Law School Advice
In May 2008, I decided to apply to law school. Over the summer, I studied for the LSAT, which I took in October (scoring a 164). I applied to two schools for their part-time programs (George Mason and George Washington). I was accepted at both, and had decided to attend GW starting in August 2009. However, due to a terminal illness in my family, I have put off school for the year, and will reapply this fall to UNC Chapel Hill & Wake Forest’s full-time programs to start in August 2010 so that I can focus solely on school and be closer to home.
For those who are thinking about applying to go to law school, or know someone who is, I wanted to provide some links to websites that I found helpful. So, here are some great links:
LSAT Prep
Admissions
In School & Job Advice
- Hiring Partner’s Office
- Law Student
- The Frugal Law Student
- What I Learned in Law School
- Wish I Would Have Known
Additionally, you can find out information about how much going to law school (studying for the LSAT, applying, and attending) cost me by clicking here.
SeeJaneGetRich.com said
Good luck with your law school plans! I am in my final year of law school and I have really enjoyed the experience. A lot of people told me that law school’s are the similar any where you go because they all have the same kind of courses. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Each law school has a unique culture and how you fit in that culture and your ability to thrive within the culture can determine a whole lot of your happiness for the next three years.
Anonymous said
I don’t know too much about your story because I stumbled onto your site today. I just completed law school this year and wish I’d saved as much as you before I started. I am now $130,000 in debt! I noticed that you have a very high net worth and wonder what you are doing for a living now. Do you enjoy it?
Just make sure that you have a good sense what you want to do with your law degree and whether there are still job opportunities in that area in this economy. Oh, and make sure it won’t be grinding work or soulless. I would advise anyone who isn’t POSITIVE that they want to go to law school now to wait, quite frankly. The economy is miserable. Even the top 10 law school students are scrambling for jobs, and firms everywhere are cutting associates. This matters even (especially?) for people who want to work in public interest jobs, for two reasons. (1) Those people who can’t get a job at a big law firm are now competing for the public interest/small firm jobs, and (2) many law firms are currently employing the strategy of paying future associates to whom they’ve extended offers $60-$80k a year to take the year to volunteer doing public interest work (rather than starting at the firm). Public interest employers won’t pay for something they can get for free.
For more on this, please check out http://www.abovethelaw.com. It’s a website that provides information about the legal community for the legal community and it is very informative. (For example, they have a layoff watch going.) Oh, and if you are thinking of going the firm route after you graduate (as I think you might be from your website choice above), make sure you read the Quinn Emmanuel e-mail 10/16 entry. It will give you a good sense of the lifestyle that could await you.
I would also advise to go to the absolute best law school you can get into. With a 164, perhaps you could go to Georgetown? So many employers won’t even look at candidates if they aren’t from a top-tier school. It’s snobby, and I don’t agree with it, but that’s the way life is. My father is a law school professor, and he gave me that advice when I was conducting my search. I turned down scholarships from severallaw schools (against my better instinct) and instead paid full freight to go to the best school I could, and I don’t regret it given the doors it has opened for me, even if I don’t yet know what I will be doing a year from now… (scary).
I am impressed by the way that you are already reading E&E books! I don’t know anyone who did that before finals crunch period.
Best of luck.
Anonymous said
I just realized that you want to be closer to home. How about Duke’s law school?
beachgirl said
Thanks for all the words of advice. I do not have the numbers to get into Duke (below 25th for both). While I know I could try, I feel it would be a waste. Maybe I’m wrong, but that is my decision.
Originally I was planning to go to school part-time and continue to work while in school. I was supposed to start at GW this fall, but deferred due to an illness in the family. And because of the illness, I want to stay in NC to be closer to my dad, and my mom. I love NC and it is a much better lifestyle compared to living in the DC area like I was.
I am keeping all options open as far as post-law school careers. I want going into whatever I choose to be a choice not because my student loans dictate it (the link above is just advice, not because I’m focusing on big law). While I know the economy is not great, and know very well about the legal field (my former roommate lost her job in February along with over 700 other legal employees and is still looking for full-time work). I’m hopeful that things will change around, but I also have work experience [2 years with the government and 4+ years as a consultant] and a Master’s Degree that will help me find something. While I enjoy what I’m doing now, it’s not something I want to do for the rest of my career. I don’t need to make $150k, especially if that means I have no life. As long as I make enough to pay the bills and put some money towards retirement and savings, I’ll be happy. If I wanted the big money, I could stay in my current field where I could eventually make $100+ (not near that now though).