Any 3T graduates want to lend advice on financial ramifications of attending 3T

[brasky]

Ok,

I have been accepted into a 3T and based on my calculations I will end up with between 70 - 80k in debt to obtain my degree (this includes undergraduate loans).

Do any graduates / veteran 3T attorneys have any advice on the job prospects or sources to find information on the job prospects for 3T student? 

It seems there is a ton of writing in regards to 3T being essentially gambles with a 10% chance of payoff.  In addition, many seem to think the law prospects in general are decreasing as there are 1,000,000+ attorneys and increasing. 

Now, I don't have a problem starting at 40-50k but there would have to be a good chance of upward mobility in terms of salary increase.  I have heard a lot of stories about 3T graduates ending up in dead end jobs that offer neither useful law experience or any future increase in salary. 

I am not a greedy person.  I just want to have enough money to invest and not have to work until I'm dead (I am planning to live like a college student forever, in other words: old car, bad apartment).  However most reading seems to indicate law school is a sort of indentured-servitude of hopelessness. 

Maybe you recent grads/ veteran 3T graduates can shed some light on the issue: whether I am wrong or right.  I am seriously contemplating not going to law school simply because it is financially unwise.  Anyway, new perspectives would help.   

[Peaches]

You've already seen the bimodal salary distribution chart...

[1LMan]

Simple answer - T3 graduation is not worth $70-80k of debt unless you are top of the class (which isn't likely statistically speaking).  That being said, don't waste your time..... However, you likely will go anyway and then be whining here next year about how you hate law school and have no job prospects.  It's the nature of these boards.

[Peaches]

I saw you say in another thread that you had a 162 on the LSAT.  Take a year off, retake the LSAT and get into a Tier 1 school.

[1LMan]

I saw you say in another thread that you had a 162 on the LSAT.  Take a year off, retake the LSAT and get into a Tier 1 school.

Wait, with a 162 you didn't get into a Tier 1?  You should have.  Furthermore, you should have had well ranked Tier 2's throwing full-rides at you, unless your GPA is horrible.

[brasky]

Wow 2Lman... I'm sure to listen to your advice! 

Heres the formula: 
1) You give me advice
2) You insult me

1+2 = Take your advice seriously... thank you! 

3.17 GPA = 20,000k a year at 3T (albeit a 3T with a 161 75 percentile LSAT)

If you must know... right now I am leaning towards not attending law school (ratio 4:1 not attend: attend).  However... I was going to call my law school and see if they would give me more money to stay... which would influence my decision. 

[Peaches]

Brasky, with a 3.17 and a 162, you should go to law school if you want it.  I just don't think you should go this fall to a T3.  Retake the LSAT (or not, whatever), take a year off and work.  You can save $5-10,000 for school during the year.  And the cost-benefit analysis still works out better than a $20k/yr scholarship at T3 to go to a higher-ranked school.  A higher-ranked school gives you a much better chance of getting a 1L job ($20-30k right there), a 2L job (another $20-30k) and a job when you graduate (an additional $30-100k/yr right there...)

[broken]

Whether or not it's a good investment depends a lot on what market OP is trying to get into. A T3 in NYC, LA, San Francisco...I'd agree with a lot of the other posters. A T3 in a city where it's the only law school in town, or you want to practice in a more rural area is another story entirely.

[1LMan]

How did I insult you?  I said you should have gotten into a T1 or decent T2 with your stats unless you had a crappy GPA, which you do not.  I would reapply next year.

I tell it like it is.  A T3 with $75k of debt is a waste.  Also, with your credentials, you can get into somewhere much better.  Howe this is an insult is beyond me......

[brasky]

"However, you likely will go anyway and then be whining here next year about how you hate law school and have no job prospects."

It is sort of insulting to presume what I will be like considering you know nothing about me.  There is a better chance I will not be attending law school this fall than attending (mostly due to this board I must say).  It had nothing to do with giving me your advice about T3 schools.  I welcome all advice.  However, I would enjoy hearing from a few T3 graduates.