159 Lsat, 3.9 GPA-Florida Schools

[Lindbergh]

Even if you're committed to attending Florida schools, you should in fact retake (if you think you can do better) and apply to higher-ranked schools, checking the minority box. 

Why?  Because getting a higher LSAT, and/or getting into a higher-ranked school like Duke, Vandy, etc., will significantly increase your chances of getting scholarship money at the florida schools, perhaps even a full-ride.  (You can use the fact you got into a higher-ranked program in your scholarship negotiations.)  If you're debt-averse, this is therefore the best way to go.

As for the AA generally, I'm as opposed to it as a general policy (as a urm) as anyone, for a number of reasons, and I respect your reluctance to exploit it.  But as long as schools are dumb enough to apply the policy, you'd be dumb not to take advantage of it, especially if you know the school you'll actually be attending was within your numerical reach anyway.  As far as the biracial thing goes, that's definitely considered african-american by schools, so they won't view it as hypocritical.  Since being "different" has affected you enough to make you want to write an essay on it, it's not really hypocritical at all.  It's apparently given you a different perspective, and that's one major reason the schools claim to value it.

[green918]

Even if you're committed to attending Florida schools, you should in fact retake (if you think you can do better) and apply to higher-ranked schools, checking the minority box. 

Why?  Because getting a higher LSAT, and/or getting into a higher-ranked school like Duke, Vandy, etc., will significantly increase your chances of getting scholarship money at the florida schools, perhaps even a full-ride.  (You can use the fact you got into a higher-ranked program in your scholarship negotiations.)  If you're debt-averse, this is therefore the best way to go.

As for the AA generally, I'm as opposed to it as a general policy (as a urm) as anyone, for a number of reasons, and I respect your reluctance to exploit it.  But as long as schools are dumb enough to apply the policy, you'd be dumb not to take advantage of it, especially if you know the school you'll actually be attending was within your numerical reach anyway.  As far as the biracial thing goes, that's definitely considered african-american by schools, so they won't view it as hypocritical.  Since being "different" has affected you enough to make you want to write an essay on it, it's not really hypocritical at all.  It's apparently given you a different perspective, and that's one major reason the schools claim to value it.

I hadn't thought about trying to use it as leverage to get more money from the schools I want. This makes applying to some higher ranked schools more appealing! As for making 6 figures after graduation, that would be nice (who wouldn't want that?) but not a necessity for me, especially if I'm not paying off $100,000 in student loan debt. Cost of living in your average Florida city isn't very high and there is no state income tax taking a big chunk out of your salary.

[green918]

Hello there Gator. 

You will be fine at both FSU and UF. If you have no out of state ambitions, than don't worry about a retake.

And if you want a preview of law school, sign up for Con Law, Race Law, or American Civil Liberties with Professor Stafford in the poli sci department!!! Best law school prep UF undergrad can give you.

Thanks for the tip! I have some extra room in my schedule so I've been trying to find something along these lines.

[Miss P]

(as a urm)

What kind of URM are you, again?  IIRC, your surname is Polish.

[kenpostudent]

Even with your curren score PLUS URM status, you have a good chance of getting into some lower Top 14 law schools, especially Cornell, Georgetown, Duke and particularly Boalt.  You should also apply to Vandy and others. With a degree from those schools, you're virtually guaranteed a six figure income.  With a degree from FSU, you have to be close to the top to get a six figure job.

As if a six figure income is all that matters in a legal education! I guess I missed that memo.

Most people want this out of law school, fwiw.

Quite frankly, they are probably picking the wrong profession. For the hours you have to work at a big law firm, you are a complete idiot to go to law school to make $160k per year and top out at around $2-5 million a year when you can find other professions that top in the hundreds of millions. Managers of small hedge funds work the hours of a big law associate but make $40 million per year. Managers of moderate to large hedge funds make $400-$800 million per year. Some make over a billion annually. CEOs of large companies make comparable money. If you're going to chase the almighty dollar, law school is a low rent way to do it (at least big law firm work). You can parlay a legal education into that kind of career, for sure. Big firm work is plantation labor in comparison.

Besides, a six figure income in the markets that offer them for legal professionals is just above a middle class lifestyle. In NYC, I'm not sure $160k is even middle class if you live in Manhattan. Maybe if you live in Jamaica Queens you can live decent. In LA, $160k will get you a decent house and a decent car. You would be upper middle class if you wanted to live in the suburbs and endure an hour long commute to work everyday. I hardly call that living large.

[Budlaw]

Even with your curren score PLUS URM status, you have a good chance of getting into some lower Top 14 law schools, especially Cornell, Georgetown, Duke and particularly Boalt.  You should also apply to Vandy and others. With a degree from those schools, you're virtually guaranteed a six figure income.  With a degree from FSU, you have to be close to the top to get a six figure job.

As if a six figure income is all that matters in a legal education! I guess I missed that memo.

Most people want this out of law school, fwiw.

Quite frankly, they are probably picking the wrong profession. For the hours you have to work at a big law firm, you are a complete idiot to go to law school to make $160k per year and top out at around $2-5 million a year when you can find other professions that top in the hundreds of millions. Managers of small hedge funds work the hours of a big law associate but make $40 million per year. Managers of moderate to large hedge funds make $400-$800 million per year. Some make over a billion annually. CEOs of large companies make comparable money. If you're going to chase the almighty dollar, law school is a low rent way to do it (at least big law firm work). You can parlay a legal education into that kind of career, for sure. Big firm work is plantation labor in comparison.

And CEO positions and Hedge fund manager positions are just SOOOOOOOOOO easy to get.   

[kenpostudent]

No, they are not easy to get, but why not go for broke if your goal is to accumulate wealth. The point being that law is not the best profession to choose if making money is your ultimate goal. Screw the degree, go be an actor or an entrepreneur. Law school is a good choice only if you think you will love the practice of law or you feel you can use a JD to break into a more lucrative profession.

[juliemccoy]

No, they are not easy to get, but why not go for broke if your goal is to accumulate wealth. The point being that law is not the best profession to choose if making money is your ultimate goal. Screw the degree, go be an actor or an entrepreneur. Law school is a good choice only if you think you will love the practice of law or you feel you can use a JD to break into a more lucrative profession.

That's your opinion. Others would disagree. There's anecdotal evidence to support both your argument and others.

Making money is many people's ultimate goal. They have a much better chance of doing this as a lawyer than as an entrepreneur or an actor. LOL. There is some statistic that suggests that only 1% of actors actually "make money." I think you'd have better luck as a lawyer.

Also, to become a investment banker or doing something in the financial sector would suggest that you like that line of work, as well. I've found most people in law don't like dealing with numbers. They are "words" people.

You may not become an insanely wealthy as a lawyer, but you are much more likely to lead a comfortable lifestyle than many other professions. The hours are long and the work is demanding. But you could say the same thing about a teacher, a bricklayer or an RN. It all depends on where your passion lies and what your salary expectations are. 

Sure there are lawyers making crap for money out there. There are also plenty making very good money. Still others fall in the middle. It's like any other profession. Not everyone in the field of law makes a million bucks. But if the OP wants to be a lawyer and make good money, let him worry about how to achieve that goal.

[green918]

But if the OP wants to be a lawyer and make good money, let him worry about how to achieve that goal.

First, I'm a girl :-) and I never said I wanted to earn oodles of money. Actually I said the opposite. That being said, even if I did want to earn tons of money, I certainly wouldn't go running off to acting class or switch over to business and cross my fingers in hopes of becoming a CEO.

[kenpostudent]

Still, back to the point, for it to be a wise decision to go to law school, you should want to practice law. Otherwise, it's a waste of time. There are far better careers with much greater upward income potential and far less demanding of an education. Do I think that it's easy be successful in other careers? No, if you don't want to practice law, you're a fool to go to law school. The money is good, but certainly not great when you consider the debt you are likely to incur and the effort you must expend. You'll get no argument from me that a legal career will give you a good middle class lifestyle, at minimum (at least, least in the long run). Pick a different profession if you want to be rich, though. By rich, I mean, seven figures or more per year (which really is not that rich anymore, since the super rich, those that live in Central Park West, make nine figure annual incomes). Are those jobs easy to get? No! Do I have clients who have them and started from the bottom? Yes, several of them. Some went to law school.

My point is that you should never pick a career simply for the income potential. If you do, pick the most lucrative career; that way, if you hate the job, you'll have the money to console you. Do not pick a career that you might like simply because of the money. Make sure that you love the job regardless of the money, first. Otherwise, you might find yourself trapped in a miserable position ten years down the road.