People who get good grades in college, prepare for the LSAT, and prepare their law school applications sometimes still can’t answer the question: “Should I go to law school?” Actually, most people can’t.
Many applicants study law for undefined reasons: they simply want a graduate degree; or they believe that being a lawyer will make them rich; or they believe that being a lawyer is like in the movies. If you study law for any of these reasons, the profession will not be as rewarding as you think.
Before spending time and money preparing for the LSAT, preparing applications, and obtaining loans, you should carefully consider why you want to go to law school.
When you ask, “Should I go to law school?” You must recognize that legal practice is not very lucrative or financially rewarding. Only a small percentage of attorneys (i.e. plaintiffs’ attorneys and partners at large law firms) are actually making a lot of money.
If you want to go to law school because you want to deal with cases like in the movies, remember that most legal practices are more like clerical jobs. More than 99% of civil cases are resolved and many cases are decided on the basis of the pleadings (either on motions to dismiss or for summary judgment). Consequently, the time an attorney spends in court is minimal at best.
Lawsuits are more common in criminal cases. However, because 90% of criminal cases result in guilty pleas, the vast majority of a criminal attorney’s time is spent negotiating and reaching plea agreements.
Plus, studying law just to get a degree will cost you a lot of money. Enrollment continues to increase at an alarming rate. Therefore, you will need a fairly high paying job just to pay off your loans. Many schools have loan repayment programs for government and public service jobs, but they do not always have such programs.) Aside from loans, you could pay your tuition with a scholarship, but schools generally award scholarships to applicants with high LSAT scores. (So a good LSAT prep course and / or effective LSAT prep in general will be of great use to you.)
This is not a negative stance towards the law or the profession. This article is simply intended to provide you with all the information you need to make an informed decision. Consequently, when asking yourself, “Should I go to law school?” Keep these factors in mind and in the conversation.
