Everyone! Thank you for all the advice!

I have never been a good grade-getter, but I have always been a good test-taker. Since I keep hearing that Law School grades are all based on tests, this makes me think that I might be able to get good grades in Law School!

The more I read from you folks, the more I think I have to make the sacrifices necessary to go to U of M (if I get accepted). I was looking forward to going to school for free, and biking to class, and so on. My main concern in life is having a family and being able to provide for them, and I thought a JD - any JD - would guarantee that. But it's sounding like maybe a JD from a 4th tier school (although according to their own "objective" ranking, Cooley is 18th in the nation! Ha!), might not be a guarantee at all.

Just don't waste your time at DCL. THAT would be a waste.

Linus Van Pelt wrote:Everyone! Thank you for all the advice!

I have never been a good grade-getter, but I have always been a good test-taker. Since I keep hearing that Law School grades are all based on tests, this makes me think that I might be able to get good grades in Law School!

The more I read from you folks, the more I think I have to make the sacrifices necessary to go to U of M (if I get accepted). I was looking forward to going to school for free, and biking to class, and so on. My main concern in life is having a family and being able to provide for them, and I thought a JD - any JD - would guarantee that. But it's sounding like maybe a JD from a 4th tier school (although according to their own "objective" ranking, Cooley is 18th in the nation! Ha!), might not be a guarantee at all.

Tom wrote:Just don't waste your time at DCL. THAT would be a waste.

You're behind by about 3 name changes.

DCL -> DCL at MSU -> DCL College of Law at MSU (yes, really) -> MSU College of Law.

And I hope you weren't being sarcastic, because yes, it would. Be a waste.

Linus Van Pelt wrote:How much importance would you place on deciding right away What Kind of Law You Want to Practice?

If you have a clear choice and a reason for having made that clear choice, then all the better. But I wouldn't worry about it. Just get into the best school possible, and then get good grades there. This should be your only goal as a 1L.

The University of Michigan is a top flight law school. I have met and worked with a number of fine attorneys and nice people who attended the University of Michigan law school. But I'm sure that there are plenty of kunts there as well. That's the deal!

Law school is kind of like the Empty Bottle on a weekend, actually. You meet and like a few of the people, but you want to push the rest of the fuckers off the edge of a cliff.

Linus Van Pelt wrote:Getting out of school with relatively small debt would then allow me to be choosier with my work - not needing a high-paying job to pay down my debt, I could pick a more satisfying job instead.

"High-paying jobs" and "satisfying jobs" are not mutually exclusive groups. Just keep that in mind.

if you can get into U of Michigan, by all means do so. you still have to apply yourself. But if you do not, free is good. There is just that much more pressure on you to dominate, magna cum laude, law review etc. Those types of folks from second tier schools do just fine. But if you fuck around at a second tier school, you may wind up doing debt collection, plaintiffs PI, real estate closings, etc.

but in know several people from Michigan State, and they have jobs, are smart, conscientious lawyers, and are quite successful.

to answer your other question - do you have to decide "what kind of law" you want to practice. don't even think about it until at least 2d year. The first year classes are all standard/mandatory. After that, if you want to be a litigator or prosecutor, do trial advocacy. If you want to do transactional or tax work, take classes in that area. But don't get your heart set on it. You may be choosing from a very limited selection of jobs, and they may not be in the areas you sorta thought you wanted to do... You can work towards that later, once you get some real world experience.

Ditto to everything everyone has said. It's beside the point right now, with you just getting ready to start, but if you want some thoughts on surviving post-Law School without practicing law, feel free to PM me. It's been an extremely beneficial experience even without following that career path.

Year 1 - They scare you to death

Year 2 - They work you to death

Year 3 - They bore you to death

it looks like we're doing the big league on you.

here's the bottom line: once you figure out the game - form and substance, it's not that hard, just time consuming and intense.

come back prior to exams for good advice on blue books.

and i have to say, after 10 years, i still like being a lawyer. it is occasionally thrilling, frequently challenging and occasionally horribly dull. But i'm happy.

Which law firm do you work for the$inmusicisallmine? I've probably worked with you if you're from Chicago. i'm with a private investigation agency.

Don't go to law school unless you've thought for the majority of your life that you want to be a lawyer. That's my advice. The profession has its benefits, but it has distinct drawbacks, not the least of which is the proposition of being substantially in debt that cannot be resolved via bankruptcy (although, what can anymore, right G.W.?). Plenty of opportunities exist to work in a field that is interesting and fulfilling without the commitment required for bar membership. Of course, if you're not the ramblin' type (I am), it might not be that big an issue. Otherwise, I agree with the advice given previously.