Picking the Right School

The scam bloggers have taken over! What are scam bloggers? They are the bloggers with JDs that feel that law school is an overpriced endeavor, strictly beneficial to administrators and 'Law Professors.' Ultimately, they believe that the ABA is corrupt, in not limiting the amount of lawyers, and that law school is a scam. Law school only teaches you to think like a lawyer not how to be one. I subscribe to a few of these blogs such as Third Tier Reality. I understand their frustration with the system pumping out more lawyers than there are jobs. With new grads unable to find employment. The fact that only students graduating from Top 20 Schools or at the top 5% of their class receiving jobs at firms in Biglaw. The ranking system constructed by US News and World Report that empowers the Top Law schools while alienating lower 'ranked' schools. The over inflated price of Law School and the heaps of non dis-chargeable debt that many students are burdened with. Okay, I get it. Perhaps the cost-benefit analysis is out of whack.

However,I feel there is still a different perspective. From the standpoint of the under represented minority. Yes the URM. I know that many students feel that the admissions process is eschewed in favor of the URM. I say, as it should be! African American law students don't top 8% at any school minus the HBCUs. Many law schools base their Independent rankings on diversity. The fact of the matter is that an URM with slightly lower numbers might gain acceptance because of their status. Historically, minorities and women have been left out of the legal process. Law schools recognize this and have instilled into their admissions criteria a certain form of affirmative action. I think that any URM that would otherwise do well at any institution should have a slight advantage over his/her male Caucasian counterpart. I am not saying that a person with a 2.6 GPA/ 147 LSAT should get preference over a much higher scoring Caucasian male. What I am saying is that a few points either which way should and does give preference to the URM.

I do advocate that minorities and women go to Law School and enter the legal profession. I would agree that the system is flooded. However, it is not flooded with URMs. If URMS choose not to enter the law profession then the future will be bleak for the people that we represent. I do not advise taking on 100,000 dollars of non- dischargeable debt. There are plenty of law schools that do not mind footing the bill for qualified URMS. The point that I'm trying to make is that URMs have an advantage, for the moment, to go to Law School. If you can go to school with a minimal amount of debt and do well, not only are you enhancing the legal profession you will be enhancing your clients experience one day. Diversity is apparent in all levels of American Society and it should be stressed and pushed in the legal community.

Point

1. Choose a school that embraces diversity
2. Choose a school that will foot most of the bill
3. If point #2 is not an option, go to a school that offers tuition payback assistance
4. Do not believe the hype about only the Top 20 schools leading to a good paying job, people go to Law School for many other reasons than working at a firm in Biglaw
5. There is a reason that we are called Under Represented Minorities- If you can get your foot in the door without a lot of debt. Just Go.