I really need advice from people already in law school/graduated. PLEASE.

[twarga]

If mom and dad are major factors in your post b.s. education, you're in trouble.  You need some serious time on your own, learning to make your own day-to-day and long-term decisions before you go $150K in the hole to make them happy.  Once you realize that their opinions don't matter (and they don't, trust me), you'll have the clarity to decide what YOU want.  Whether you become a lawyer, kindergarten teacher or meter maid, you'll have the satisfaction of knowing you lived your life on your terms.

[differencebetween]

Also, you seem intelligent, attractive and driven.  This leads me to infer that a) you'll make decent/good money even without the law degree and b) you'll attract plenty of successful, (physically and socially) attractive men, due to these qualities.

[($)]

The woman would be better positioned to find a rich guy if she'd be a lawyer. 

[mynameismud]

I haven't taken time to read the responses, so you might have heard this all before.  I'm going to be as frank as I can here.  Law school sucks.  DO NOT go through this unless you really want to be a lawyer, and remember -- you will only make alot of money as a lawyer if you put all of your efforts into excelling in law school, which is hard to do if your heart's not in it.  Honestly, I tell people that if they want to make money they should go to medical or business school.  The legal profession is one of the least secure, in terms of your chances of becoming wealthy, successful, and happy.  Especially if you're going to NYLS. 

Most people with half a brain actually spend some time after college working somewhere, either gaining experience before law school or just taking a break.  I did both, and I'm much happier now because of it.  And my advice for dealing with your family?  Seriously, tell them to go @#!* themselves.  It's got to be done at some point with people like that, and the sooner the better.  Get a job, have fun for at least a year or two, and then if you still want to become a lawyer go for it.  That is, unless they're paying off all of your debt right away.  If they want to pay for everything (living expenses, tuition, books, etc) then go for it.

 

[katrina]

Honestly, I tell people that if they want to make money they should go to medical or business school.  The legal profession is one of the least secure, in terms of your chances of becoming wealthy, successful, and happy.

With an MBA you can virtually suck. As for the medical school, well, it's much more work than law school and also it takes much longer to become a doctor. All in all, law school is the smartest choice!

[dal79]

Whap Whap. *(dead horse being beaten)*

[spouse]

The woman would be better positioned to find a rich guy if she'd be a lawyer. 

Theoretically yes, practically not so certain!

[jacy85]

Paragraphs are your friend...

As that's nice that you feel you should live your life according to your parents' wishes.  However, it great that most parents are just happy if their kids are happy.  My parents didn't care if I wanted to go to med school, law school, business school, or just find a job.  If I did was made me happy, then they were fine with it.

You are an adult.  Your parents will not be around for much of your adult life unless they had you at a very young age.  Living life for them isn't going to very satisfying, and in the end, you'll likely end up with more than a few regrets.

[rapunzel]

I think that we are dealing with a cultural difference.  Jondub mentioned being of Asian descent.  It is my undertanding that Asian cultures often place a much higher emphasis on honoring the wishes of parents/elders than most Americans do.  The American philosophy seems to be that we should be as independant as possible.  While I would never choose a career path soley because my parents thought it was what I should do, I do think that there is some value in a greater level of family connectivity than our culture espouses.

That being said, paragraphs are indeed a handy convention.

[jacy85]

That makes more sense about where this poster's coming from.  I must have given up reading before getting to the asian part.  And "cultural" doesn't mean its right.  I know more than a few asians who resent their parents for forcing them down a path they hate.