Factors to Consider Before Applying to Law School

Disposition

Different people have different strengths. Your family, friends and teachers may encourage you to go to law school, but if it requires you to operate too far out of your wheelhouse, you may not find it worthwhile in the long run. Likewise, if you want to be an attorney simply because you want to make a great salary, you may consider other careers with this benefit that are more in line with what you enjoy doing. It takes certain skills to be successful as an attorney. You must be willing to work long hours and have the capacity to comb through detailed information to build a case. These same skills are needed to even get your JD. You want to make sure your strengths match up with the rigors of acquiring a law degree before you take the leap. If you do decide that the law is the right career path for you, you still must choose the type of law in which you are most interested, whether it be corporate law or immigration law. These choices can have an effect on where you decide to study.

Prospects

As an industry, law in general tends to remain pretty steady as far as employment prospects go. If there is a high demand for your specific expertise and you are skilled at networking within your field, you have a pretty good chance of finding a job within your field once you graduate from law school. For example, Courtney Sarofim utilizes her background in finance and her community involvement to inform her position as partner at Sima Capital. You may have studied political science in undergrad and thus be well-suited for legal work in the government. If you know how you want to use your degree, you are better equipped to evaluate whether there is a good market for it.

Cost

Another factor to consider is the cost/benefit ratio of getting a law degree. Law school is expensive. Depending on the school you attend, a year of law school can range from $30,000 to $60,000. That is a big investment, but there may also be a big payout once you have your degree. The median salary for lawyers is about $120,000 a year, and there is often the potential to earn more as you gain experience. While it may take quite a bit of time to pay off your law school debt, if you enjoy the job and work hard at it, you may be looking at a lucrative career.

Timeline

Just because you are graduating with your BA, that doesn't mean you have to jump right into grad school or law school. Many students find it beneficial to take time off between degrees. This can be a good idea for several reasons. First, it gives you a chance to decide what you really want to pursue without the pressure of an imminent deadline. It can also give you extra time to choose a law school or improve your test scores to increase your chances of getting accepted to your first choice. Finally, it can be a great opportunity to gain some real-world experience beyond the classroom, which can be attractive for both the schools and jobs to which you hope to apply.

Going to law school is not a decision to take lightly. It's advisable to take time to decide where you excel and what you want to do before you invest the money in a law degree.