>>938162>>938162 (OP)I am currently a law student at a top school. I had a humanities degree with good grades from a good school and graduated in the worst of the recession, so I too could only find the shittiest of jobs. Here's my take of things you should consider.
1. It is never worth it to go to law school if you don't want to be a lawyer. You can do other things with a law degree, but law is the default. This guy
>>938187 is right. Try to shadow or work for free and, if you can, try a few different offices (small law firm, government, etc.).
2. Law is extremely prestige-driven. You should go to the best law school you get into or, if that school is not in the top 20, maybe the strongest school you get into in your region (i.e. if you are in Pa. and want to practice there, Penn State may be better than U. Iowa even though the latter is a better law school.
3. If you can get into a top, say, 14 school, your odds of being able to get a high-paying job are quite good, unless you majorly fuck up. These jobs can be BRUTAL, depending on the firm, and you have to be savvy about your long-term career, but they pay very well (120-160k starting). You can also get jobs at smaller firms and in government that pay less with better quality of life.
4. If you do not go to a top school, the job market can be very tough. Schools are required to disclose placement rates and you can find them by googling. It's not pretty. Unless you have major hustle or great connections in a specific market, or will be among the very top of your class, your odds get smaller and smaller as you move down the law school rankings. I personally lack hustle and connections, so I would not have gone to law school if I did not get into the top, say, 30. Your mileage may vary.
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