Prospective Law Students Lack Market Awareness

If I were picking a career field today, I would do my best to avoid fields that would leave me with a crushing debt load and minimal prospects of securing employment. You know, like practicing law.

But what do I know? Above the Law reports that the number of LSAT’s administered has risen every year since 2006. Who is taking this test? Attention LSAT takers: The market has spoken. It does not need more baby lawyers.

Please, people. Only go to law school if you have a passion for it and the skill set to match. Everyone else should immediately go to their college career office and find out what industries are actually growing and then take the test for whatever grad school gets you into that field. I hear nursing is big these days, as all those baby boomers get old.

Law is a crappy backup plan for college grads who don’t know what else to do. They graduate with significant student loan debt, have a terrible time finding a job, and when they do they end up miserable because they are spending hundreds of hours a year doing something they don’t love. Law is a very, very tough gig even if you love it. If you don’t, it’s miserable.

That’s what I did. I am a lawyer, specifically a trial lawyer, because I love it and can’t imagine being happy doing something else. If that isn’t going to be you, find what you love and then go do that.