Alternatives to law school

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You can sort of do whatever you want with a law degree. If she wants to become a policy expert and work for the federal government, lawyers are taken a bit more seriously than non-lawyers.

Tell her to go into the federal government and get the feds to pay for her law degree. So many people do that here in DC via part-time programs at George Mason, AU, GW, etc.

If she gains some regulatory experience in the federal government, she can still end up transitioning to Big Law later in life and making really good $$$. It's just an alternative path.

Noo. This is TERRIBLE advice. Ignore it please!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You can sort of do whatever you want with a law degree. If she wants to become a policy expert and work for the federal government, lawyers are taken a bit more seriously than non-lawyers.

Tell her to go into the federal government and get the feds to pay for her law degree. So many people do that here in DC via part-time programs at George Mason, AU, GW, etc.

If she gains some regulatory experience in the federal government, she can still end up transitioning to Big Law later in life and making really good $$$. It's just an alternative path.

Noo. This is TERRIBLE advice. Ignore it please!

I concur, terrible advice.

[Anonymous]

I have a friend whose kid recently graduated from American Law School and can't find a job!

[Anonymous]

Military has ways of going to law school free.

Some CPAs do tax & financial stuff that overlaps with what lawyers do.

[Anonymous]

You are asking too much

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You can sort of do whatever you want with a law degree. If she wants to become a policy expert and work for the federal government, lawyers are taken a bit more seriously than non-lawyers.

Tell her to go into the federal government and get the feds to pay for her law degree. So many people do that here in DC via part-time programs at George Mason, AU, GW, etc.

If she gains some regulatory experience in the federal government, she can still end up transitioning to Big Law later in life and making really good $$$. It's just an alternative path.

Noo. This is TERRIBLE advice. Ignore it please!

PP here: I've spent nearly 15 years in FIRREA agencies and a number of my colleagues have gone to law school part-time, with the agency footing a solid chunk of the bill. Sure they come out with some debt, but they were making good money while going to school part-time and could pay a decent chunk every year with their earnings. Just live cheaply and get a roommate, do it in your 20s.

Now, whether this option is good for OP's daughter is another matter. But personally I know about a dozen people (Millennials) who got their law degree this way and financially they are way ahead of the rest of their generation, including those lawyers in the General Counsel's office who racked up over $200K in debt to go to T10 programs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You can sort of do whatever you want with a law degree. If she wants to become a policy expert and work for the federal government, lawyers are taken a bit more seriously than non-lawyers.

Tell her to go into the federal government and get the feds to pay for her law degree. So many people do that here in DC via part-time programs at George Mason, AU, GW, etc.

If she gains some regulatory experience in the federal government, she can still end up transitioning to Big Law later in life and making really good $$$. It's just an alternative path.

I am a lawyer and not aware of any programs where the federal govt will pay tuition. That’s doesn’t seem real.

The will do students loan repayment for law school though. Lot of lawyers in my agency hanging on for that reason.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What about working on the Hill? That's an obvious match to a poly sci major. It's not high paying at all for the first few years, but then you can consult or move up to run your own shop or work for a company's GA team.

+1 I would suggest working on the Hill for a couple of years at least.

They make peanuts

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You can sort of do whatever you want with a law degree. If she wants to become a policy expert and work for the federal government, lawyers are taken a bit more seriously than non-lawyers.

Tell her to go into the federal government and get the feds to pay for her law degree. So many people do that here in DC via part-time programs at George Mason, AU, GW, etc.

If she gains some regulatory experience in the federal government, she can still end up transitioning to Big Law later in life and making really good $$$. It's just an alternative path.

I am a lawyer and not aware of any programs where the federal govt will pay tuition. That’s doesn’t seem real.

Anecdotal of course, but I worked with a guy at the USPTO whose law school was paid for by the govt. He quickly went up the ladder after that and when I last interacted with him, he was a GS 15 and in the pipeline for becoming an ES. He was in his early thirties at that time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm also looking for a high paying career for personable people with no skills or work ethic.

Same.

[Anonymous]

Nonprofit or teach for America, americorps, and then consider law school after that. Or grad school in something with an international or national security focus. And/or try for the foreign service.

[Anonymous]

Consider working as a paralegal for two years after college in order to help assess whether or not you want to attend law school and practice law.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You can sort of do whatever you want with a law degree. If she wants to become a policy expert and work for the federal government, lawyers are taken a bit more seriously than non-lawyers.

Tell her to go into the federal government and get the feds to pay for her law degree. So many people do that here in DC via part-time programs at George Mason, AU, GW, etc.

If she gains some regulatory experience in the federal government, she can still end up transitioning to Big Law later in life and making really good $$$. It's just an alternative path.

I am a lawyer and not aware of any programs where the federal govt will pay tuition. That’s doesn’t seem real.

The Patent Office used to, not sure if they still have the program. Of course, you need a science/BS degree (and often a graduate degree in science for many of the art areas--like biotech) first. So many were enrolled in American, GU, Catholic and Mason law schools nights when I was there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You can sort of do whatever you want with a law degree. If she wants to become a policy expert and work for the federal government, lawyers are taken a bit more seriously than non-lawyers.

Tell her to go into the federal government and get the feds to pay for her law degree. So many people do that here in DC via part-time programs at George Mason, AU, GW, etc.

If she gains some regulatory experience in the federal government, she can still end up transitioning to Big Law later in life and making really good $$$. It's just an alternative path.

I am a lawyer and not aware of any programs where the federal govt will pay tuition. That’s doesn’t seem real.

It's not real at all. Maybe, MAYBE you can get some minor student loan repayment. But the government is not paying someone to go get a JD.

Senate will pay up to $80k towards your student loans.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You can sort of do whatever you want with a law degree. If she wants to become a policy expert and work for the federal government, lawyers are taken a bit more seriously than non-lawyers.

Tell her to go into the federal government and get the feds to pay for her law degree. So many people do that here in DC via part-time programs at George Mason, AU, GW, etc.

If she gains some regulatory experience in the federal government, she can still end up transitioning to Big Law later in life and making really good $$$. It's just an alternative path.

I am a lawyer and not aware of any programs where the federal govt will pay tuition. That’s doesn’t seem real.

Anecdotal of course, but I worked with a guy at the USPTO whose law school was paid for by the govt. He quickly went up the ladder after that and when I last interacted with him, he was a GS 15 and in the pipeline for becoming an ES. He was in his early thirties at that time.

You need a STEM undergrad degree for that. Many have PhDs