I went to law school because I did well on the LSAT and didn’t know what else to do with my life. Honestly, my life changed at law school. I found an internship at a public agency and fell in love with the job. Eleven years later, I am still there. I have found my career and purpose. I am so glad I went to law school even though at 21 I didn’t really know if it would be for me or not.

@CeceXie

Жыл бұрын

i’m glad it worked out for you!

@tabby5119

Жыл бұрын

What work do you do at the public agency ?

@kevinkeller5596

Жыл бұрын

Thank you! And thank you for your excellent videos!

@aalegalfocus

Жыл бұрын

@@kevinkeller5596 congrats; glad it was a good choice for you and you found a job that fulfills you.

@teresacooperward8680

Жыл бұрын

Dittos. And 40 years later I am still glad I did. Understanding how the system works, where to find out what you need, and learning cogent thinking helped me in all aspects of my personal life,right down to raising kids.

I think people should make decisions like going to law school once over the age of 25... or maybe even older. Its a helluva decision. Ive decided to go back at 31 and honestly it's less stressful then trying to do it in my early 20s. I think its because I've developed more as a person.

@anh7807

7 ай бұрын

I am considering at 33. I have 2 kids but I've been considering law for years now and that feeling of wanting to give it a try never left. I never really felt that "calling" for something for very long. I seem to always go back to considering law.

@theeternalgus9119

7 ай бұрын

@@anh7807 Go for it!

@anh7807

7 ай бұрын

​@theeternalgus9119 my husband has discouraged me..he wants me to stay and help him with his construction business instead. He keeps telling me to wait. That said, I feel deep down that I want my own thing. I dont really enjoy relying fully on him...if something were to happen to him (or us), I want to make it on my own. A big concern for me is not only financial, but the closest law schools near me are 2 hour drives. I think I'm just going to go for it, but my spouse has threatened divorce if I do (especially if I take out loans). It would also take me away from my kids, but I told them it should pay off if we sacrifice just a bit.

@duncanrasmussen5539

5 ай бұрын

You should do it. If your husband is threatening divorce and wants you around as "free labour" for his business, it's probably not doing well. Gain the skill set to provide for yourself and your children while finding your purpose in life. I wish you luck and hope you get a chance to live your dream @@anh7807

@GodsBelovedOne

4 ай бұрын

Facts I just turned 28 and I'm definitely deciding to go to law school

Watching this on my break while studying for the LSAT 😅😅

@melancholynights6833

Жыл бұрын

Me too!! 😂

@gperez0126

Жыл бұрын

Same!

@juliemugadza2353

Жыл бұрын

Me too. How y'll studying

@donyconjux1

Жыл бұрын

Why do we do this to ourselves?

@acd1168

Жыл бұрын

Girl 😂

I graduated from law school last year, and for me, it was not the right career choice. If you don’t love the law and law school, there are options for you within the field. But if you don’t love it, there is NO SHAME in leaving the field like I did. Best decision I ever made.

@jinnylee248

Жыл бұрын

what do you do now?

@NilaMatters

Жыл бұрын

@@jinnylee248 I'm a youth services librarian! Definitely not as prestigious, but so rewarding, fun, and I feel like I have the free time I never had while in law school/practicing.

@montrelouisebohon-harris7023

Жыл бұрын

I went to law school and absolutely loved it.. I got my paralegal degree from Old Dominion University in Virginia first and I loved it so that helped tremendously. I knew I liked studying the law and working in the field. That's why I decided to go ahead and go to law school even though I could have read for my bar without going to the law school because in Virginia and California people can do that. If someone have the bachelor's degree pretty much in anything and they work for an attorney three years and their sponsored and study and do their work under this attorney, they can sit for their bar exam without going to hospital for 3 years. I chose to go anyway because I wanted to make sure I passed it and did anything I could to pass.. yes I did but it was the most grueling two days in my life. My back hurt and my hands hurt.

@montrelouisebohon-harris7023

Жыл бұрын

You are 100% right!!! The best thing I can suggest is if people are interested in the law, did they already have a bachelor's degree they can always get a paralegal certificate. That's my suggestion because they can always get a job as a paralegal just having that certificate alone while taking about 8-10 classes. Only takes about two semesters. That way if they don't like it they'll know . My first law class was business law and it was so boring so boring and I liked my professor which was the only thing that got me through it.. I even made an a as a class and I don't know how. After business law it was awesome and then real estate law was boring.. bankruptcy law was hard!! It was hard but I hit Barnes & Noble and got extra books so it helped me learn it and then it made it easy.. you're absolutely right and it's not for everybody!! For me it was just my niche'.. best way I can describe it but I'm so happy that you found something wonderful for you.. nothing more miserable than working at something 8 hours a day for your whole life and hating it.

@aroberson8629

Жыл бұрын

May I ask why you didn’t drop out? And did you take the bar?

I'm currently applying for law school! *However,* I'm turning 30 next month. I spent time after undergrad working in the legal field as a court reporter. That experience was invaluable and made me realize that my personality and skills were best suited for law. There's no shame in taking the time to work in a field before committing to it, especially because law school involves a lot of time and a lot of money!

@davebyer9520

Жыл бұрын

I knew several 1Ls that were 30 in my class when I had went to law school

@MSneberger

Жыл бұрын

I turned 30 during law school (top 20 school). There were other students significantly older than me.

@newagain9964

Жыл бұрын

@@MSneberger oh. Top 20 school. Should I give you a cookie?

@MSneberger

Жыл бұрын

@@newagain9964 Just a data point for Authiel who mentioned that she was 30 and applying for law school so that she would hear that a law school with restrictive admission policies (as opposed to "OK you have a pulse and $100k you're in") have no problem with 30-year-old 1Ls. Go give a cookie to the T14 folks.

@MSneberger

Жыл бұрын

@zzzz Horrible. But I do not think it had much to do with age.

Not me wanting to go to law school based on legally blondeee 💀 That was literally me. I had recently changed my degree to Criminology as I felt that everything I was learning really didn't fit with what I wanted. Your videos made me realise that Law wasn't for me, and I thank you for that. Everything you have said about the law profession, and the legal industry, was literally everything that I thought, but I didn't realise this because I was too stuck in the fantasised life of wanting to be a lawyer, and earn lots of money. Thank you Cece! ❤️

@CeceXie

Жыл бұрын

you're welcome! law can be a fulfilling and financially rewarding path, but in all cases, we need to divorce the fantasy of being a lawyer from the reality of being one. i'm glad you're realizing what isn't for you--it's one step closer to homing in on what is!

@donalddees5503

Жыл бұрын

Congratulations on giving up on your dreams.

I am a law student and I love it!! It's amazing it feels like your life has a higher purpose, I am loving every second of it! If you really love it the working part feels effortless!

@paige8361

Жыл бұрын

Same! I absolutely love what I do.

@myrtila

Жыл бұрын

Yasss, same. I didn’t think I would like it, I was never the kid with the dream to become a lawyer and debate people (lol) but turns out I’m pretty good at it and I find it interesting and important

@aalegalfocus

Жыл бұрын

That's great to hear! I thought law school was interesting, not too bad, but then working in the field was so different and a drag. Law schools need to do a better job preparing students for real-life practice.

@anujapotdar5868

Жыл бұрын

@@aalegalfocus I guess it depends on the institution, few are good few could do good.

@markquinn1216

Жыл бұрын

But you're not even working as an attorney yet. Talk to us in 10 years.

Fellow attorney here!! Completely agree with this advice. Saw so many people dropping out because they went to law school for their family or because they didn't know what to do with their lives. What I would say is that it can be the best decision you ever make depending on whether you do your research first! I'm in litigation now and it genuinely is a fast paced, exciting career where you get to use your brain! In terms of mitigating debt, choose your law school wisely; balancing prestige with cost is a good idea. I went to one of the cheapest T1 schools and was lucky because I could do my JD in 2 yrs rather than 3 (this may be the case if you have an LLB from England). RA work and clerking also chopped the cost in half. It is doable and if this is your passion, go for it! Just make sure you know what you're getting into first!

@minanicola8318

Жыл бұрын

Hey bud, I wanted to ask you couple questions about law school. would you be able to help , please?

@bryonywhitaker9330

Жыл бұрын

@@minanicola8318 sure thing! Let me know what questions you have and I will do my best to answer them!

@aphrojitex8972

Жыл бұрын

This was very informing, what T1 did you attend?

@bryonywhitaker9330

Жыл бұрын

@@aphrojitex8972 I went to the University of Iowa! I think a lot of people dismiss it because it's more rural than some of the other schools, but we have a ton of people going into big law after all over the country! Would 10/10 recommend the teaching there!

@dominicekezie2011

Жыл бұрын

I know being a lawyer is a lot of reading and writing....how much do you like that aspect?

As a law school tour guide, I tried really hard to help people consider these things. A book that I always recommended was "Most Law School Advice Is BS" by Andy Brink. Its a great read and really helped me consider things that mattered like law school debt, location, networking, and the lie that is big law and on campus interviews. So anyone here who wants more guidance about deciding to go to law school and then deciding where to go to law school, consider this book!

"I want to help people" except the people you wish the help can't afford your hourly rate :(

@saltandpeppers8788

Жыл бұрын

Exactly the dilemma

@blackosprey2219

Жыл бұрын

There's always pro bono work. Some lawyers will do charity cases.

@annab331

2 ай бұрын

Public defense is an option

I'm in law school and have no regrets. Worked in the legal field for years prior to law school. Know what you're getting into, don't go into it blindly - the debt is like "golden handcuffs" and you may feel overwhelmed.

@aalegalfocus

Жыл бұрын

Good luck with everything. Great that you worked in the profession first.

@Zay13378

Жыл бұрын

Same here no regrets I have been working now for three years two of which where in big law. Big law was rough but doable.. now I am at a smaller firm and am loving it. Also investing into real estate which is very fun

im 17 right now and was generally opposed to going to law school because of the course load, finances, and the fact that the media glamorizes it (as you said). however this all changed once i read "Assata", seeing what it was like in the 60s with the lack of black lawyers defending innocent black people infuriated me. even though it was way back then, instances like that still happen today. within the prison industrial complex still standing strong today in the states, i feel as if i have to make change. as angela davis said, im no longer accepting the things i cannot change, i am changing the things i cannot accept. i got an a in my grade 11 law course and taking grade 12 law next year. the law is unjust, people of colour are being mass incarcerated by storm, none of that will change if i just sit here and sulk! and for that reason yeah, i wanna go to law school and i wanna be a criminal defence lawyer! its me vs the prison industrial complex

@laurenann5481

Жыл бұрын

I love this for you, I wish u all the best. However, you gotta know and not let your passion and dream die that as a criminal defense you most likely will be a public defender for those truly innocent people and you’re going to be weighed down by case loads and the pressure to slap a plea deal will be enormous. I encourage you to study criminal justice/criminology in undergrad with a minor in philosophy or psychology, both those disciplines will get you far and prepare you well.

@adesuwa9112

Жыл бұрын

THIS is a VALID an great reason to want to become an attorney and is very similar mine as well I really want to become an immigration attorney to help black/ POC immigrants seeking residency, citizenship, or aslyum in the US who often don't have immediate access to a lawyer or legal resources (which unfortunately is very common now). I'm in my mid 20's w/ my BA but the biggest obstacle in applying has mainly been the LSAT it's been very rough for me lol. However, I would make sure you do a good bit of research on being a criminal defense attorney, especially as an UG (i.e. finding any criminal defense attorneys via the state bar association in your state who are willing to have an informational interview with you on what their daily tasks/ duties are, I suggest following NatalieLawyerChick on KZread- she's a black criminal defense attorney who does great videos analyzing complex and interesting court cases/ legal matters, find great volunteer and internship opportunities that relate to criminal defense law, and I don't want to tell you which specific major to choose in college but ideally you should choose something that you would enjoy and do well academically ofc. Your major doesn't even have to be related to law either it just needs to be one where you can earn a high/ mid 3.0 GPA overall- which I'm sure you'd be very capable of! I'm rooting for you! 💕

@adesuwa9112

Жыл бұрын

@@laurenann5481 I agree!

@sarahvanhorn6782

Жыл бұрын

Great passion and a valid reason for wanting to go to law school! I went because I wanted to be a prosecutor to protect my community. I’ve been the victim of multiple crimes and that’s what inspired my passion. However I recognize the unfair treatment of minorities (and even white people who are poor and unconnected). As a prosecutor I enjoyed working with most of the defense attorneys because I saw they were very necessary to prevent the court system from wielding their power uncontrollably. Many times we reached plea bargains that ensured the community was safe- yet their client didn’t have to spend an unnecessary amount of time in jail (if they even went to jail). Sometimes, (is especially with younger offenders) we’d ensure that their record remained clean and try our best to get them out of the system. That being said, make sure you don’t spend too much on law school and take advantage of any scholarships you can. Prosecutors and public defense attorneys make peanuts compared to the rest of the profession. It can be extremely hard to live off that salary and pay back huge student debt. Further, most public defenders offices don’t really care what law school you went to as long as you become a licensed attorney. They care far more about experience (which you can get in an internship in law school) than they do about the prestige of the school you went to and even if you have bad grades. I did several internships in prosecutors offices in law school and I got job offers from many prosecutors offices right after graduation. I had classmates who had MUCH better grades than me (I was literally at the bottom of my class grade wise) but they couldn’t get hired by prosecutors offices or public defender offices because their internships were in completely different fields of law. So overall my recommendation would be to not go into too much debt for undergrad and law school and to try to intern in defense offices as much as possible. It will allow you to get a feel for it and decide if it’s definitely what you want to do and it will make you 5x more marketable in the hiring process. Also try to work well with coworkers and other prosecutors in those internships. Being respectful and hardworking goes a looooong way in being attractive to future employers! I wish you the best! The law community needs people like you!

@chrisnash430

Жыл бұрын

Well said, and we need to fix the gender disparity in jail! Too many men in jail and not enough women!!!

I remember being 16 and doing work experience in a firm where everyone tried their best to discourage me from studying law, jokingly telling me it was the Devil's work and to get away while I still can. Ditto with any law students I met before starting college, and since starting studying college I've realised that pretty much all of my coursemates have experienced the same. I think if you can hear about all the downsides that come with working in the legal sphere and that *still* doesn't put you off, it's probably I sign that you're the right fit

@catherinenikolajeva2152

Жыл бұрын

Also, on a side note --if finance is the main obstacle stopping you from going to law school, look into studying abroad. Outside of the US, you can study law at undergrad level and get qualified faster, not to mention generous enough financial aid packages. Obviously, undergrad international student fees will be relatively more expensive than home fees but they seem to pale in comparison to US law school fees

@singingcoversweekly3108

Жыл бұрын

Yep I'm studying in ireland and finance isn't an issue because of student grants. I'm now in my 3rd year and loving the course

@catherinenikolajeva2152

Жыл бұрын

@@singingcoversweekly3108 I’m studying law in Ireland too!

@andreasalazar5370

Жыл бұрын

@@catherinenikolajeva2152 But if you do that, does that mean you would end up practicing law in the country you studied abroad in?

@catherinenikolajeva2152

Жыл бұрын

@@andreasalazar5370 It really just depends. I can only speak as an Irish law student, and one still currently doing my undergrad at that. The conversion course afterwards varies from country to country (and state to state, if you want to practice in the US), but you wouldn't be a qualified lawyer right after finishing your degree anyway. As far as I know (I could be wrong), Irish graduates can sit the NY Bar exam. I know of people who've practiced in Australia before sitting conversion exams, and those exams were then done only to show prospective employers that they were in it for the long haul. I think it's important to consider that, Ireland, for example, is a common law jurisdiction rather than a civil law one if you're looking to practice elsewhere. Considering the exams and courses you'd have to do to qualify into actually practicing law, I really don't think that a foreign law degree from a respected university would be much more of an additional hindrance. Sorry for the long reply! :)

I'm glad you reiterate that the huge starting pay is not typical at all; only a small percentage of all graduates get big law and many people don't last more than a few years anyway. I was mired in low-paying small law firm jobs after Georgetown law school and thought constantly about quitting the profession. Thank you for bringing up all these considerations for anyone considering law school.

While I understand why the author emphasizes carefully considering a legal career before committing to law school, I disagree with the author's outlook on the career. I hated every moment of law school, but love the practice of law. Law school itself, I found, had little to do with the practice of law. Law requires that you solve problems, manage clients and opposing counsel, and secure and protect the rights, property, and freedoms of companies and people. I also think it is disingenuous to recite the starting salary for attorneys without caveats or context. The author fails to mention that many career paths in the public sector include excellent benefits and/or retirement; that compensation rises quickly with years of experience; or that different geographies command different starting salaries. And with respect to helping others, I understand that law students want to "make a difference." The reality is that attorneys do make a difference, but often on a small scale. Every conviction, divorce, will, patent, bankruptcy can massively impact the client - whether that client is a person or a company with thousands of employees. Again, while I understand the points made by the author, but I do think the advice given is overly myopic and negative.

@SavedPdf

Жыл бұрын

Thank you!

@jackyp1893

Жыл бұрын

I completely agree with this! I'm in the post-JD, pre-bar intership phase and there are still lots of ways to get creative and leverage your law degree and experience to make a decent living.

@newagain9964

Жыл бұрын

You make a difference? Sure, By guiding someone out of an (expensive) paper maze ppl of your ilk unnecessarily created. And don’t get my started about businesses. They have more rights and protections than ACTUAL ppl.

@thrombolin

Жыл бұрын

@@newagain9964 There’s a name for that paper maze. It’s called the law, and most people use it to their benefit. As to your comment about the rights and protections for companies, it turns out a lot of people rely on them for a paycheck.

@spOOkytimes

7 ай бұрын

Agreed. I don't know this youtuber so I could be wrong, but many people go straight from undergraduate to law. She could be one of the people that went straight through. A lot of people that don't understand the working world before getting into their main/only profession think their career/field is somehow unique in not living up to expectations, bad pay, bad hours, poor sense of fulfillment, etc. You will see miserable people in every single field out there. People who leapt before looking, who had people pressuring them, who wanted security and wealth, etc. Then they find out they made a mistake in career paths and have to make it everyone else's issue (not this youtuber, but other's online). At least in law you have high earning potential like you said. The debt is uniquely awful but can be paid off with discipline. I feel like there are many arrogant people that go into law because they think its "easy money" from 3 extra years of school and learn its actually difficult, either in school or when they start working.

I only graduated in 2020, so I’m not some old, wise person who knows tons about this, but if there is anyone watching this who’s in college I HIGHLY recommend listening to what she says from 10:20 -10:45. There are so many factors to jobs that interviews and internet research can’t tell you when you’ve been in school your whole life. Actually working in the field that you find interesting straight out of college will give you far more information than those things ever will. As a child of immigrants there’s this pressure to get graduate degrees as fast as possible and I’ve come to the decision that that’s actually a bad idea.

@highnessproductions4177

Жыл бұрын

As someone with a daughter in her 3rd year of college( & immigrant parents) , this resonates so much … I wish it was more normalized to take time finding & trying different things. My daughter, a college athlete& biochem major(not by my pushing), just opened up about how her mental health is not as good as she pretended it was this entire time trying to “not be a failure” ?!? Feels like we are going to take some time to figure this out- although my first gen brain was thinking “push through- what are you thinking?!!!!”

@griselgriselda2901

Жыл бұрын

Yea, it’s a very bad idea. Most people don’t build up workforce, workload tolerance until they’ve had a few jobs outside of AND inside of their future job. I remember a few years back I was 21, 25 now, a lot of people would say to choose a career when you’re in you mid 20’s. I didn’t wanna listen and now I realized that’s the position I’m in. Thank God for everything because now I’m not in debt and can actually do a career without any debt. Such as community college for nursing degree.

@ima.m.1658

Жыл бұрын

@@griselgriselda2901 That’s awesome. Happy for you. I spent so long, even till recently that I need to go down certain career paths, partly to please my immigrant parents. I turn 25 next week. But I’m realizing I just want to let go of that thinking that I have to go into very high paying career paths at all. people are different and not everyone’s going to like being a doctor, for example.

@adesuwa9112

Жыл бұрын

Sameeee, I graduated in 2019 and my parents are immigrants as well. I keep having to explain to my mom why I haven't applied to any grad schools at the moment mainly bc I wanted to take a gap year after being so burnt out from college (which coincidentally coincided w/ the pandemic lol) and then later realizing the whole time I was in college I had severe undiagnosed ADHD which made school and everything else very hard for me. I originally wanted to go to law school in 2020/21 after taking a gap year or two but i'm actually glad that I didn't because I would've been superrr stressed out, depressed, and probably in even more debt then I have now. Basically, it's not worth it and just makes the whole process of earning a higher degree extremely difficult, so it's best to just go when you're ready and not rush it. I wish immigrant parents would understand this and not think we're being lazy or something 🙄

@FirstnameLastname-zq8oy

Жыл бұрын

How are you supposed to “actually work in the field you’re interested in” without having a degree and being qualified first? Even most paralegal jobs require you to have good grades in law school before being accepted for the job.

Personally, as a 26 y/o with an MBA, I believe law school is calling my name! I absolutely am enthralled at the fact I can sit at a desk a do research all day long. I would like to either work in house for an amusement park corporation (my hobby is theme parks!) or simply run my own family law practice. Either way, I believe law is calling my name and I’m VERY excited to start the journey!

@paige8361

Жыл бұрын

Same!

@lookatthis666

Жыл бұрын

Go for it!

@jacob9673

Жыл бұрын

Everyone going in says “law is calling their name.” You need to find a way to ensure that’s true.

@lookatthis666

Жыл бұрын

@@jacob9673 You can’t really know how it is, unless you go to law school.

@chrisnash430

Жыл бұрын

Intern at a family law practice first. Experience the misery, I mean joys of divorce law, and then decide whether that's what you want to do.

I spent my first 11 years after law school as a prosecutor. I loved it, but my law school loans were more than my mortgage. I couldn’t afford to get married or have kids. I also carried a heavy case load, so I worked 12-14 hour days, 6 days a week. I never got my vacation time, so it just piled up. Eventually, a friend of mine from the public defenders office and I decided to go out on our own. He died two years later, and I was stuck carrying a tremendous amount of costs, even though I down sized the office and staff. I then spent the next 14 years hustling every day to bring in business. I never got rich, and in fact made the same money on my own, as I did as a prosecutor, but worked as hard, if not harder. I had three heart attacks by the time I was in my early 50’s. I had always planned to be a lawyer and was pre-law as an undergraduate. I even taught pre-law undergrads as an adjunct, to supplement my income. I don’t recommend anyone go into the law, unless they are absolutely prepared to sacrifice their youth, their chance at having a family, etc. for the first 10 years of their lives. I did enjoy your video. Thanks!

@xixingpooh

Жыл бұрын

See, I majored in pre-law as well and graduated this December. I've worked in three different law firms over 3 years, and I enjoyed it for the most part but never got overly excited about it. I just began law school last week, and I can't help but feel I've made a big mistake. I love traveling, even if its just long domestic drives. I love thinking strategically and analytically. I get a lot of fulfillment out of these things, and at this point it feels like law school was a mistake. I'm considering dropping out and going for an MBA/the business route. I feel lost.

@xixingpooh

Жыл бұрын

@@studynow3540 I did quit law school, but I gave myself the entire first semester to decide. I wanted to be certain of my decision, so as not to act out of emotion. I passed all of my classes, but I still felt the same about it. I’ve met a lot of law school students, former students, and attorneys who felt the same way. Many attorneys who felt trapped by their decision. I did not want that to be me. After the semester finished, I enrolled into an MBA program instead and switched career paths. I already feel a lot happier and more free. I’d be happy to go into more depth if interested!

Thank you so so much for this!! Currently taking a gap year after graduating with my bachelor’s- this provided timely and detailed insight!!

@CeceXie

Жыл бұрын

i'm so glad! gap years can be so incredibly helpful to figuring out what you want out of your life and career--hope you're enjoying it and learning a lot!

@bellafusillo1308

Жыл бұрын

I’m in the exact same boat! I’m working in law right now but I was waiting to go to law school

@ridgebriar17

Жыл бұрын

When my two sons had to chose their career path - it was just as challenging as it is- or should be, for most 18 year olds who have had little life and work experience to gauge their decision on .... BUT making the Wrong Choice can ending costing students a fortune in Student Debt for a career they may later decide they do not want or like. My oldest son was fortunate to be an 18 year old in the burgeoning era of the Information Age - the Internet. He quickly figured out how to do in depth searches on clunky search engines ...into the pros and cons of different careers - then carefully studied them before making his final choice - A LAW DEGREE. He had already figured out - that in order to get the best jobs and income - IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO GO TO A TOP LAW SCHOOL. This is not necessarily true of other careers - but it turned out, he was correct when it came to Law Degrees. IMPORTANT NOTE: There are too many law schools and too few good paying law careers. The old Supply and Demand issue. This is a FACT that ANYONE considering becoming an attorney - needs to take very, very seriously or you could easily graduate from a mediocre law school with $200,000+ in student debt only to be offered low paying jobs in law. This is all too common. The reason my oldest son chose to pursue a Law Career after doing his research .... is that he already knew from his SAT scores, he had a very good chance of eventually getting into a top 10 Law School. I questioned his decision at the time - but as time passed and I did my own research, I realized he was right. The problem for most young college students ...is that most of them will never get a high enough LSAT score to get into a top Law School. NOTE: Most of the top law schools require LSATs in the top 2% .... a difficult score to achieve for even exceptional students. As he awaited his "career determining" LSAT score - he was consumed in overwhelming stress, worried he had not done well enough on the test. When his score did come in - he was ecstatic when he received a 176 out of 180 score - which almost guaranteed admittance to a top 8 Law School. Eventually he ended up choosing a prestigious top 4 Ivy League Law School - and that singular 99.7 percentile LSAT score, literally determined his future. HOWEVER -These top Law Schools require these exceptionally high scores for admittance - but the reality is, very few people get those kind of scores. His undergrad college roommate also took the LSAT ... a guy whose father was so gifted, he has attained BOTH a Law Degree - AND a Medical Degree ... yet his LSAT score was 165 which allowed him to get into a good 14th ranked law school - but was out of reach for the kind of schools that could guarantee good jobs and a salary high enough - to pay back all those pricey student loans. Hope this real life situation can help someone else decide which direction and degree they want to invest their time and money attaining. Unfortunately there are far too many smart young adults only find out after they have a mountain of student debt - they have a degree in a field that will be the wrong choice. The biggest improvement this country could make to help young people avoid massive student debt ... is to invest every high school with enough WELL TRAINED, KNOWLEDGABLE counselors to give them the critically accurate information these students need before they make choices they end up regretting.

@hurryandleave9680

Жыл бұрын

@@ridgebriar17 Well said. I think it is criminal that law schools are turning out too many would-be lawyers relative to the demand for lawyers. They know they are doing this, and they don't care. The ABA, which accredits these law schools, doesn't care either.

For some reason KZread has pushed a video with basically the same premise like once a month since I applied to law schools. I start next month, but I always watch them just out of curiosity (and spite!) This was by far the best one. I came in annoyed at it's existence and now feel as though it is a valuable and interesting resource for those early in the process. Good job!

@RaeB171

Жыл бұрын

I start next month as well!! Wishing you all the best on your journey 💕

@Lalacandoitall357

Ай бұрын

How is it going?

Cece's advice at 8:20 about public interest is spot on. Not everyone is cut out for non-stop litigation. I'd say the chances of sticking with it for more than 4 years is about 35% in most specialties. In criminal defense it's probably more like 20% of people are still doing it after 4 years.

Just like an undergraduate program, law school is really what you make of it. Of course, it's not for everyone. And of course, it's very hard, very stressful, very time consuming, very expensive. But I learned sooo much and grew a lot as a person and met a lot of great people. Even with all the student loans I had to take on, I don't regret it at all.

@venom_dave

Жыл бұрын

Harder than medical school?

@austintrummel1945

Жыл бұрын

@@venom_dave Never been to medical school, so idk

Thank you SO much for your content! I'm a Scottish lawyer who got into the profession under reasons 1 and 4 and BOY was I unprepared. Our system is different (and a lot cheaper) than the US system but still took seven years and some debt to get through. It's fascinating to hear that the actual reality of the work itself is so similar on other sides of the world though. Currently trying to pursue other goals after 2 years working in corporate and I've never felt more free and mentally stable haha! All the best with your new life path!

I thought I wanted to go to law school my entire life, but to be honest I was so obsessed with the idealistic values of being a lawyer, that I never asked myself if that was really what I wanted. So i decided to take a step back and look over my entire life and look back at memories that really made me happy. And me worrying about if I was going to be good enough to get into law school, are not any of them. The first memory that came up is when I went to the aquarium and saw people swimming and checking the water to see if the water was okay and checking on the animals, I looked into it and saw some promise in it. But I then realized I would have to move so far away from the entirety of my family and I would not have any family support nearby. Which would make me more anxious then I already would be from living alone. I then realized that I gained so much joy from providing nourishment from food, seeing the smiles, hearing the laughter, and seeing people happy from what I cook so I am now looking into culinary school. The moral of this story is: It's okay to take a step back to reevaluate you life and what you want from it even if it is a complete 180 from what you initially wanted.

you have such a comforting vibe

Thank you, literally said anything I needed to hear!! Im a 2L who just transferred to a part time program at a different school to work in public policy. I’m feeling anxious about the change but the advice really helped validate my decision ❤️

The problem with some of the checkpoints for medical school is that they feel somewhat arbitrary in retrospect. You do not need to know any organic chemistry to be a doctor. It's just a proxy for if you can discipline yourself enough to study a lot, have logical reasoning, and some ability to memorize. Likewise with research experience, the vast majority of doctors who practice don't end up doing any research as a part of their career, and it's not needed to be good at providing care (think primary care). While clinician investigators/researchers who work in academia are important, they form a small minority of practicing physicians (also because of the availability and necessity of such positions), and I think having research as a too strong a checkpoint can potentially unnecessarily block out candidates who may otherwise be a very good fit. I can't make any comparisons to law school since I've never had any experience with it, but there are certainly students who make it through all these checkpoints and end up finding that medicine is not a fit for them as well. Not sure what the solution is really.

@blackosprey2219

Жыл бұрын

From what I've been told from my dad, a heart surgeon, med school and residency are nightmarishly difficult themselves. While ochem was totally useless for what he was doing, the intensity of the work filtered out a lot of people who don't wanna get brutalized in a similar way (albeit with different topics) for 8 years. It saves time and pain on all sides.

@briannguyen6248

Жыл бұрын

🤷‍♂️yeah, for me ochem was a favorite of mine. I got my A from it while having such a struggle with biology lol. Which ended up being my deciding factor to drop premed and pursue law since that was also something I’ve been interested in since preteen. I’m applying this cycle and hoping once I get in and graduate, I’d like to work locally. Small firm, county attorney, county clerkship etc would be nice. Just more local the better since I’d see the results of my work where I live rather than some amorphous federal or corporate job.

the pace you speak at and how you explain things is very pleasing for my adhd ears

Hi I just applied to graduate school for media and communications but I’m a huge fan of your work. I love how you’re realistic with being a lawyer. So kudos to you and the young professionals coming out to state that what all glitters isn’t gold

I used to want to go to law school, but reality hit that I just couldn’t afford any more tuition and loss of wages due to the time commitment. I work in International Development now and am getting my MPP in Germany instead, and I’m happy. One important thing for me was realizing that getting a law degree here would mean that I can’t do anything with that when living abroad, I would have to attend law school a second time. In my career now, I still get to work on policy, write a lot, and help people, but I don’t have to worry as much about location as I would as a lawyer.

@scarlettmauner475

Жыл бұрын

the one thing putting me off being a lawyer is being tied to one location. i've never heard of international development before, can you tell me what it is?

@newagain9964

Жыл бұрын

Fax.

Thank you SO much for this video! I'm interested in systemic change through public policy/law, and it helped me expand the careers I'll explore. Edit: Having specific questions were also very helpful.

I'm in law school in The Netherlands and I must say that I love it. But it's not for everyone. Most of the students want to get everything perfect and want to be as direct as they can. It's a lot of work and it demands a lot of motivation. however, it definitely is a good career path that you can take and you gain a lot of self-confidence over the years. Too bad that the US has these ridiculous student loans. We have to pay 2100 per year, and the first year is 50% off (some people, like me, get money from the government if their parents don't earn much).

I appreciate this video a lot! The fears you mentioned about student debt, not being able to provide the same quality of life as one's parents, trapped in working long hours because of living expenses... I think these have more to do with the current state of our economy. We have more debt than our parents, and we're working more hours for less spending power than our parents. We feel trapped because we have been collectively backed into a corner. I hear these same fears from people no matter what their career is.

Great video--love your channel! Do you think you might ever post a longer-form video that goes into detail about what your work actually looks like as a lawyer? Like what it looks like from start to finish when you are first assigned a case to when it's closed and what happens each step of the way?

@CeceXie

Жыл бұрын

yeah, i definitely plan on it! it will really differ based on practice area, so i want to do a practice area video first. it's definitely a lot more tedious than glamorous in all instances lol

Interesting info. I was a paralegal in the 80's at a big firm. Our attorneys were regularly at the office by 6:30 and some didn't leave until 11:00pm.

bruh thank you for calling me out! so helpful to have my thinking broken down like this, you a real one!!!

I really appreciate your in-depth video, especially because I feel nervous about not applying to graduate school the past year when my peers seem like they have everything figured out. Thanks for providing other jobs and paths that I could do--and now considering!

@CeceXie

Жыл бұрын

don't be nervous! everyone else might seem like they have everything figured out, but in reality, everyone has to keep on figuring things out. grad school is a big decision, and i think it's better to delay it until you have a clear idea of what you're trying to get out of it. i'm so glad that this video was helpful to you--excited for you to explore some of these other paths!

feels crazy watching this having just graduated law school last year but you're totally spot on with the advice. I went to law school without a clear idea of what typical practice (i.e. firm life) would entail which led to some pretty serious depression/burn out when I started working. Honestly I find needing to bill by the hour super stressful, especially as someone who prefers to take my time with things. I'm still trying to find a way to make it work but seeing people in the comments share the different ways they tackled similar issues makes me feel a lot better ❤ it also made me less afraid of the possibility that maybe the legal profession just isnt for me

Thank you so much for putting the time and effort into sharing your insights with us. Such an effective way to get important and sometimes inaccessible info to a large group of people!

@CeceXie

Жыл бұрын

thank you for watching and supporting! i never thought i would have something to offer to others, and your comment means a lot to me ❤️

Not even remotely connected to the legal profession but still really enjoy watching your content, I think your thoughtfulness about career and life extends beyond the whole law school/legal profession situation. Keep up the good work👍 Wonder if I should pass this along to a friend applying to law school 😅

@CeceXie

Жыл бұрын

thank you! and definitely--i think this video would help anyone considering going to law school or currently applying

This was incredibly helpful, thank you so much!

Thank you! It’s really helpful! I’m hesitant to drop out JD (top law school in my country) after completed one unit of study. Now I can confidently confirm that law is not worth it to me.

just took the LSAT, needed this vid. ty 💕

I’m glad you mentioned policy as an alternative to law school. About 4 years ago, I decided to get a dual masters in Public Policy and Economics instead of going to law school because I realized it was very difficult to achieve any significant systemic change by practicing law. I really don’t regret that decision, as it allowed me to gain skills that are in high demand in the labor market, like data analysis, and that I can apply in a wide range of disciplines. It was also a lot cheaper than going to law school and starting salaries for policy analysts and economists are pretty decent.

@laurenann5481

Жыл бұрын

Hi Andrea! Im getting my masters in public policy also. May I ask what you do for a living? Im about to graduate with my MPP- and im watching this video (clearly the title) because I still feel lost, but I want to make a change. So far the pay scale of policy for think tanks has turned me away because it’s menial. If you have any recommendations of where I ought to apply that would be so helpful. I believe I have a much legalistic and analytical mind than numbers oriented- which is why im looking at law school.

@covfefe_drumpfh

Жыл бұрын

@@laurenann5481 Become a policy analysis/consultant, craft your own research, and if you Have other collateral skills that could earn you certifications via examination that you can use as your *main **_money maker_* Say, you're great with languages... so apply to be a court or medical interpreter.

@lajourdanne

5 ай бұрын

Yes! Public Policy and Public Administration are fantastic alternatives!

Thank You for your thorough honesty! This world is tough to navigate.

Thank you for this video, I can't tell you how much I needed to see this ❤️

I have never felt a more clear and burning conviction for freedom and justice through law during my time in law school. if you just take a second to look around, arguably most major news has to do with some kind of legal issue. Some of the hardest challenges we will face in the future will involve legal cases of first impression (meaning no one ever encountered it before). Put differently, the law is everywhere, and we need good and smart lawyers to confront literally existential challenges. There would be no society without law. And there would be no law in any meaningful without its agents (such as lawyers). That said, she's right. It's not for everyone because it's a hefty investment and some drop like flies. but if you've got your finances figured out and you got that DOG (i think military is harder than both for reference and i was ranked in the 10% in my class) in you--and with meticulous management of your mind, body, and spirit + just setting some realistic expectations--it's not that bad (i went to peer school and work at peer firm of this person). this was a blanket statement which is what bothers me the most bc it's not entirely accurate without knowing to whom this video is shown the most. though the content is not incorrect, and i get why she labeled the video this way. hope that gives another perspective for prospective students to consider.

@y30758

9 ай бұрын

tho clearly you can tell that my proof-reading goes down the drain past midnight lol

I’m a law school applicant for the upcoming cycle and came across your video when I was taking a break from LSAT drilling. I can’t tell you how important it was that I saw this video (and to discover your channel). This is my second time applying for law school. The first time I did it because I was fresh out of undergrad and, like you mentioned in the video, didn’t know what I wanted to do and wanted to make some money. Thank you for reminding me why I putting myself through this whole process again to go to law school!

Wonderful content. Please keep making videos!

I just decided to drop out a couple weeks ago and frankly it has been one of the best decisions of my life. I finally feel so free and happy again. Thanks for being honest with folks because that education was definitely not for the weak.

@aalegalfocus

Жыл бұрын

Good luck with whatever you do next. It's better to realize early on that you don't really want to follow through with a certain career path.

This video was a year ago BUT WOW… IT WAS ACTUALLY THE MOST HELPFUL VIDEO I SEEN IN YT OF WHETHER OR NOT LAW IS ACTUALLY FOR ME… THANK TOU!!!

As a second year law student in India, I love my choice of going to a law school. My aim and ambition matches exactly with what i am being taught and getting to learn along the way. In India we can get into a Law schoom right after high school, but we have to give an entrance exam for getting into the Government Law School, those are called NLUs in India. The exam is called CLAT(common law admission Test) which is what i gave and fortunately i got into a NLU. There are other options too apart from NLUs such as the private law schools but those are generally very expensive and tbh i couldnt have been able toa afford it but a lot of people do take it because there are only very few seats available through Clat. Either ways people get into a law school for an integrated course of 5 year after which they graduate becoming an Advocate and getting their Bar association license.

@redcrow8402

Жыл бұрын

Hey!!! I'm someone who wants to do law in india too. How's it going on so far, and how's law school??? I would love to know more details about the law and law schools if you're comfortable sharing them.

@belleowo01

Жыл бұрын

Starting law school after Graduation in India as well! It’s quite fun tbh.

Thanks for making these videos, I'm in high school right now and these are so helpful.

Man do I wish this video came out in the summer of 2016 when I joined law school and signed my life away to student loans. I love how you point out that some people are just comforted by the thought of continued academia, that was me 100%. Plus I wanted to make money, plus I thought it "looked cool." Its honestly embarrassing that those trivial and highly inaccurate predictions about law school caused me to take that life-altering decision. Sadly, I realized I was in the wrong place after year 1. But I was about $40,000 in debt based on that one year, and I thought it would be ridiculous to just drop out after spending so much (sunk-cost fallacy). So that fallacious thinking that gamblers have is what kept me in that cycle, getting more depressed year after year. Sorry for the depressing comment, I'm doing fine now but really, really wish that I had someone like you to say these things to me back then.

@xixingpooh

Жыл бұрын

Do you practice law now?

I was in love with the prestige. I went to work for a law firm after undergrad while I studied for the LSAT. Day 1 at that job was enough for me to realize I didn’t belong. Coke head lawyers, constant berating from the staff, and high turnover. I was fired after 3 months because I couldn’t bring myself to go to work anymore.

@aalegalfocus

Жыл бұрын

What did you wind up doing instead of law school?

@cjsmith8319

Жыл бұрын

@@aalegalfocus I am an accountant and studying for the CPA

@imarie6901

9 ай бұрын

You were absent most of the time?

@missj3434

9 ай бұрын

Omg.. that sounds awful. Glad u had the courage to get out of that decision

this was super useful and informative! thanks for being so transparent and spilling the tea on why law school isn't as great as it seems

@CeceXie

Жыл бұрын

you're so welcome! glad it was helpful!

This is a very informative video. I personally don't attend Law School and I don't live in the USA, so this doesn't apply 100% for me (different system - LL.B. not J.D., and different tuitions fees - like 2 000$ per semester only), but still. I already have a B.A and was doing an M.A to teach at College, but I realised it wasn't for me. I dropped out and panicked a little while trying to find another path. I was turning 30 and needed to have a job soon. I decided to settle for a Paralegal Tech. degree (3 years full-time at College, which is the equivalent to an Associate's Degree where I live). On top of that, since I already have university experience, I enrolled in a Law Certificate part-time (one year full-time; 30 credits (each class is 3 credits in our system). I actually had started it one semester before my Paralegal program started, because I wanted to see if I liked it. I plan to pair it with a Major in Polical Science later after I graduate, or do another Certificate (I'm doing general Law right now, but at another university in my city I can do one in Public Law, and one in Social and Labour's Law at another one also in my city.) All depending on what field I end up liking the most and if I want to do more like civil law, criminal law or public interest, etc. I still think about Law School from time to time though. The thing is, I can't do it full-time without any loans and/or scolarship (which I can't have because I already had them for my previous B.A and my unfinished M.A.) and working 25-30 hours a week during Law School seems too much. I would have to do it part-time, which is only allowed in one university, but then it would take forever (6-7 years). The Bar School is another year. If I end up not going or not passing, I'm afraid I'll just end up with the very same kind of jobs than I would have as a Paralegal or a Political Science graduate (the later only if I don't end up working in the law field specifically, but for the government, in public interest, etc.) As a former Literature and Humanities student, I mostly like research, and I can do that with just a Paralegal degree. So I don't know if it would be worth it to do my LL.B. It's not as expensive as in the USA, but it's time consuming and it will cost money still, considering I already have student debts and will have to work a lot during school. It also means another 6-7 years of struggling with money because I only have a student job part-time while having to pay for everything (I live alone; the tuitions fees aren't that expensive, but it's everything else that end up being a lot; rent, food, bills, taxes, etc. while having a pay-check that barely covers all of that.) I'd end up with the degree at like 37 and would probably not make that much money because work/life balance is important to me and I wouldn't go into Big Law or anything like that. Anyway the salaries where I live are absolutely not what they are in the USA. But again, Law School costs much less here, so I guess it evens things out. So yeah, for now I'm focussing on my Paralegal degree, but I don't know, I still wonder if I should have gone to Law School when I was accepted anyway, or if I should go after my degree, part-time, while working as a paralegal. But it would mean many years of sacrifices and struggling a bit with money still, just like I did during my entire twenties for my B.A and my unfinished M.A, you know...?

There is one extra reason why some go to law school (myself). I personally am going to law school just for personal development- I have no interest in actually working as an attorney when I graduate. I enjoy learning interesting subjects like Admin law, Federal Criminal law, my reason for going to law school is purely because I enjoy it. The knowledge I am attaining in law school can be applied to almost every avenue of life.

@13violalover

Жыл бұрын

How are you handling student loans?!

@andrewrai5752

Жыл бұрын

@@13violalover Full scholarship!

Thank you for your video, it helped a lot!

Good advice!!

Thanks for the reminder on alternatives to help people instead of law school. This made me realize that I haven’t fully considered all of my options yet. I will definitely be using this advice as I enter college

The way I’m having an existential crisis about if I even want to go to law school after thinking I would want since middle school and then this popped up.

love the sailor moon shirt + thanks for your honesty!

@CeceXie

Жыл бұрын

in the name of the moon

I applied to law school first in 2012, and decided not to go. I spent the next four years living in Japan where I ended up in a law firm in Tokyo. Life happened, and I ended up back in Michigan five years later at a tier 1 automotive supplier--one I grew up with as a kid and loved as a teenager. I finally decided to go to law school last year. You are spot on. But I really push alternative methods for law school for those who think its for them: 1. Get experience. Law school isn't hard for me--just a lot of work. I have been working in law for 18 years including big law, consumer protection, prosecution, and found my love: in-house. Experience made this process easy, plus now I KNOW its for me. 2. Part-time is an option. I think part-time school is underrated. Yes, its a ton of balancing, but your job can get you experience while allowing you a ton of financial freedom. It is just me, but I have an amazing house with two cars in garage. 3. Potentially zero debt: I will graduate with zero debt between scholarships and what my company has offered. Not only that, I have a guaranteed offer as an in-house attorney when I graduate. 4. Zero competition. Everyone knows law school is competitive, but I dont have that. My boss just wants me to graduate . The idea of competing for the best grades is gone and he would rather see me just pass a class then strive for an A. Honestly, I feel like I have done law school right. I am truly blessed and humbled, but I think a lot of people could have similar opportunities if they think outside the box to attend school.

As someone who has been highly debating whether or not to go to law (and currently is in undergrad), this video was extremely helpful! It's really made me sit down and think about what do I REALLY want to do. Thank you so much :D

@CeceXie

Жыл бұрын

you're so welcome! i'm so glad it was helpful

Thank you for making this video

Great video! I knew before I even started law school that I would went to go the public service route (being a prosecutor). I also knew it pays peanuts compared to working in a big firm. So I purposefully chose a school that gave me a large scholarship rather than trying to go to a school where I’d leave with over 200K in debt. I saw sooooo many of my classmates who only were miserable because they went to law school because they ‘wanted to be rich’ or didn’t know what they wanted to do in life. Unless you have connections or graduate at the top of the class grade wise and work for a big firm- you’re not going to come out of school making over 100K. As a prosecutor I only made 56K starting out. That’s literally what people in trade schools make (plumbers, electricians, mechanics, etc). I didn’t care because I didn’t have to pay extremely high amounts on my debt and because I was passionate about serving my community. But if my whole goal was to be rich I’d have been miserable lol. Now I’ve transferred to civil/criminal law as a divorce attorney/guardian ad litem. I get paid way more but I’m still helping my community and doing criminal law. It also allows me to have a healthy work/life balance. I see many attorneys take the job at the big law firm because it does pay well (150K or more annually) but many of them are miserable because they aren’t passionate about the law they practice and they’re working 70+ hours a week with little social life. It’s worth it if your passionate about the law, but not so much if you’re just in it for the money. Overall when people ask me if they should go to law school I give them the same advice you do. Go if you’re passionate about the law and want to help people. Don’t go if your only motive is to be rich or youre not sure what to do next in life. Learning a trade is far cheaper and often pays more than going to law school! Lol I wish they’d normalize it more because I have friends who never went to college who work in coal mines, plants, or other professions and make more than me! Great video!!

@aalegalfocus

Жыл бұрын

So true-- glad you did it the smart way & didn't take out tons of loans.

@tracyy.changg

10 ай бұрын

How did you become a prosecutor? I’m a new college student and I want to become a prosecutor for the same reasons as you but I’m still confused on how to get there. I want to be involved in the area of divorce law but I have more passion for criminal law. I’m not sure what to do after law school.

When I got to college, I dreamed of going to law school but then I ended up in finance. I’ve had a lot of regrets about not applying to law school and been comparing myself to my peers who did apply, but thanks for making this video because it makes me feel so much better about my decision and realizing law school was not the best choice for me!

I’m still working through my undergrad in mechanical engineering and planning to go to law school for patent law. Luckily I’ve had those weed out classes in engineering and still wanting to go to law school.

i'm currently studying for the bar exam, post-grad. i met my partner, my best friend, so many other important friends at law school. i knew exactly what type of lawyer i wanted to be and the only thing that has changed is now i'm so sure that it's what i'm meant to do. it didn't make any of this nightmare easier. the money, the stress, the gatekeeping, the time, the crippling imposter syndrome, the people who didn't understand why i couldn't be so present for them, the classism of students and faculty who didn't understand the challenges of coming up poor and the limitations it brings in a law school setting. all of it was hard. it's still hard. i wouldn't trade it for anything because i'm so close to my dream profession i can taste it, but i wouldn't recommend it to people who "are just curious" or don't know what to do with their lives.

@aalegalfocus

Жыл бұрын

Good luck on the bar exam!

great advice, and at a good time.

Cece, I really like you! Thanks for your videos!

Thank you so much for making these! I’m not a lawyer and my college kids will probably not go into law-but we are learning so much from just your decision making methods and info that we find new perspectives to help with our approach to obstacles too!

@CeceXie

Жыл бұрын

i'm so glad to hear that! applying learnings from one sphere to another sphere is one of the best things that we can do :)

Good job with this video!

Watching this as a 3L who still isn't 100% sure it's what I want to do...but apparently I'm good at it and it'll be the best bet I have of helping my parents retire if I make good money, lol. But still, mentally preparing myself for a big grind. Awesome vid.

Just curious....when you had lunch with Bruna Conce did you mention any of these points to her? She seems somewhat clueless on her tiktok and stuck on your points #1 (money) and #3 (image). Your advice is on point.

Got my Masters in marketing management. Not sure if I really like marketing but the program was broad and covered all the business fields, like finance and data management/analytics.

Im neither a lawyer or aspire to be one but still enjoy your videos. Got my graf degree from ASU Law, good enough for me! Keep the content coming

@CeceXie

Жыл бұрын

thank you so much!!

Such a great video! :) I could say a lot of the same things for med school , even if you make it past the organic chemistry hurdle haha definitely have similarities!

@CeceXie

Жыл бұрын

thank you for sharing! alas, the media exposure trap rings true for medicine, as well

Hi! Really enjoyed your video. Was curious about billable hours. You mentioned inefficiency, but if something took you 1.25 hrs why would you bill 1 hr instead of 1.25? Is it because it's task-completion based? Also, you mentioned at the beginning you're less efficient so you work more than your billable hours. Is there a point/at what point did billable hours actually equal the amount you were working? Would really appreciate any clarification!!

@CeceXie

Жыл бұрын

check out my explanations of hours worked versus billable hours here: kzread.infoESL0tStXyLo and kzread.infograix1XibkQ basically, you would bill 1.25 hours if a billable task took you 1.25 hours, but often, you're at your desk/working/etc. more than the 1.25 hours in order to bill that amount. i don't think you ever get to a point where your billable hours and hours worked are 1:1, particularly because as you get more senior, while you do get more efficient, you also have to start doing more business development, communicating with clients about process/procedural issues that are likely not billable, and other non-billable work. hope that helps!

thanks for this video. What happens if you don’t get a good grade in a final exam? can you sit that exam another time? or you will be dropped out?

Appreciate your videos immensely, Cece! If one were interested in starting a law firm, 1. what's the minimum # of years of experience generally recommended as a prereq (or the norm)? 2. is a dual JD/MBA a good idea?

@CeceXie

Жыл бұрын

1) it varies on what type of law you're planning on doing and your own confidence level! theoretically, one could open up a solo firm right away if they felt comfortable that they could represent clients ethically and competently and had enough of a book of business. i know folks who opened up their own shop after two years in biglaw; i only felt comfortable after five years, though. 2) how much is the additional cost of the MBA? if not a huge differential, it's not a bad idea for the networking and if you ever might want to move into a non-legal, business role, particularly at a company where a lot of the biz people have MBAs. but i wouldn't just tack on an MBA at large cost just for the heck of it

Do you recommended answering the optional statements applications ask for or am I fine not?

Excellent show and examples. Have you thought about being a career counselor? I worked in a law office and have been around certain types of lawyers most of my life. I think that the education at different levels often has a huge first year student body and then people that give up due to life happening. Law school takes an inordinate amount of study time. I am following this (you) now. TY

I have already researched law school and want to go because I genuinely enjoy researching policy/law. I already know I would DESPISE big law and would choose my law school very wisely. I find a lot of prospective law students only care about prestige and not the job itself and that's what leads to the negative feelings/experiences. I would love to work with no profit or advocacy orgs firms, is working for those such as alcu, vera, Naacp etc as rare as they seem?

@CeceXie

Жыл бұрын

unfortunately, yes--check out my other video about how where you go to law school impacts your career options/flexibility (kzread.info/dash/bejne/ZZh30M-tgKiycaw.html). name-brand nonprofits like the ACLU and NAACP tend to be pretty prestige-oriented when it comes to hiring, and their funding only allows for limited hiring, but there are ways to build your career towards those name-brand nonprofits eventually even if you don't go to a "prestigious" law school

@AfroTae

Жыл бұрын

@@CeceXie thank you! I already figured that and was trying to tailor my choices there. I honestly still do like law and will try my best to form a path best for me! Definitely will watch the video

@foxydancer104

Жыл бұрын

You could also look into getting your MPP (Masters of Public Policy)! You would analyze policy and this could help you to work in nonprofits and advocacy firms. Also so many schools have waived the GRE so you wouldn’t even have to take a major test to get in!

Great, clear, informative YT video-Thank You.

I am from Hong Kong. Similar to the UK, students may study law as an undergraduate in Hong Kong. The tuition fees in Universities in Hong Kong are very low by US standard.

I’m currently working at a firm right now. I decided to go to paralegal school and since I graduated top of my class, I graduated with a job! I honestly love law, and working as a paralegal for a few years before I get to law school. I’ll have a well rounded skill set and practical experience right out of the gate which I can leverage for higher pay as well. It’s never to late to get your life in order, self accountability and discipline helped me achieve my goals 🙌🏽

I'm getting a 7 year full ride with the national guard, when I get out I get all the discount benfits (health dental and mortarge) on top of the decent salary. Army has decent scholarships if you need.

Sailormoon t-shirt brought back so many good childhood memories, which I hade before I went to law school.

Love the video as a incoming student at 37. I did love the sailor moon shirt tho

I got in the law school and survived half of year. I got depression, gained weight and lost desire to do anything cause I didn't have time nor Energy. I dropped out and started psychology and that's what I love. Try to find what u like, don't go to LS because of someone/money..

@xixingpooh

Жыл бұрын

I'm a few weeks into my law school career and hate it to be honest. I'm deeply considering dropping out. But I'm afraid of it screwing up my financial aid for other professional school as I might get an MBA instead. Any advice?

@klarrra_9913

Жыл бұрын

@@xixingpooh To be honest I am not the right person to answer this as I don't really know the US program and all the costs involved:( In Poland universities are free, so I didn't have to worry about money. The only advice I can give is that if you already hate it, you won't like it, it's too hard in my opinion to study it without love and passion and it would really suck to dedicate your whole life to something you hate

I took the baby bar the same day as Kim Kardashian. I passed it on the first attempt. It was a freaking beast of a test

Such great points I wish I could've watched this video a few years back when I was deciding whether or not to go to law school. Very happy now with my choice not to but definitely agree if you're not sure what to do with your life post grad it can be such a tempting option!

For me I am passionate about corporate law and I got a 172 LSAT. Got into UT with some $$$. Now I am in big law and miserable asf. But I'll be out soon for a decent sized firm.

@music-wn9ux

Жыл бұрын

how did u get that score what did you use to get this score?

@Zay13378

Жыл бұрын

@@music-wn9ux I studied for about a year. 3 months hard-core and full time. 7sage, LSAPPlus. Drilled the studying. I've always been a good test taker so that helps. Begin seeing the pattern in the LG, LR and how the questions are asked in reading comp.

@music-wn9ux

Жыл бұрын

@@Zay13378 thank you so much, do u has any advice for me regarding lsat,

@Zay13378

Жыл бұрын

@@music-wn9ux Yeah study hard. No matter how intelligent you perceive you are this test will have its moments with you. Learn the types of questions and how they are worded. Find patterns like I said. Loophole the book/7 sage the website are the best tools for me. If you have extra time to start studying take advantage as for some this test takes many months to master.

@KuostA

Жыл бұрын

why are you miserable af? helps me feel better about not going down this route

Thank you Cece, for your honesty!

@CeceXie

Жыл бұрын

of course--anytime!

I liked how you mentioned about built-in checkpoints through the various academic years of a undergrad college student. I know that it is crucially necessary. I think all majors of any postsecondary institution should take those measures as well.

I am thinking of going for my masters degree in social work because I want to work in policy. Can anyone provide tips for going in this direction? How does one find a job in policy with an MSW?

this was helpful! I'm not going to law school for financial reasons but this was still an interesting video

Lawyers are people who try to extract deep, personal self-actualization from jobs where they do homework for a living, and then wonder why they are frustrated, depressed, anxious, and burned-out.

@abefinance109

Жыл бұрын

yes!

@griselgriselda2901

Жыл бұрын

Yup, but I hope they all get jobs one day.

@aalegalfocus

Жыл бұрын

Yeah, I've constantly reminded myself, it's just a job. It's hard when so many people expect you to work miracles in their cases. A wise attorney once said, it's important to care, but not too much.

@savannahhalm

Жыл бұрын

Thank you I was looking for this comment