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Don’t Go to Law School If It’s Not Free? Ignore This Bad Advice
If you’re starting to look into law school there is one thing you’ll see that’s highlighted over and over again and that is how expensive law school can be–it’s like, ridiculous. Grad school and other professional degrees are really pricy and can be enough to scare you from applying. The other thing you may notice as you’re doing your research are well-meaning (maybe) folks that say if you’re not going to a T14 law school, you should only go if it’s free. And do that I say, “yikes, your classism is showing.” To the first point, a T14 school is the top tier law schools that are highly ranked…
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Summer Series: Believe in Your Power
I’m thrilled to begin the 2020 Summer Series! Not just because I’m excited of the work that fellow Lawtinas will share in this ever-changing, “new normal” world, but because we get to start off with a bang! We’re beginning with Yadilsa. Who is no stranger to Summer Series and has graciously shared her journey with us each summer. She just graduated law school and is prepping for the Bar. But what I’m more excited to share is her testimony to everyone that it can be done. You can reach your goals. We all start with some serious deficits but we have the drive, intelligence, and faith in ourselves to do…
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Can I Even Do This? How To Determine If You Can be a Lawyer
Deciding to go to law school is difficult. There are so many factors everyone considers–is the cost worth it? will I be happy? should I move out of state or stay close to home? The overwhelming question many would-be applicants ask is “should I go to law school?” and more often than not, money is the factor. Can you manage the debt and will you earn a living that makes the debt worth it? But…for many of us, even before we get to “should I?” we experience a ton of self-doubt that asks not should you, but can you? Can you even go to law school and become an attorney?…
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A (1/2) Decade of Latinas Uprising
It’s kind of exciting that we’re entering a new decade right? I think because I’m working on census 2020 stuff all the time at my new job that I’m very aware of this decennial time frame and how much changes in ten years. But this time around, I am a little more relaxed than times past where I had a set timeline of accomplishments and milestones I wanted to work towards. In 2010, my only goal was to graduate law school, pass the bar, and find a full time job as an attorney. I can say that decade really delivered. Not only did I become a lawyer, I laid a…
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Summer Series: Putting Dreams into Action
Summer Series 2019 continues! Next up is Sophia Iams, who will begin law school in the fall. Sophia is a “nontraditional” law student in that she had a career as a consultant in the biotech industry in the Midwest and is raising a family. She shares how she decided to take the leap in changing her career’s trajectory and pursue a career in the law. Most importantly she shows us the value in seeking out professional fulfillment, even when it doesn’t fit the mold. Growing up I didn’t know much about lawyers. I didn’t know who they were or what they did. It’s difficult to understand a career path…
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If Kim Kardashian Can Do It, So Can You? : Alternative Paths to Becoming a Lawyer
By now most have heard about Kim Kardashian’s plan to become a lawyer without going to law school. There was some confusion because a lot of people don’t know of California’s apprenticeship exception that allows you to circumvent law school and instead learn the law in a non-traditional manner. People assumed she was “buying” her degree rather than doing it the “right” way. While I am not one to support or defend the Kardashian conglomerate, the path she’s pursuing is clearly an option that’s available to people. But the real question is, is this a realistic option that will result in a practical, useful, and successful career for those of…
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In Defense of a Gap Year
First, it’s really brazen for me to decide to tell you it’s worth considering a gap year before you go to law school when I didn’t take one. But that best part of time and experience is that you can look back at your missteps and think of ways things could have gone better. I want to talk about taking a gap year (or two) between undergrad and law school because I think gifting yourself this time can be super valuable to your career. If you’ve read Becoming then you know Michelle went straight through from Princeton to Harvard without much assessment as to whether law school was right…
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Am I In This Alone? Navigating Feelings of Isolation as a PreLaw Student
One of the emotional barriers we have to overcome when we start the law school application process is the loneliness and feelings of isolation. It’s likely that very few of your friends or family will have gone through this process. When you’re starting a path less traveled, it’s normal to feel like you have no one to turn to for practical advice, or that no one understands the stress you’re experiencing, or generally feel like it’s so unfair that you have to navigate this process all alone. When no one else has succeed in the goal you’re setting off to achieve, it feels daunting. There will be moments that you…
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Pre-Law Prep: Mastering the LSAT
Disclaimer: I studied for the LSAT over a decade ago (I’m not that old though I swear! Lol). But back then, information was not as readily available so it was a struggle. What I have noticed that even with more info available to some, it is still a struggle for many of us because we don’t even know where to start. It’s easy to tell someone that they need to study for the LSAT, but how? And with what money? And with what time? And what are you even supposed to study? We’ve discussed the LSAT before, but how to really prep is a little different. First, if you can…
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Grateful for the Struggle
Around this time, I think it’s important to recognize the struggle one has overcome in order to to be where they are in their life. I know you’re thinking, “bih that’s all you do!” and you’re right lol. I do talk about our struggle a lot. A lot. And I do it because it’s easy to think this career trajectory is easy. It’s not. It’s hard becoming an attorney. For women of color, it’s even more difficult. It shouldn’t be this hard and I don’t condone that the system is this way– like I’m encouraging some weird hazing ritual. It shouldn’t be this way, especially when the reason why it’s…