Any tips for Class of 2016?

[big - fat - box]

My advice would be:

1) Get the best grades in school you can. Forget about law school right now.

2) Pick a second major that actually has marketable value to employers if you decide not to go to law school right away. Actually, given how expensive law school is it might be a good idea to get a real job for a couple years and save money for law school. If you're parents are rich and you don't need to take out loans for law school you can disregard this advice.

[prospectivelaw27]

Work in a law firm- so you can understand what it's all about

we all know it's not the glamor on TV, but it's still useful and eye-opening to witness what a lawyer does on a day to day basis (read, research, write)

[contrarian]

Do not take this as a recommendation to start 'studying' for the LSAT, but I don't think it would hurt if you bought a prep guide over the winter or summer holiday and gave it a read-through so you knew what was going to be on the exam, preferably before you took those philosophy courses that concerned logical reasoning.  Purchase one of the previous test books and when you get an hour to kill every so often just work through a section.  Approach it as something to do for intellectual entertainment like a crossword puzzle.  Later, when you then take philosophy courses in logic and reasoning, knowing how the test questions apply to what you're learning will help reinforce what you're learning and how it can help you on the test.  Then during the summer between your Jr/Sr year, when it comes time to actually buckle down and prepare for the test, you will probably find it a lot easier than had you not.

Meanwhile learn to relax and not be such a Type-A personality, or you'll have a massive coronary or panic attacks by the time you're in your early thirties.  Don't even bother trying to argue with me on this point, your posts in this thread scream Type-A feminine hygiene product bag.

[contrarian]

You're right I shouldn't have used those words but the longer you stay in school, the better. Having an education is important and there are people who go to law school who have no intentions of working in the legal field after they graduate and with the way the job market is heading many people will probably continue to attend higher education programs like law, pharmacy, etc. Having a law degree could is valuable to other types of employers too, not just legal fields.  

I disagree with that and, in fact, having a law degree could discourage people in other fields from hiring you because they think that 1) you're uncommitted to their field, 2) there's something wrong with you since you couldn't hack it in the law, and 3) you'll jump ship if you find a more lucrative legal job.

Maybe. I know of some people with law degrees who went into business and have been successful. Business consultants, etc. I also know of journalists who hold law degrees. I guess it depends on what field, etc.

Here's another two popular ones... 4) You're overqualified 5) You'll sue us

When I was much younger, I used to think #4 was an absurd reason not to hire someone, but have seen it in practice a few times.  Once with a person who had a law degree.  To laymen, law degrees are seen as golden tickets to the magical land of prosperity and sexy babes.  Truth is, it's a highly competitive field and only the best make the top bucks.  The person in question found he could earn more in computers and began to work in that field.  To us who were considering him, the law degree was a detriment for that very reason.  We didn't offer him a position. 

It doesn't mean that it's impossible to find a job, and that you can't find success in a different career.  We're just saying that it doesn't automatically make it easier as you seem to think.