<p>No one has a crystal ball, ForkintheRoad…there’s just no way to answer your question. Start with the LSAT and see how you do. Take a look to see if your LSAT+GPA might get you accepted into a state school (which would help with your total cost), or if your LSAT score might be high enough to get you scholarship money somewhere. You could also consider paralegal programs or night law schools where you could hold down a job, as possible alternatives. </p>
<p>Philosophically, I am not a fan of the “I can live in poverty since I don’t care about money” argument. Even if this is true today, will it still be true in 10 years? In 20 years? If you have children and can’t pay for their braces, summer camp, or give them things that they need? If your partner finds your debt too overwhelming, or eventually gets tired of poverty? If you need medical care, and can’t afford it? Money may not be important at 25, but eventually the debt could feel overwhelming.</p>
<p>I also noted that you mentioned corporate law, although that might not be an option even at $42,000. Could you work for a sole practitioner doing auto accidents, writing wills out of a form-book and handling house closings? Could you see yourself as a public defender in a poor or rural community, where there are few other attorneys or professionals? Could you see yourself selling insurance, or working for a legal publisher if you couldn’t find a legal job? Since we don’t have a crystal ball, it’s hard to predict where you might actually find a job in the future. Law students who claim they want to practice a particular type of law are frequently disappointed, and find themselves practicing in areas they never anticipated. Often it’s just about finding a job…any job.</p>
<p>To be fair, you might find yourself in that top percentile of a lower tier school who has job opportunities. You might find the perfect job, or you may be in that pool of law school grads who struggle to find any job. You might use the three years of law school to successfully network and job hunt. </p>
<p>I wish I could be more encouraging. My concern is that you might fall into that category of “graduating with a performance arts degree…now what do I do?” Law school is so miserable, expensive, and has such poor job prospects for most law students that in my personal view it’s only suitable for individuals who have the kind of overwhelming commitment to the practice of law that they’re willing to roll the dice NO MATTER WHAT.</p>
<p>See how you do on the LSAT, and what your choices are. I’d also recommend working for a year, and testing your interest in law school again in a year or two. That could let you pay down some of your undergrad debt, and maybe even save some money for law school. Who knows - prospects for law grads might even be better.</p>