I got into Law School

[Will]

And where I understand that a clearer understanding in general studies would help in a graduate law degree in some ways, education is too expensive in my opinion to "possibly" help, or "kind of" help. If I wanted to be a lawyer I would prefer not to have to spend $80,000 on a liberal arts degree before I go spend anoter $80,000+ on a graduate law degree... Idk, maybe that's just me. And I am just spouting those figures, etc.

Well, lawyers generally make more than enough to pay back loans and such. Most professional degrees are major money makers for the holders. The expense is small compared to the monetary benefit.

Also, consider this particular facet of the post-graduate law degree. I am currently an engineering major. One of my possible options after I finish my undergrad is to go to law school and become a patent lawyer. In other countries, I'd have to get two undergraduate degrees to pull this off.

[Harmonius]

Will, you're going into Law too? This is pretty cool stuff. I'm not sure how much law you know already but it's an amazing subject. I was very fortunate enough to take it as one of my A-levels, of which I gained a B grade for it.

It's complicated but very interesting.

[Will]

Law interests me, but I don't know if it interests me more than electromagnetism or mathematics. I also don't know if I want to work the long hours needed. But, I am considering it.

[windycity]

good luck in school remember its alot of reading and memory
and be prepared for a question from the teacher and if you dont know,
he wont ask u again,my oldest brother did law school 6 yrs ago, he missed ther bar exam by points  but was able to pass it the 2nd time!
windycity

[NoelleNC]

And where I understand that a clearer understanding in general studies would help in a graduate law degree in some ways, education is too expensive in my opinion to "possibly" help, or "kind of" help. If I wanted to be a lawyer I would prefer not to have to spend $80,000 on a liberal arts degree before I go spend anoter $80,000+ on a graduate law degree... Idk, maybe that's just me. And I am just spouting those figures, etc.

Well, lawyers generally make more than enough to pay back loans and such. Most professional degrees are major money makers for the holders. The expense is small compared to the monetary benefit.

Also, consider this particular facet of the post-graduate law degree. I am currently an engineering major. One of my possible options after I finish my undergrad is to go to law school and become a patent lawyer. In other countries, I'd have to get two undergraduate degrees to pull this off.

Ok, well think of my situation. To be a college professor or even a librarian I am supposed to have at minimum a Masters. Professors usually have their doctorate, too. Neither of those two professions would pay me enough to make up for the cost of graduate school quickly.

[Grakthis]

I think the fact that universities in the U.S. require so much more "core curriculum" to produce more "well-rounded" graduates is one of the main things that makes so many students not finish.  Plus, it's very common for professional degree holders to earn better salaries than bachelor's degree holders, and professional schools focus entirely on the professional field the student wants to enter.

Yeah.... the only time a professional school graduate make more than a university student with a liberal arts degree is if the university student majors in like English or Poli Sci.  If he or she majors in anything useful, that simlpy doesn't happen.  The statistics show over and over and over that, on average, graduating from a 4 year university means you make more.

And it's a GOOD thing if the liberal arts background chases the slackers, the weak and the stupid out of our college systems.  That's the point.

And the result?  The U.S. has the highest standard of living and like the 2nd highest GDP per capita.  The #1 IIRC is like Norway and is entirely because of their oil.

[Grakthis]

And where I understand that a clearer understanding in general studies would help in a graduate law degree in some ways, education is too expensive in my opinion to "possibly" help, or "kind of" help. If I wanted to be a lawyer I would prefer not to have to spend $80,000 on a liberal arts degree before I go spend anoter $80,000+ on a graduate law degree... Idk, maybe that's just me. And I am just spouting those figures, etc.

Law is a job based on your ability to make convincing arguments, do research, compose intelligent opinions, etc etc etc.  All skills that are learned in a ton of different classes.  History is a major component of law.  Being able to communicate well is very important to law.  In fact, being able to relate to people and speak intelligently about a variety of subjects is very important to law.

Law, more than almost any other degree, takes advantage of the liberal arts degree.

And my school is a liberal arts college and I do agree that we have too many "gen eds", or core classes. I don't see how taking chemistry and biology with labs is going to make my career any easier once I graduate (I'm an English major)... maybe if I remembered everything I learned, but I really won't. I just BS my way through gen eds, most students do.

Because when you graduate, and you get into a conversation with someone who is in the field of chemistry, you can speak intelligently about it.

Also, in that chemistry class, you learned how things work.  Even if you don't remember the details, you remember the concepts.  So you don't sit around wondering why water is H20.

And most importantly, you are LEARNING HOW TO LEARN.  If all you do is take classes you are comfortable with or good at, then you will be less likely to learn more interesting or challenging things for the rest of your life.  It forces you out of your comfort zone.  It's like asking "Why should I do thigh exercises?  I don't need those muscles to walk."  Well, no, but it's good exercise, makes you look better, and improves your overall physical health.

And if your school lets you coast through the gen ed classes, you need a new school.

[NoelleNC]

Ok, well thanks for being quite condescending, saying english and poly sci majors are useless! There are uses for every major out there, and just because having an english major means I probably won't strike a fantastic salary, that doesn't mean whatever job I take on will be useless.

 :roll:

Oh and I learned why water is H20 in middle and high school. Actually, probably in elementary school.

[Grakthis]

Ok, well thanks for being quite condescending, saying english and poly sci majors are useless! There are uses for every major out there, and just because having an english major means I probably won't strike a fantastic salary, that doesn't mean whatever job I take on will be useless.

 :roll:

Oh and I learned why water is H20 in middle and high school. Actually, probably in elementary school.

Right.  Salary isn't a direct measure of your value to society or anything.  That's clearly not how free markets work.

Also, thanks for proving my point with the later comment.

[NoelleNC]

Oh, then I guess anyone in an underpaid job isn't really valuable to society. I guess teachers are useless, huh?

And my point was that I didn't learn anything in my gen ed Chemistry class that I didn't already know... And I'm also not trying to say that the classes are altogether pointless with no benefit, just that I don't think in a lot of cases  they are worth the thousands of dollars in tuition they each cost.

[Logikal X]

Andrew i agree that that learning is extremely important.  In fact i feel very strongly about your statement regarding the comfort zone.  However in regards to salary vs importance to society comment; As much as it can be generally stated and true, is not always the case imo.   Such as Noelle said, teachers are extremely valuable, and your hypothesis on schooling supports this issue.   Its pretty well known that teachers recieve a rather subpar income.

[Will]

As much as it can be generally stated and true, is not always the case imo.   Such as Noelle said, teachers are extremely valuable, and your hypothesis on schooling supports this issue.   Its pretty well known that teachers recieve a rather subpar income.

No... society does not especially value teachers. Teachers may be very important to society as a whole, however, their average salary is a clear indicator that society does not value them that much. The value vs. importance distinction is a very important one.

[NoelleNC]

Will, you are right, but that isn't the way Grakthis presented his argument because at first he was saying those majors (English and Poly Sci) were also "useless". He thinks they are both useless and unvaluable to society. When he said those things in conjunction it pretty much showed that he must not think they are important, whether that was his intention or not.


And just let me add that I know he must actually think teachers are important, at least some of them- but he comes off with such a smug attitude about everything that I couldn't help but point the above out. My real point is that there are other careers/job positions that fit into the same categories of what he would call useless and unvalued and those are really the types of things I am trying to defend.

[Logikal X]

As much as it can be generally stated and true, is not always the case imo.   Such as Noelle said, teachers are extremely valuable, and your hypothesis on schooling supports this issue.   Its pretty well known that teachers recieve a rather subpar income.

No... society does not especially value teachers. Teachers may be very important to society as a whole, however, their average salary is a clear indicator that society does not value them that much. The value vs. importance distinction is a very important one.

The distinction between value and importance?   Oh um let me look up "value" in the dictionary....

1.   relative worth, merit, or importance

[NoelleNC]

OWNED!