Help with Law School

BigBore1895 · 09-05-2004, 07:16 PM

Hey fellow hunters,
I have applied to law school, and have had some very positive responses thus far. However, I am struggling with the decision to go. I feel like by sitting on my behind in school all day I am missing out on alot of stuff, good and bad, in the "real world." I am just like all of you, hard working, love the outdoors, and I have an insipid disdain for academia. However, I feel like I am getting pulled in by all this yuppie-academic crap for the sheer fact that I have done pretty well (lots of hard work, not natural student ability). Any thoughts from everybody, hopefully some with advanced degrees and some without, would be very appreciative. I ask my father and my girlfriend, but I think that it is hard for family to tell you to pass these kinds of things up.

Furthermore, I have applied to schools in MS, NE, SD, IA, AL, TX, MI, and might apply to others in the same locations. If you could, please give me some information on these states. I have traveled some, but have mostly been a Colorado boy since birth. Thanks a lot for all the help that you could give me.

Darren

bob d · 09-05-2004, 09:59 PM

you got to have something to pay the bills .GO TO SCHOOL AND GET THE DEGREE. what about colo. school any in your home state

BigBore1895 · 09-05-2004, 11:01 PM

Yeah, I have applied to the University of Denver, I have no interest in Boulder for three years though. But Denver is very Urban, and that's just not me, to any extent. I will see what happens. I like Ole Miss, University of Nebraska-Linclon, Creighton, Drake, Michigan State, South Dakota, Wyoming, Alabama, and Texas-Austin. Did anybody here go to law school? I guess among some of the questions

BigBore1895 · 09-05-2004, 11:02 PM

Sorry, it cut me off. Anyways, I would like to know about some of these states if any of you live there or spent alot of time there. Any more thoughts on the topic?

bob d · 09-06-2004, 07:52 AM

sorry never lived in any of them but good luck with school. and i think if you stayed closer to home things will work out for you

Strut&Rut · 09-06-2004, 09:46 AM

Bigbore,

I have advanced degrees, and am working on my doctorate. I have a few friends who went the way of the Law degree. I can't say that any of them regret it...

...even though some earn ~50-75K/year...which is low for a lawyer.

Something you may try, before deciding, is assess your strengths & weaknesses---both personally and professionally. Put yourself on the market and see what your skills are worth (financially) and determine if the applicable jobs you can garner will be satisfying (self-worth).

I quickly realized, before my advanced degree pursuit, that the actual jobs for even a well-trained undergraduate were, well, not great

, both money & stimulating-wise.

This will help you judge what you can do at the moment, which will help you decipher what you want from tomorrow.

I can't help you with the states, but realize that you will be there for 3 years, and be very busy. BUT...if you can't live without snow, then for God's sake don't go to MS, AL, TX, etcetera. AND, if your just starting out, try to visit as many prospective schools as possible. I made this a perogative before my senior year (undergrad), and actually travelled cross-country with my current wife.

In closing, if you like Colorado, don't overlook the Northeast and New England. I've been to Colorado, and although we can't compare with the skiing and openness in attitude, the weather is comparable and we have some of the best schools (in both rank & reputation). Considering that Law schools are pretty comparable in price, do yourself a favor and at least compare those on the Eastern seaboard.

Good luck.

EDIT: Also do yourself a favor and look at the cost-of-living for the school. Many schools will compare their costs, but fail to factor in cost-of-living. That happened to me here in CT, where they compared assistantships to those in the Midwest...but didn't factor in the cost-of-living...needless to say, what I'm paid here could buy a house in IA, whereas here I live in a decent apartment...

etothepii · 09-06-2004, 11:25 AM

I grew up near Michigan State. I don't know squat about the law school, but I can say that the University, though large, is wonderful. Lots of grass... I know that sounds like a wierd comment, but I'll take a grassy campus over asphalt any day. Plus, if you have any spare time to hunt or fish, Michigan is pretty nice

Edit: What about U of M? I have heard that the Wolverines have quite a law school, and it's just a jog down US 23 to get to Cabela's!!

I'm sure I haven't helped any, but I hope the post was at least a little amusing!

LBR · 09-06-2004, 11:46 AM

I didn't go there, but I don't live too far from Oxford, MS (Ole Miss). I love living in MS. Folks are generally polite, the hunting is great (our deer population is second only to TX, and if they went by weight vs. numbers I believe we'd have them whipped), cost of living is comparably low, and it's not too far from Memphis, TN if you have a craving for a big city.

As for the studies.......that's a hard call. Sure, you can make real good money, but I know guys in that situation. They make good money, but are miserable with their job. Money don't buy happiness. There should be plenty of different occupational openings that pay good and may be more along the lines of what you like to do. For instance, if you love the outdoors you might look into something in the mining/geology field, animal sciences, etc.

Chad

PacNWhunter · 09-06-2004, 11:56 AM

You might look into Gonzaga U in Spokane, Wa. I have a couple of friends that went to law school there.
It's on the Idaho and Washington boarder so you have lot's a opps for good hunting and fishing.

BigBore1895 · 09-06-2004, 01:31 PM

Thanks for all of your replies, it definitely helps me to consider different aspects of things. As for law school, I am sure I will end up somewhere. The job market sucks for undergraduate degrees right now in just about everything, so, if I want to keep adding to my gun collection I had better get one more degree.

Cost of living is definitely a consideration, though not the be-all end-all of the decision. Mostly, should I get some free time I would like to be in an area where I can do some huntingn or fishing at a relatively sane price.

Mostly, I think that there is also a need for some conservative lawyers as well. Too many trial lawyers on the bad side of the fence. Since I suck at science (therefore nixing the biologist/forestry thing), I guess the best way to help gun owners and hunters would be to get a law degree.

Strut, what are you getting your doctorate in? Sounds like you have been "gettin' learned" for quite some time, I would be interested to know what you do. Sounds like you enjoy it as well.

Like you, I have seen the market for undergrads, and it just isn't pretty if you want to move up and do well. I had an internship and they offered me a job at about $30,000/yr., but that hardly gets you a sturdy box in Colorado anymore. Plus, without one more degree the upward mobility just wasn't there.

So thank you very much for the replies, and please don't be shy to chime in. I love hearing what everybody does and all of your thoughts on things. Sounds like most people here have intelligent views from the real world, something that is hard to come by on campus here!