Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Yikes

So last night after I posted (and edited several times) I kept reading late into the evening. It freaked me out a lot. I don't want to be stupid and naive and bullheaded and go when so many who've come before me are advising me to run screaming. But I also don't want to miss out on a great opportunity.

Even if I only borrow the 9000 for tuition/fees, and just enough to cover the babysitter (another 9000 or so) I'll still come out owing quite a bit at graduation. Add to that the fairly large amount I already owe for my undergrad and I'm pretty close to the average debt after law school.

There are a lot of horrible situations right now in legal. I agree that law schools are often really slimy about their recruiting methods and the facts and figures they present to potential students. I also agree that the market is extremely saturated because of the lack of limitations on law schools.

I don't want to be naive and think Home State is any different, or that I'm so super and shiny that I'll beat all the odds. But I really do want to be a lawyer. I love the law, even the really boring paper-pushing parts.

I looked up the average salary for a lawyer in Home State and while it's not great, it's also not so bad. I don't want to be a lawyer to make the big bucks. I want to do it because I want to make a difference. Not in the idealistic-I'm-going-to-change-the-world way, but in the if-I-can-help-change-one-person's-life-it's-worth-it way.

Last night I was practically talked out going but I've calmed down a lot. I think I'm going to do it. I love the law too much to not do it.

3 comments:

  1. If you were going to law school just to land the coveted spot at a top law firm making six figures, I'd probably tell you not to go.

    If you were going to law school because you didn't have anything better to do or because your family was pushing you into it, I'd definitely tell you not to go.

    But, it sounds like you've thought a lot about this and you're going into it for all the right reasons. I say go for it and don't look back! While there are tons of people out there who say they regret going to law school, I think you just have to ignore the naysayers and do what feels right for you. And once you make up your mind, just go with it - wondering what if is only going to drive you crazy.

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  2. Just keep that end goal in mind: You want to be a lawyer. The Suckdom of Law School is simply the means to that end, and your success (or in my case, lack thereof) in law school has zero to do with whether you will be a good lawyer and enjoy what you do. Just try to enjoy life as best you can. Three years is a long time to hate your life. Accept that it sucks, and get through it.

    There will be plenty of times when you feel exactly like this:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZP5DCXD8vc

    Except with more hysterical crying, while curled into a ball. At least, that's how it was for me.

    I'm a big believer in going in knowing exactly what I'm getting myself into. Therefore, while everyone else was all shocked there were no jobs, I was out tracking one down instead of just whining about it. I had worked as a legal assistant for years before going, so I knew exactly how useless Career Services was and how much the job market sucked when I applied in 2004, and how low the pay was (definitely lower than that median published by the law school). I knew all of that going in, but I also knew that I was diligent (stubborn) enough to find a job no matter what. The only thing I was shocked about is that law school teaches you absolutely nothing useful. I didn't realize that. That's most of what made me bitter. At least your tuition's cheap!

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  3. I think if you really want to do it- go for it. There are so many people that do it for the wrong reasons and it seems that someone like you who is doing for the right reasons should actually follow their dreams! It sounds like you owe a lot of money anyway right- there's a point in debt that once you reach it, it seems like a couple extra G's wont make a difference. Good luck!

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