.

 

[crazyquik]

Originally Posted by Kuro

and this isn't even as certain as it once was. recently saw a resume from an unemployed Harvard law, ex-Cravath, ex-GS lawyer....

He should consider running for President.

 

[ArliHawk`]

Yes, this week.

Working big law hours for government pay.

Maybe I'll have a different opinion next week.

 

[Flambeur]

Originally Posted by Kuro

and this isn't even as certain as it once was. recently saw a resume from an unemployed Harvard law, ex-Cravath, ex-GS lawyer....


wow, ****...

 

[bluemagic]

Originally Posted by arirang

I looked at the US News rankings which helpfully provide tuition fee information.

GOOD GOD it is scandalous how much some of the lowest-ranked law schools charge students.

Anyone paying $40,420 a year to attend the Vermont School of Law (a few Gs less than what Harvard/Stanford/Yale charge) is going to be mighty unhappy when they find out that their starting salary (and possibly their salary for the next couple of years afterward) is probably going to be lower than that.

No one signing up for that could possibly know what they are getting into - otherwise they'd never sign up for it to begin with.

law schools lie on their reported average salaries and other data.

 

[Huntsman]

Originally Posted by Siggy

Quoted for truth. Law school right now is a losing proposition for about 80% of law students, which means for about a few million people. Plus, tuition is sky high. Tuition at NYU or Columbia (the more expensive schools) is about 50 grand a year.
Considering how overpopulated with lawyers the US is, and how many view it as the answer to aimlessness (by choice or parental fiat), I bet it is 90%+. I wonder myself sometimes. ~ H

 

[Huntsman]

Originally Posted by arirang

No one signing up for that could possibly know what they are getting into - otherwise they'd never sign up for it to begin with.
I have to admit I do place a bit of blame on students for not really looking at what they are getting into. I'm not sure how warranted a feeling that is, but I have it. ~ H

 

[rjakapeanut]

Originally Posted by Huntsman

I have to admit I do place a bit of blame on students for not really looking at what they are getting into. I'm not sure how warranted a feeling that is, but I have it.

~ H

well warranted.