Should I Go to Law School In the United States?

A law degree from the United States can have a big impact on small businesses abroad. For this reason, many international students contemplate an American law degree. However, students considering whether they should go to law school in the United States have a more difficult decision than previous decades. Law school admissions and big firm paychecks are more difficult to obtain and law school is getting more expensive for international students. Despite these trends, this is in many ways one of the best times to go to law school if you are the right candidate.

law school library
Tulane University Law School Library. Image by Tulane Public Relations

Here are three reasons you should go to law school in the united states.

1. Going to Law School Develops Important Skills That Can Serve You in Many Professions

Rather than acquiring a mechanical knowledge of “the law,” the primary skill that one acquires in law school is the ability to think critically and reason -a skill that can be useful in a wide variety of contexts. Politicians, businesspeople, and entrepreneurs can benefit from the type of skills obtained in law school. In fact, many entrepreneurs are law school graduates, such as Nina and Tim Zagat (Zagat Restaurant Guides), Abram Pritzker (founder of Hyatt hotel chain) and Gardiner Hubbard (founder of National Geographic magazine).

2. Law School Graduates Have Lucrative Careers

Although law school has gotten a bad rap in recent years because of rising tuition and a difficult market for entry level jobs and training, law school graduates still make substantially more than non law school graduates. In fact, Forbes recently reported that over a 40 year career, a lawyer still earns nearly double the lifetime earnings of (or $2 million more than) a person with only a bachelor’s degree. Indeed, the investment in a law degree from a top 14 school produces a 10x return on investment over a lifetime.

3. Law School Graduates Have Many Opportunities

Being a law school graduate, and particularly a law school graduate from a top law school, provides many opportunities. If you choose to practice law, you are placed in a position where you can have a dramatic impact on the lives of others, and if you choose to do so, have an impact on society. If you want to become involved in early stage companies, a law degree will help you increase your credibility and value.

The bottom line is that a prospective law student should carefully examine the possibilities for post-graduation employment. If there is one factor that can make a huge difference, it is getting accepted to a selective school with a strong track record of placing students in a variety of fields. Of course, that means getting a good LSAT score. The best way to ensure this, when you are contemplating a law degree in the United States is to find an LSAT prep course that can help you achieve the best score possible.