Law School Discussion

I agree at least law schools have a similar curriculum and it is somewhat measurable although their formula makes little sense to me. However, this goes to my larger point of U.S. News ranking  everything  Hospitals, undergrads, law schools, pretty soon they will be choosing who plays in the BCS National Championship. I don't understand how a group of people in a magazine got together with no authority and made a list that everybody buys into.

Hospitals
http://health.usnews.com/best-hospitals/rankings how do they rank a hospital?  I don't see the formula listed, but how can you rank a hospital? Why and How is UCSF a better or worse hosptial than Stanford?  It's absurd, but my friend is a doctor that works at a  "ranked" hospital and people fly from far off places often spending every dime they have to attend this "ranked"  hospital.  However, what U.S News thinks is a good hospital doesn't cure cancer. Thats what is really sad to him many people fly out thinking this hospital will cure their cancer, because it is "ranked" so they spend every penny they have to come to his hospital and generally people with terminal cancer die no matter what the hospital is "ranked". It is truly sad and no matter U.S. News ranks these hospitals there is not a cure for cancer yet. It is just sad there is no other way to put it, but that is an example of people making life altering decision based on these rankings that have no legitimate authority or methodology. People just blindly believe it and I always ask WHY?

It's just crazy how much power U.S. News has and people don't blink an eye at it. This is a just magazine offering an opinion to make some money, but people take it literally and make life altering choices such as what doctor to see, what school to go to, etc etc. I think it is really sad, but I can't do much more that rant about it and hopefully some people will see the absurdity of make life altering decisions based on what one magazine with no authority or legitimatize methodology thinks.

It can be a bad long term investment for sure. It is not for everybody that is for sure and the reality is in 5-10 years your either going to be a good lawyer or your not. At that point your school is no longer responsible. If your good you are likely to earn something if your not good then people won't want you. The law is something you can see clear cut results in no matter what your area your in. If your a litigator you either win trials or you don't. If you draft wills they go smoothly or they don't. If you write contracts that always end up in litigation then that speaks to your abilities. It goes on and on the more screwups you have the less people will want from you. The more successes you have the more people will want from you.

As far as the KEEN competition all the jobs I listed except for nursing say job prospects will be competitive.

http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos038.htm
A growing number of students are graduating with architectural degrees and some competition for entry-level jobs can be anticipated. Competition will be especially keen for jobs at the most prestigious architectural firms as prospective architects try to build their reputation. Prospective architects who have had internships while in school will have an advantage in obtaining positions after graduation. Opportunities will be best for those architects who are able to distinguish themselves from others with their creativity.

Architecture graduates may face competition, especially for jobs in the most prestigious firms.
About 21 percent of architects are self-employed—almost 3 times the proportion for all occupations.

In recent years, some architecture firms have outsourced the drafting of construction documents and basic design for large-scale commercial and residential projects to architecture firms overseas. This trend is expected to continue and may have a negative impact on employment growth for lower-level architects and interns who would normally gain experience by producing these drawings.

Pilots http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos107.htm
Pilots attempting to get jobs at the major airlines will face strong competition, as those firms tend to attract many more applicants than the number of job openings. Applicants also will have to compete with laid-off pilots for any available jobs. Pilots who have logged the greatest number of flying hours using sophisticated equipment typically have the best prospects. For this reason, military pilots often have an advantage over other applicants.

Nurses http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos083.htm

Although faster employment growth is projected in physicians' offices and outpatient care centers, RNs may face greater competition for these positions because they generally offer regular working hours and more comfortable working environments.

It does say the growth prospects are excellent to work in inner city hospitals in off hours etc, but I am guessing there are as many nursing students that want that gig as law studnents want to document review.

These are the only 3 careers I looked up and I am sure if I continue the Bureau will say everyone faces competition. Finding a job you like, that pays well, etc is hard no matter what your doing. Law students are the only people that have to fight for jobs if these bloggers etc ever looked outside their law school bubble they would realize that.

I am behind you 100% I don't think you should go to law school for the money. I don't think you should undertake any type of educational undertaking for the money, because no job can guarantee you a lot of money. Law school is also likely one of the worst short term investments, but a great long term investment. In reality there are not that many people that have a J.D. and passed the bar. Granted there is when everyone is competiing for a job right when they graduate, but the more experience you get the easier it becomes. As you have seen you now have several offers and you are a year out? right? See where you are 5 years by then you probably won't even posting on this board you will be further along and likely not worrying about it. However, yea it sucks getting out with a 100k + in debt and having fierce competition for entry level jobs, but I don't know many lawyers that have said it was much different for them than it is now. Law has always sucked to start out in there is a lot to know and when your a first year person you don't and can't know it all.

Again the same is pretty much every true for every profession. Every pilot has to jump through a bunch of hoops before they fly their first commercial flight. A doctor has to go to through a bunch of hoops to do their first surgery. A lawyer has to go through a bunch of hoops to do their first trial.  Nobody anywhere starts at the top. Even Lebron James had to pay his rookie dues and bring donuts to practice. He also had to take the Collective Bargaining Agreement and made 4.5 million per year obviously not chump change, but now that he has been in the league for 7+ years he is making serious money. It takes time, which is what I don't think students in any profession seem to understand. Even with time, hard work, etc it may never work out. It is hard to become a millionaire always has been always will be.

Well this article seems to be on point with everything I have ever thought. Good find!

Also do practice exams TIMED! Many of the first year essays are racehorse and you need to know how balance your time etc. Many people first semester complained about running out of time etc and you can know the law backwards and forwards if you don't write half the stuff down because you ran out of time your not getting good grade. You need to learn how organize and outline your answers as well as know how much time you can realistically devote to each topic.

Another thing I thing that is extremely important is to use headings to separate your topics. It won't necessarily give you more points, but in reality a well organized easy to follow exam will make your professor pleased when they are taking 100 or so of them home.