6 Things People Think of Your Law Degree

By Julia Dunn on August 28, 2015

This article is brought to you by Kaplan, the leader in test prep for over 90 standardized tests, including the GRE, GMAT, LSAT, and MCAT.

Ever since Elle Woods’ miraculous (and hilarious) transformation from Los Angeles sorority princess to sophisticated and poised Harvard law student in Legally Blonde, many of us picture the coveted law degree as a fast-track to career success.

It’s no major secret that earning one of these degrees is a lot of intense work, much of which involves reading from huge, stuffy, practically ancient books full of boring law stuff. However, some of us can handle this and even enjoy some of it.

If you are indeed one of those people who survived law school and got out alive, here’s what people are thinking about your law degree.

1. “So, you want to be a lawyer?”

Not necessarily. It may seem unquestionably obvious to assume that a student working towards a law degree would want to become a lawyer, but many times, this is not the case.

Image by Paige via flickr.com

Law degrees can lead to an assortment of career paths including politics, journalism and writing, as well as others. The skills that law students obtain through their rigorous education can be extrapolated and/or transferred to other fields quite well, as law degrees require intense analysis and focus that one can use for most other job prospects.

2. “Oh, you’re going into law? … You’re probably ‘boring, ugly or serious,’ … or all three.”

Another Legally Blonde quote that is all too relevant here. Law students seem to have a reputation for being stuffy, uninteresting or rigid human beings. Some law students may be more serious than others, of course–but that doesn’t mean we can write off every law student as a bore.

As is true for any group of people, not everyone is the same! This applies to law students too. You never know–there are probably students just like Elle Woods out there getting law degrees while still keeping up a bubbly personality at the same time.

3. “Remind me never to get into a debate with you … you’ll win for sure.”

Yes–as far as argument goes, law students are trained like no other. No, that does not mean you shouldn’t debate with them. You can learn a lot from debating with a student pursuing their law degree, and you’ll improve your argument structure even though you might not be pursuing law yourself.

As a note, “argument” in law is not the same thing as arguments with your parents about emptying the dishwasher–arguments in law are based on sound logic, knowledge of the law as a foundation for reasoning, and strategy. This is why it benefits you to have conversations with law students–you will no doubt pick up some of their skills osmotically. Challenge yourself!

4. “You’re going to be loaded for life–lawyers make so much money.”

This is a common and understandable misconception. Most people seem to regard being a lawyer as one of the highest-paying professions, and that a law degree nearly guarantees a huge paycheck.

While lawyers usually make an extremely comfortable salary compared to those in other professions, not all of them make as much money as we think they do.

In 2013, the “best-paid lawyers earned more than $187,199, while the lowest-paid made less than $55,170.”

Image via Pixabay.com

Lawyers’ salaries vary depending on the firm for which they work, and new graduates will have to work their way up to those six-figure salaries we envision when we think about lawyers. If you are a law student, aim to be in the top 10 percent of your class or higher–this field is competitive.

5. “Sweet–I have a friend who’s a law student! Now, I can get free legal advice after I do my next stupid thing!”

Newsflash: they probably won’t give you free legal advice. Just because you’re friends with a lawyer does not mean they will freely disseminate advice whenever you want them to. Moreover, law students don’t know everything, and likely will be unable to give you direct solutions to a highly specific law-related situation. They might know general information that could be relevant to your predicament, but even if they do, they might not want to share it willy-nilly at no charge, depending on the depth of advice.

6. “Law school is ridiculously difficult. Why would you ever want to do that to yourself?”

Yes, it’s hard. Yes, it’s particularly expensive. Yes, you will question your decision to go to law school–probably multiple times. No, it’s not a complete waste of time. A degree in law can be very rewarding and exciting when you have a complex case to investigate.

This pathway is perfect for those who love a challenge, and love to argue and reason with people. Many people pursuing law degrees find joy in the activist aspects of the profession and in giving a “voice to the voiceless,” as articulated in the television show “Modern Family” by Mitchell Pritchett, a character who works as a lawyer in the show.

If you decide a law degree is a goal of yours, be prepared for some stereotypes thrown at you whenever someone asks you what you’re doing with your life. You will leave law school well-educated with a useful degree that will likely get you a solid job, depending on the right circumstances.

Image Via: www.pixabay.com

Learn more about Kaplan’s test prep options and start building the confidence you need for Test Day.

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