Gtull1’s Weblog

My nephew is about to start law school. I was worried that this would be too tough for him, but he keeps telling me that law school is not that difficult from what he’s heard. How can that be? I thought that law school was the most difficult type of school there is, next to medical school maybe? Looking at the top law schools, none of them seem easy to me! So I looked around for some articles. Here are some bits and pieces from what I found:

This is law school and law school is hard, son. Sit down and enjoy the tour of our library because we only have an hour for this tour which is not nearly enough time to fully explain the journey you are about to begin. The next day I told a classmate that one of the new admits asked this question and my classmate responded with laughter. Ahhh, ignorance is bliss.

I was 27 when I started law school (I am now in my third year) and went from making about $45k a year (but saving absolutely nothing) to living on the $14k annually in “living expenses” student loan money that my particular school has determined is sufficient. Basically, each school decides on an amount of money that you can borrow (not from them, from lending institutions like Access Group which is really popular among law students) for living expenses based on the cost of living where the school is located.  I really wanted to be an injury attorney, but the money crunch was tough! However, there is no way that I could have managed the last few years without my parents’ financial support for the big bills and the unexpected stuff like my car dying and my cat getting sick (huge vet bills). Make sure you have the support of your family. If you have to rely on credit cards, don’t get out of control with them – part of the determination of whether you will be admitted to the bar exam is often your credit history.

Now we know that you don’t have to be the smartest person in law school, but you do have to commit yourself to it. I can also add that law school itself is nothing compared to raising a family. The complexities involved in raising your children and providing for your spouse are much more difficult than law school. Why? Because you can read a book for the right answers on any legal question. I have yet to find a book that can tell me the right answers on being a good father.

SO what do you think? Is law school difficult?

Coming from a recent graduate of a top tier law school, law school is the most difficult thing I have ever done.

Comment by Sam Eddy August 29, 2008 @ 7:02 pm