A little encouragement for future T2/T3 students.

[jasontaylor9944]

So, I am new to this board.  I have read many of the posts, but this is the first post of my own.  I have been reading many of the posts on this board and congratulations, you have successfully scared many away (not me) from the legal profession.  I am obviously referring to the doom and gloom posters with the topics and links telling potential law students not to go to law school for various reasons.  No jobs, only doing DR work, law school will kill you and your relationships...make you miserable etc. 

Let me just say this, for those of us who are still here and want to go to law school, there is no validity to the argument that you can't make it in this world as a lawyer.  I feel that recent grads and those going through tough times right now are victims economic cycles.  If being a lawyer is your passion, don't take what these guys spewing their own agendas as fact, take it as merely a precaution you should take before you plunge into this profession.  Every business is suffering right now, not just the law and you all need to understand that your dream should not be put on hold because of others' bad experiences.  With enough hard work and dedication, I believe anyone can become what they dream of becoming.

I may be a cockeyed optimist like Billy Mumphry (seinfeld reference), however I did not come from a privileged background so optimism and hard work have always been what has kept me going through the tough times.  I got my medical assisting certificate when I was 17 years old in high school because I knew I could not pay for my schooling.  I worked 32 hours per week at an HMO while going to undergrad full time.  Through this I was able to pay for my schooling, and my hard work taught me to be appreciative of everything I do have.  Most of my friends in college never had to worry about money, and generally did not seem to worry about their futures.  My experience has made me a stronger person.  I feel like no one should tell anyone that just because you are going to a t3 or t2 law school you should quit right now.  Understanding that in life, those who are less privileged to begin with just need to work harder.  Those who have a bad metabolism have to work out harder, those with less money have to work harder than trust fund babies.  Those of you who will be going to a T2 such as myself need to understand the risks, but never give up on your dream if that really is your dream.  We can be just as successful as those who graduated from HYS, we just probably have to work a lot harder.  If you really want it, you will not be aversed to doing so.

So to all my fellow T2/3 future students I send my support, we should be there for each other through this process and give support, because as we all know this is going to be a rough ride.  In the end I have faith it will be worth it.

[Dr. Balsenschaft]

By giving encouragement to T2/T3 students, but not T4 students, aren't you being a little hypocritical?

[jasontaylor9944]

Are you serious?  Fine let me rephrase this to state that I am referring to anyone who isn't going to a t14 school k?

[Dr. Balsenschaft]

I was half-serious.  Just put yourself in the shoes of a T4 student and then read your post.  Also, ask yourself whether your corny rant masquerading as "support" was really just a lame attempt to make yourself feel better.  I didn't go to a top-ranked school but I didn't blame my lack of privilege and I've never felt the need to justify what I did.  It was probably a bad idea.  I went to law school knowing that it was a gamble.  In the end, everything worked out for me, but I was lucky.  Yes, I also worked very hard, but so did a lot of my classmates.  Many of them weren't so lucky.  Regardless, even though I'm happy with the way things turned out, I never fooled myself into thinking I can be just as successful as an HYS grad if I just work hard enough.  That's unrealistic.  Not impossible, but unrealistic.   

[jasontaylor9944]

My intent with this post was not to get into an argument, but maybe I am just trying to make myself feel better...who knows?  I'd like to believe I am just optimistic, but maybe that optimism will get crushed within the next three years.

[Dr. Balsenschaft]

There's a very good chance your optimism will be crushed if you think you'll be just as successful as an HYS grad.  There's nothing wrong with being optimistic, but you should also be realistic.   

[bigs5068]

Dr. Balsenchaft you are an idiot all the OP was trying to do was say that a lot of jackasses on her spread venom about the legal profession. I go to a T-4 and found a good summer job, while other people going to Hastings and Standford have not. Other people at my school have also gotten jobs. Obviously going to Standford or Harvard is going open more doors, but you are not headed to the homeless shelter if you go to a T-4.  Before law school I worked as a paralegal and I even worked for two lawyers who were doing quite well for themselves that went to Cooley. Furthermore, the mayor of L.A. went to a non-aba school and he has achieved success than you, me, or anyone else wasting their time writing on this board likely will.

People spreading these vicious rumors about schools are completely ignorant and I doubt half of them even go to law school. Law School is hard no matter where you go and at any school you learn law. The same rules apply to a contract, a crime, or a tort whether you learned rules at Harvard or Cooley. Nobody is denying that the Harvard grad will have more prospects, but if you really want to be a lawyer and Cooley is the only school you can get into then do it.

Just like not all people after high school can get into an Ivy League school, but they still go to a 4-year college to learn a skill and get an education.  The same rule applies to law school, obviously if someone gets a 1600 on the SAT and had a 4.0 and they go to Harvard they are going to have more job prospects than someone who got a 3.0 and 1100 on their SAT. However, the person at the State School is not destined to be a BUM on the street. So good for jastontaylor9944 for having confidence in the school they are choosing I am sure his positive attitude will translate into success, while you sit in your Ivory Tower criticizing people who go to T-4 schools.   

[Dr. Balsenschaft]

My ivory tower?  Did you even read my earlier post.  I didn't go to a top-ranked school.  This is the comment I took issue with:  

We can be just as successful as those who graduated from HYS, we just probably have to work a lot harder.  If you really want it, you will not be aversed to doing so.

You see, I'm not one of those guys who say you'll end up in a homeless shelter if you go to a T4.  But I'm also not one of those people that say you can graduate from a T4 and be just as successful as someone who went to a T14 if you just work hard enough.  If you believe that garbage, you're setting yourself up for disappointment.  The fact of the matter is, you can graduate from a lower ranked school, work your butt off, maybe get an okay job right out of the gate if you're lucky, and then make a decent wage after a few years practicing if you keep up the hard work (and maybe even enjoy what you're doing for a living.)  That's the reality.  There's nothing wrong with that reality and the sooner you accept it, the less heartache you'll have to deal with.  

Also, the mayor of LA never passed the bar:
http://www.laalmanac.com/government/gl12.htm

[nealric]

Keep it civil guys. This topic has really been beaten to death.

[Dr. Balsenschaft]

Keep it civil guys. This topic has really been beaten to death.

Says the guy with "Georgetown 3L" in his signature line.  Don't lecture us from your "ivory tower".