Northwestern (full-ride) vs. Harvard

[gratif]

My buddy is from Wisconsin, doesn't know where he'd want to practice, and is afraid he'd hate BigLaw.  He's going in with a vague notion of public service, but 150K of HLS debt might kill that idea.  He actually wants to be an author and sees law school as a place to command a better mastery of the english language.

Also, Northwestern requires that he defer a year to get the full-ride.  During that time he'd try to write his first novel, but doesn't know exactly what he'd do for $$$.

[mathlete]

Harvard

[gratif]

My buddy is from Wisconsin, doesn't know where he'd want to practice, and is afraid he'd hate BigLaw.  He's going in with a vague notion of public service, but 150K of HLS debt might kill that idea.  He actually wants to be an author and sees law school as a place to command a better mastery of the english language.

There are much cheaper and much better ways to master the english language.  Wow.

I suppose I should qualify this a bit better.  He's interested in public service and international relations and all the stuff that reality likes to *&^% on.  ULTIMATELY he'd like to wind up an author but isn't holding his breath. 

[gratif]

Right now he's 60/40 NW/HLS, but last week it was the other way around.

[The Pookie]

is this dude for real? I mean....law school is for training attorneys...not writers. In fact, i think people become worse writers after law school.

have you read legal documents...goobleygook!

[gratif]

is this dude for real? I mean....law school is for training attorneys...not writers. In fact, i think people become worse writers after law school.

have you read legal documents...goobleygook!

Long term, side-interest, and hobby.  I should've mentioned that.


BigLaw Fears:
http://messageboard.tuckermax.com/showthread.php?t=9395

[iSalute]

He should go to clown college. That will teach him to be an entertaining writer.

[Denny Crane]

My buddy is from Wisconsin, doesn't know where he'd want to practice, and is afraid he'd hate BigLaw.  He's going in with a vague notion of public service, but 150K of HLS debt might kill that idea.  He actually wants to be an author and sees law school as a place to command a better mastery of the english language.
Also, Northwestern requires that he defer a year to get the full-ride.  During that time he'd try to write his first novel, but doesn't know exactly what he'd do for $$$.

This is among the worst reasons I've ever seen for going to law school.  If he wants better mastery of the english language, he should read the Oxford English Dictionary everyday for the next three years rather than going to law school.

Given the fact that most of the new words he'd learn in law school are latin words, he'll come out of his law school experience a very jaded, bitter person. 

Then again, misery breeds creativity, so maybe he should go to law school.

[Denny Crane]

BigLaw Fears:
http://messageboard.tuckermax.com/showthread.php?t=9395

I followed the link and just read the 7 pages of current lawyers who are miserable and advising everyone against law school. Jeez. All the lawyers I know work in gvmt jobs and love it, and I've only met/spoken to about two firm attorneys who were just okay with their jobs. It sure seems like no one loves working for a firm.

Most of the lawyers I know also love their jobs legitimately.  Then again, most of them are not in BIGLAW.  I think people can love practicing any kind of law, even corporate law, so long as enjoy the nature of the work itself, instead of just doing it for a paycheck and a resume builder. 

The OP's friend sounds like someone who will probably be miserable regardless of what kind of law he pursues, just because he doesn't seem to be interested in the law itself, but rather things he would learn on the periphery while attending law school.  Again, a horrible, terribly misguided reason to go to law school.

[windycindy]

If you want to write novels you write novels. You don't talk about writing novels some day because you're already in the middle of one. Writers write.