Ariesathena, Seattle, Demo and Cranky, good points all. We probably agree on a lot more than is at first obvious. It is unfortunately all too apparent that there are outstanding law graduates who are unable to find jobs right now, especially in firms. And I’ve said on many other threads that significant debt should be avoided whenever possible, especially for a professional degree in an area in which the immediate outlook is grim.
I was a typical middle class B+ student who went to an LAC. I worked hard there and was fortunate enough to obtain a Fulbright scholarship to do an MA abroad. Came back to the US, worked for two years to save tuition money for State U law school. Grandfather died and left a small bequest that partially covered my third year. At the end of it all had only a very small undergrad loan, and that was paid off in 5 years. Although I wasn’t at the top of my law class, a statewide appellate court judge was intrigued enough about my background to put me on his staff for 3 years, which subsequently opened many doors.
My point in relating this “largely meaningless” first-hand experience is that the path to career success isn’t one-size-fits-all. Yes, there has been a Great Recession. Yes, the outlook for JDs is dismal. Yes, there is an “opportunity cost” in graduating from law school at 29, instead of 25. But things weren’t all rosy back the 80’s. Interest rates in the Carter years reached into the double digits, but people managed. The economy suffered during the gas crisis, the stock market dove in 1987. When “L.A. Law” became a hit TV show in 1986 there was a spike in applicants to law school, and a subsequent glut of lawyers. I was fully aware of these challenges, but I didn’t let them dissuade me from pursuing further education.
Despite the current situation, Fulbrights are still offered, people can still work for a few years before going into a grad program, and grandparents - unfortunately - still pass away. Even in 2015 I would do it all over again the same way. One can be career-focused and still seek out opportunities that are not quite the norm, but are still cost-effective.