Considering Law School? Perhaps You Should Reconsider

Like many other young undergraduate students, I had my heart set on law school. I didn't know what I wanted to do in life, and law seemed like the perfect field for the aspiring academic. Prestige, challenging/thoughtful work, and great pay. What top student wouldn't want to be a lawyer? The stereotypical great student has always been a lawyer or a doctor. That's why so many undecided undergraduates choose law school.

I purchased my LSAT books and begin preparing for the all important. The LSAT is an aptitude test that is required for entrance to law school. Unlike the SAT, ACT, or GRE, which end up being a small factor, the LSAT is a major factor in the admissions process. To law schools, the one-day LSAT test tells whether a student will be a good lawyer. The test is so important, many students spend over $1,000 dollars for a professional to teach them how to do well on the test. Others study and practice the test over and over again. One student who lived near me studied so hard, he was missing sleep and getting sick. The LSAT is generally considered equally with the college GPA, making the test hugely important in the law school admissions process.

My goal was to score around 160 (about the 80^th percentile of LSAT test takers). With my GPA and that LSAT score, I could get into a top law school that wasn't Ivy. Northwestern University, Boston College, and Boston University came to mind. With a 160 LSAT, I would be almost assured of $125,000 per year.

Well I bombed the test, scoring in only the 57^th percentile. Not good. To be fair, many students dole out more than $1,000 to be taught to take the LSAT by a professional, and I didn't. But regardless, this was a terrible score for me, essentially ruining my prospects of going to a top law school. They put a lot of emphasis on one day!