Is becoming a lawyer a mistake?

[crazyquik]

Wait, whaaaaaa? I must have did it wrong

 

[Ambulance Chaser]

Originally Posted by Kai

If my kid wanted to become a lawyer, I'd tell him not to bother unless he could get into a top 5 law school.
I agree, unless he knows that he wants to practice in a certain state. In that case, a law degree from the state's law school may be more valuable than a law degree from Harvard.

 

[deadly7]

Originally Posted by rjakapeanut

what if he wants to be a lawyer and gets a free ride at a good regional school
That's a different scenario than the one I'm talking about, obviously. You lumped everybody into one category -- I provided a counterexample.

the whole "opportunity costs" thing is bs, btw

Why?

 

[rjakapeanut]

Originally Posted by deadly7

That's a different scenario than the one I'm talking about, obviously. You lumped everybody into one category -- I provided a counterexample.


Why?

it's really not a different scenario.

opportunity costs is a bullshit argument imo. you don't actually lose anything but time. people say "well in those three years you could've made $X rather than make zero going to law school" don't get that many law students don't have the type of bachelor's degree required to earn a decent salary.

do you really think someone with a bachelor's in english literature is going to regret missing out on 3 years of starbucks wages when he could go to law school and possibly become very wealthy as a lawyer?

Originally Posted by Ambulance Chaser

I agree, unless he knows that he wants to practice in a certain state. In that case, a law degree from the state's law school may be more valuable than a law degree from Harvard.

exactlyyy. that's what most people don't understand. in many states a local degree (in my case LSU or tulane) is all that any local employer can reasonably expect -- people with degrees from higher up schools like harvard or even lower t1 schools like texas-austin aren't coming to louisiana, for example, for work. most of the people who work as lawyers down here got their degrees down here. common sense.

 

[Plestor]

Originally Posted by rjakapeanut

it's really not a different scenario. opportunity costs is a bullshit argument imo. you don't actually lose anything but time. people say "well in those three years you could've made $X rather than make zero going to law school" don't get that many law students don't have the type of bachelor's degree required to earn a decent salary. do you really think someone with a bachelor's in english literature is going to regret missing out on 3 years of starbucks wages when he could go to law school and possibly become very wealthy as a lawyer?
How much of the major choice is due to the ability to go become a lawyer tho. You have a total of 7 years of opportunity cost for the entire tertiary education. Obviously once the undergrad chips have fallen this is different, but who really completes an undergrad in english lit with no intention of going onto law and the choses to later?

 

[rjakapeanut]

Originally Posted by Plestor

How much of the major choice is due to the ability to go become a lawyer tho. You have a total of 7 years of opportunity cost for the entire tertiary education. Obviously once the undergrad chips have fallen this is different, but who really completes an undergrad in english lit with no intention of going onto law and the choses to later?

you're asking who really completes an undergrad in english lit with no intention of going to law school?

LOTS.

 

[Artisan Fan]

Originally Posted by Ambulance Chaser

I agree, unless he knows that he wants to practice in a certain state. In that case, a law degree from the state's law school may be more valuable than a law degree from Harvard.

A college friend went to Boston College for law school. Since he is practicing in Mass, he feels he got a heck of a deal. The BC alumni network is strong and BC is a good law school also.