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Related Discussions
A Different Route From Law School
OverRatedUnderAchiever
Member
It's been a long year of endless studying for the lsat for me, as for all of us here at 7Sage. I have taken the test an amount of times, that most of you would consider to be too many times. I'm not influenced by how many times people can or don't take the test, if anything in my [personal opinion]... It shows schools that you're persistent. However, like I said that's just me. Given today's economic shifts, employment of this generation, and academic trends; it's hard to ignore the signs that we often neglect to recognize.
If anyone else is into the whole socioeconomic trends, not by just a degree in B.S., but by simply observing the world's trends... then I'm sure you can see what I'm talking about. Recently Glassdoor released a list of the 50 most in demand jobs, based on a few different factors. All of those 50 were in these catagories: Analysists, Engineering, and Marketing. Upon reading about these occupations, I realized that all of them paid at least 75,000 as their average base. They range up past the 100k as well. What I found strange was the fact the businesses wanted people with skills/past experiences, or two years of internships. I have none of that. Not to mention, like many of us... math & science are totally not our areas of expertise. I haven't done math or science since high school, let alone major or work in the field with these two, very complex fields of occupation.
Economically, in the world we have noticed that education used to be the way out in order to achieve success later on in ones life. Now, education is the way in... to debt. I'm sure a lot of us can acknowledge how expensive a college education is, especially if we are not given the opportunity to have it readily available, financially. The United States largest debt, is now student debt. We have to work our whole lives to repay what we did in school to get us the jobs (most are not even satisfied with). We don't get to even think about retirement due to this overwhelming growth in loans. It's sad. These jobs listed above seem to want those whom have a good understanding of those fields, not a M.A. or J.D, etc. It makes sense if students decide to go into a high paying job after school, without having to be buried in debt. So, for many of us noticing that unless we truly want to be apart of the law, versus just going to Law school for a high paying/ powered job... the script is now flipped. Unfortunately. I know too many people who initially went to Law school for a better financially stable future, and are now disappointed that it didn't play out in the way they had thought it would.
Thus, I do think for many who either just love school or learning, or those who really know that law school is all they have ever wanted... stay with it!!
As for me, I intend on going to Law school. However, I was recently admitted to a Graduate program with a fully paid tuition. For me, thats two extra years of a dept free education. I'd be remiss if I didn't take it, for it is both economically sound & I believe will give me more time to build a strong resume, allowing me to go for my J.D with a master's degree behind me as well. Also, I hope to get the Teachers Assistanship as well, for it will show my abilities to teach, and have a solid foundation of interpersonal communication. I do know this will help for applications when it comes time for law school, seeing those things on my resume.
I will continue with 7sage, because they have been here for me since day one. I'll probably be on here for another two years, and many will find me annoying after awhile.
I just figure that with all the discussions of Law School Apps, I'd post this in case anyone is in a similar predicament/ freaking out about a future in continuing education.
Being realistic about the world has shown me that my plans for the new few years, is not as realistic for the rest of my life.
Comments
What field is the grad program in? Great job getting free tuition! I share many of the concerns you wrote about here.
Although salary is important to some extent for paying down debt, I wouldn't prioritize the money over everything. In the end of the day, we want the money and the prestige for ultjmate goal of being happy and satisfied with our achievements. For those students who were disappointed that they didnt make enough money after law school, perhaps their interests would be better served having gotten a business related job or having started their own business
Congrats on your acceptance! I definitely don't want to discourage you from going to graduate school, but I have some perspective to share on this just as food for thought.
I am currently about halfway through grad school and working toward my Masters. I went to grad school straight out of undergrad because that's what all of my advisers encouraged me to do, and it's what I thought I wanted. I hate to put negativity out there, but I absolutely can't stand my program of study anymore. I'm at a very competitive university and I am completely burnt out, and I can't wait to finish and transition to a completely new field (law!).
Grad school is a ton of (usually unappreciated and very hard) work, and even with an assistantship, you'll spend 1-3 more years of your life making very little money.
My point here isn't to rant about my own experience but just to give you some perspective to help you make a decision.
In my opinion, you shouldn't go get a Masters just because it's debt free, and spending extra time in grad school isn't worth a line on your resume. By all means, if you're genuinely interested in the field you want to study in grad school, and are serious about going into that field as a career, go for it! You will learn a ton. Just make sure you aren't just doing it for economic stability, or to boost your resume.
Grad school isn't all bad, you'll meet a ton of motivated and inspiring people, and you will gain a lot of great experience in what you study. I'd just recommend thinking carefully about your reasoning for going.
@OverRatedUnderAchiever
I'm struggling to follow the path here and the reasoning for it. You are getting a Masters and then some time later or maybe immediately are going to get a JD.
Additionally, if I followed right, you are doing this because you found out lawyers are less well paid than you expected? However, won't you still end up as a lawyer who is probably poorly paid despite your extra Masters degree?
Additionally, I don't know what the Masters is in, but assume it is not in a STEM field since any of those would have required you to hae taken some Calculus in college. This means the Masters likely won't help you get a job in IP law where you might have actually been paid more for the knowledge you had as the result of your masters.
I could see the Masters helping you get a job before law school if you are planning to work for a few years between the two degrees. Although planning to get a new degree (maybe in a fairly different field than your bachelors), work for a few years, get a JD, and then get a new job as a lawyer seems like planning a lot of life changes.
Anyways, I'm mostly just confused about why the path makes sense.
It seems to me that one of the following paths will always be better than getting a Masters and then a JD and then being a practicing lawyer.
I see why you could stumble into it if you were getting your Masters and then decided law was for you like @ATLsat_2019 , but not why you would choose it.
Currently I am a double major in two very odd/vague areas. Where I attend school now, has offered me a free tuition for me being an undergrad alumni. Therefore, my professors for ungrad are the same as the ones I will have for the Masters program. It's a very established relationship between us already, and they will continue to know & help me in areas I need more experience with. This program goes hand & hand with law school. Along with this, because I do have such a close relationship with those in my program will open my doors even wider, as far as fantastic letters of recommendations.
Also, I do indeed just love learning. School to me is not just 'avoiding the real world', I do genuinely love to acquire knowledge.
Since I do know my program very well after my undergrad career with the same scholars, I am pretty secure about enjoying doing my Masters where I am. For me, I have no desire to teach. I want to go on and become an attorney, no doubt. I do want to feel very secure while transitioning into law, instead of just winging it & being neglectful after undergrad. Mostly everyone I know who has done this, is either miserable or regrets such a rough academic transition.
Thank you for your genuine & kind words. I am going for my Masters in Rhetoric. Lots of writing, tons of reasearch and my main mentor who will be teaching much of the program does carry a JD (Stanford), and Ph.D from Oxford. He's very experienced and I have been working with him for nearly 5 years, and 2 more for the program.
Forgot to mention the analyzing being critical
I guess I was trying to justify the decision from an economic lens because of your discussion of the top jobs as far as salary and was having a hard time.
I definitely see love of learning as a totally valid reason to get a free masters! Congratulations on getting it free!
In the sense of economics, for those who get great grants or those who don't have to worry about debt after receiving any sort of higher education... its tough to risk the costs. By presenting the interesting trends of what employers now want, is so different from even 7 years ago. I think in the world, most of us who are viewing the evolution in technology is changing the employment game. Its very interesting to see what these top jobs are looking for in prospective employees, mainly because of machines doing almost all humans can do, for less. Students during undergrad that have experience in their field, are now realizing that high paying jobs really only require those few things. It then makes sense as to why many would find no reason to go into either student debt, or further student debt after undergrad. It is really interesting to see what they ask for, and it is difficult to grasp the concept... I am just always studying these things & maybe you'll see what I mean. Definitely makes for a great conversation, but I also know how I jump around a lot & make assumptions that everyone knows what I mean. Check it out.
https://www.glassdoor.com/List/Best-Jobs-in-America-LST_KQ0,20.htm
Sounds like you should go for it--though as others have noted, don't expect this to give you a substantial bump when applying to law school. You'll be a slightly more mature candidate than the avg KJD, but work experience in an office environment will be more valuable to law schools (and future employers in law) than a master's, even in a seemingly related field like rhetoric. That said, you're right that a free master's is great, and if you really enjoy the subject, I see virtually no reason not to take this. One caveat: doing this might make law admissions committees think law school is a backup rather than a real goal or dream. So be prepared to justify your reasons for law school and establish that you're not turning to law school because you realized the academic job market is even worse