Should YOU Go To Law School?

After teaching LSAT Prep to prelaw students for over 20 years, I have noticed that students often fall into one of two groups:

• Some students are like my former college roommate, who knew he was going to be a lawyer since the time he was 5 years old. Law school is a “no-brainer” for these students and they fully plan on dedicating themselves to that pursuit.
• Other students are like I was: seriously considering law school but not entirely certain about the idea, and still contemplating other options.

I fully understand the mentality of both “types” of students, and one is not better than the other. This post, however, is primarily intended for the second group: prelaw students still contemplating whether or not to go to law school. Spoiler alert: I never tell any student whether they should or should not go to law school –  it is a very personal decision that is right for some people and not others, just like every other profession. That begin said, here are some general thoughts to consider, in no particular order:

1. If possible, speak to some lawyers in different fields about their jobs. Or read up about it on the internet. It is worth noting whether these lawyers like their work, but even more important is whether you feel you would like their work. There is a wide variety of different jobs in the legal field, and the day-to-day work can be dramatically different from one job to another. In other words, get a sense of what lawyers actually do and the variety of different opportunities that present themselves with a law school degree, and see if one or more of those options seems like a good fit for you.
2. Remember that people sometimes choose to get a law school degree even if they do not want to be a lawyer. Many businesspeople, politicians, sports and entertainment agents, etc. find a law school degree to be valuable. If you are considering that path, evaluate whether the opportunities that open up with a law school degree make it a worthwhile venture.
3. Keep in mind that you can reevaluate the decision at each step of the way. One thing I strongly encourage prelaw students who are “on the fence” about law school to consider is that your initial decision does not need to be your final decision.
   • If you are seriously considering law school, take the first step and prepare for the LSAT. That sounds obvious, but that simple task alone may move you in one direction or another. Remember that the LSAT is specifically designed for law school, and tests the logic and “legal reasoning skills” used in law school and the practice of law. You don’t need to love studying for the LSAT, but the test itself may give you a sense of whether you will enjoy the thinking process underlying law school and practicing law.
   • Once you have taken (and possibly retaken) the official LSAT, you will have a better sense of what law schools you will get into and/or what types of merit-based scholarships you may get. You can always reevaluate the decision about going to law school at that time.
   • Consider the “fortune-telling” aspect of the LSAT. There is a reason why law schools rely so heavily on the LSAT and, to a lesser extent, college grades: in combination, one’s LSAT score and college grades are a fairly good predictor of how someone will do in law school. Of course, it is important to remember that there are plenty of exceptions – I have seen numerous outstanding lawyers who did not excel on the LSAT. But it may be worth taking a look at your LSAT score and/or college grades and asking yourself if law school seems like the right “fit” for you.
   • If you apply to law school, you can reevaluate again after getting your acceptance letters and/or possible merit-based scholarship offers.  Applying to law school does not have to be your final decision either: see what offers you get and decide if you want to attend one of those law schools.
   • Law school itself may influence your decision. My dad went to law school for two years, made law review, decided that he definitely did NOT want to be a lawyer, and dropped out. It definitely was the right decision for him.  While it obviously would have been more efficient to have made that decision earlier, even deciding that late in the process is a lot better than spending a career doing something you do not want to do!
   • The bottom line: you can reevaluate your decision at each step of the way, including after preparing for the LSAT, after receiving your LSAT score, after applying to law school, and even after attending law school. Think the issue through, but don’t put too much pressure on yourself at the beginning. You can always change direction at a later time if you want to.
4. Do not fear failure! This is the most important one of the bunch. Ask yourself which scenario would make you feel worse: (1) starting the law school application process and later deciding that law school isn’t the right “fit” for you (for whatever reason), or (2) never even trying, and looking back at your life and wondering “what if.” Regardless of your pursuit in life, I believe you will be much happier in scenario (1) than scenario (2). I explored numerous other professions before going to law school, and none of the other options were quite the right “fit,” but I was always glad I tested things out. Testing something out and rejecting it is not “failure,” and you shouldn’t fear doing so.
5. There is no one right decision on what to do with your career. No job or career is perfect, at least for most people. There will be pros and cons to each choice. Take the time to consider whether law school seems like the best option for you. If so, don’t worry about whether you are making the “perfect” choice. If you’ve thought the issue through, you likely will be satisfied (and probably extremely happy) with your decision.

Questions? Please email me at mark@scoreitup.com!