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Related Discussions
Non-LSAT: Why no car?
LSAT_Wrecker
Member ⭐
So, don't flame me for living in my bubble of middle class economic privilege... I get it if cost is a legitimate barrier.
I saw this here today and it is a recurring theme in other LSAT / law school admission corners of the interwebs. For a segment of the law school applicants, the ability to live without a car is a meaningful input into a school decision. As a guy in his mid-40's, I can count on one hand the number of months I've lived since turning 16 in which I did not have a car. I also think that not owning a car puts serious impediments to life in one's way. Personally, I cannot imagine life without a car. I assume that some people legitimately cannot afford a car (and all the maintenance, insurance, other stuff that goes with ownership) and those living in large metropolises like New York with significant transportation infrastructure (and parking costs equal or more than mortgage payments) don't need one, but for everyone else that this applies to, why do you not own a car or plan to get one?
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Comments
As someone who plans on buying a new car before law school I don't know how to answer this lol
"the ability to live without a car is a meaningful input into a school decision"
Can you elaborate on that? I don't understand what that encompasses.
I'm in my 20s and have never owned a car. Not having a car sucks for many reasons: having to bum someone else's car, slow public transportation, dating, etc... The reason I don't have a car is $$$. I could work to afford a car and the costs that come with owning a car, but I'd rather spend that time doing other things.
I don't have a car payment. I can fix my own car. I own my car. It is not worry for me. I have a Ford Taurus.
Try living in Manhattan with a car. You'll find the answer pretty quickly lol I think most other people probably have similar concerns or it's primarily financial.
In a lot of "which school" or "what factors are important" threads, both here and other places (TLS, Reddit, lawschool.life), lots of people bring up "how accessible is x campus / y city for those without a car". For those people, it is important enough for them to ask about it. I assume they are not asking out of idle curiosity.
The "metropolises like New York" in the original post was intended to address this. Should I have broken out all the boroughs individually?
No, I read that. But try living there with a car and I think you'l understand why it factors into so many other people's decisions regardless of where you're living. Cost/parking/inconvenience - those are the main reasons people consider whether or not they should have a car when deciding on law schools.
I think we're talking past each other. I get not owning a car in a big city. I lived in downtown DC for a bit. As I stated above,
"but for everyone else that this applies to, why do you not own a car or plan to get one?"
I have a car in a city with a good subway system. I can go anywhere with subway.
For me, personally, I prefer not to drive because it tires me. Driving a car requires constant attention and it is mentally/physically tiring.
I chose not to drive while studying for the LSAT because I needed the energy to study for the LSAT. I wanted to devote all my energy to studying.
It’s important enough to think about it when choosing law school for the same reason. I don’t want to drive after a full day of studying.
I think that, if someone was to come from an area in which they did not need a car, it would be kind of silly to buy/lease a car just for 3 years of law school when their income is gonna go to 0. Or, if they are going to a school on the opposite coast, maybe they do not want to/cannot drive their car all the way over to another coast. If I was accepted to a school far away, I would be very hesitant to drive my 15 year old car to a diff state. I would not want to lease a new car just for 3 years of law school and I would not want to risk buying another run down old car which will likely require expensive repairs. I think these concerns are likely from people in their 20s like me/people who do not have a lot in savings.
I get you're wondering about people who live outside of big cities. My point is that I think that it largely comes down to cost/inconvenience regardless of whether you're going to GULC in DC, or going to Duke in Durham. Cars cost money - to own, to insure, and to repair. Most people going to law school will live in apartments or on campus where parking costs extra money. Plus, many times people make housing arrangements to be close to the school, further diminishing the need to have a car. Also, most people going to law school will live off of loans and have no income for 3 years, so that probably explains not wanting to buy one/have one during law school to some extent as well.
no car no problemz
A car burns through money fast. Additionally, I'm not one of those people who actually enjoys driving(unless its a road trip).
Give me public transportation and I can read a book, talk with others, or do whatever stress free thing I want. I'll need a car someday unless I live in a big city, but I entirely understand the impulse to save money.
Finally, if you live in a place where a car is not needed, you can safely go out to a bar or a friend's place and drink. Since alcohol and risk aversion rule the world together, this is probably a less than negligible advantage.
As someone who has a car but is currently facing a potential repair bill so large that I may have to scrap it... I like the idea of being car-less haha. I personally enjoy taking public transit, both for environmental reasons and also I feel like when you are on public transit you engage more with the community around you. It makes me feel more connected to my city and neighbors. It can for sure be a pain (my city is wayyyyy behind on implementing efficient mass transit) but we are working on improving it. Just for parking reasons, I'm also going to start taking the bus to work a couple days per week.
I do like having a car for hauling things, weekend getaways, or night time trips, but it would be great to avoid the expense and time it takes to keep it maintained, pay for insurance and gas, etc. I also liked the experience in undergrad of being able to mostly walk everywhere I needed. I think it's a good way to live as a student, cuts down on the stress of being in traffic as well as expenses. Most cities also give students either free or greatly reduced fee public transit passes, so it's extremely economical.
I have a car, but if the campus is set up to where I don't have to use it? All the better. I hate driving in big cities, especially cities that are foreign to me. If I can be close enough or have better access to classes and locations, and not have to focus on driving and traffic, that is a huge plus in my book. Less stress, less worry, and makes things simpler.
as all the above posters have stated, driving is an activity that requires focus and energy. You're basically traveling in a piece of steel that is barreling at 40 plus miles per hour and making sure that you don't jeopardize your life and the life of others.
Carless is not for me. I am not kind of person who wants to be dependent on people for transportation. Living in a rural area where there is no public transport wouldn't work in my case. I like driving and like being independent. After studying for the LSAT, I get out and drive. Somehow just driving around with radio playing classical music I feel more relaxed and head over to the Huddle House for pancake or a hamburger. Plus, I know I had a good study of the LSAT. I just relax and enjoy the rest of the evening.
I have had a car for the past ten years, don't know where I would be without the access to vehicles I had growing up. I wouldn't be going to law school if it wasn't for the opportunities afforded to me by my license. For some, a car is not necessary, but that is not the case for the majority, I'd imagine.
I'll have a car at law school because I want to be able to travel wherever I want and trains/buses are slow/limited. I love to drive, too, and I have a fun car to drive my friends around in. :]