| Topic Name: |
j.d. as liberal arts degree? |
| Message Name: |
Not really |
| Date Posted: |
04/27/2001 |
| In Reply To: |
Can you compare the job prospects that one would have without the jd?
A jd is probably a bit more helpful than a ba in polisci right?
Right now I have NO options. If I get a jd at least I will have SOME options. Right? |
| Message: |
As someone with a BA in International Relations I can feel for where you are.
But do not be suckered into believing that a law degree will improve your job prospects. Right or wrong, non-legal employers still see the JD, by and large, as attorney. You will be fighting an enormous battle to convince an employer that you are suited to non-legal work and that you will not jump ship to practice law down the line.
Also, there is the matter of debt. If you borrow for three years of law school, the practice of law is one of the few means by which you can earn a salary that will allow you to pay back those loans. You will be trapped. You will have to practice law. Working in DC as a policy wonk, working on campaigns or whatever it was that inspired you to be a political science major will be out of range because these jobs do not pay you any more because you are a JD. In fact, even if you are fortuante enough to find an employer who will pay you a little extra for the JD, the net gain is still not there because it is never enough to compensate for the loans. You will probably find yourself with a lower net gain in these positions with a JD than without.
I would seriously consider other graduate programs that may be more suited to your interests and goals. A Masters in Public Policy, a PhD, or a Masters in Economics may better prepare you for employment, while being less costly in terms of money and your own personal enjoyment.
There are options. Do not allow the short term set backs to completely blind you to the fact that there are opportunities. Law is not the cure-all for these short term blues, and it can very well aggrevate where you are. While it is an excellent academic choice for some, these people tend to become attorneys.
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