When I was a tad bit younger, buckling up and getting ready to go to law school, I, like many 0L's happened upon top-law-schools.com. For the few not in the know, it is a forum for people to talk about everything that pertains to the wonderful and amazing world of law school. Here kids discuss and rank their schools, talk about their hopes and fears, and discuss job hunting strategies.
However, something more sinister is taking place. These kids are starting to believe that they are better than others. They are seeing that their school is ranked a bit higher, that their grades and rank are better, and that they have better job prospects. Some of these people are going to schools like Harvard and Columbia Law School. Others are "blessed" with schools such as Golden Gate University School of Law and Cooley. They start to size each other up, and as they do so, they become more and more elitist.
Now, I honestly believe that many who are thinking of going into law are elitist to an extent. The profession is a breeding ground for elitism. In law school each student is ranked according to how 'intelligent' they are, i.e. their grades. However, even though it could easily be argued that law school grades are arbitrary and even sometimes random with a lot of human error able to be present, law school students who are in the top 30% of their class feel smug. If you are in the top 10% with a summer internship lined up, you are the big cheese. And if you are that person but going to a top 14 school, you are THE CHEEZE. Three reasons that TLS sticks out to me:
1. Many TLS forumers are actually very sheltered kids who have little clue about reality.
One thing that strikes me about TLS as I will call it, is that if you post something on that site that does not jive with the cushy life experiences of the 'lawyer's son/daughter' they will cry 'flame'. I have seen this multiple times on the site, where someone asks advice about transferring to a lower ranked school for family reasons, or that they were in the top 20% but were having trouble finding legal employment. Some mention having life hardships that made it so that they could not find a job and are considering dropping out even though they have a high GPA. It is hard to realize that there are certain life experiences that interfere with school if you have never left your parents grasp.
2. TLS forumers think that they need a new Macbook every year for surfing the internet in class.
I made the mistake last semester of sitting in the back row. I thought law school was about studying, however I was made aware that it is really about google chat and facebook during class. It was so cute seeing all the students with their little MacBook Airs and iPads, surfing the internet, buying curtains and clothing, playing car racing games, and selling tickets. And then, when I went to TLS, I was made aware that every year one should purchase a new computer, because a three year old system is not good enough to take a law school exam on with exam4 or write a law school paper with.
3. TLS forumers think that everyone else is not going to get a job, but they will do something different and BAM! $160k/yearola.
I hate to burst their bubble, but even if they get a job that is good enough for them to sell the rest of their life into bondage for, they are not going to be happy. Someone else (their boss) will act just as elitist towards them as they act towards others.
In the end, I find TLS to be the most elitist place on the internet that I have come across. If you are serious about law school, you may want to check out this place. You should know who some of your classmates will be and who you will be working with and for if you are lucky enough.
However, something more sinister is taking place. These kids are starting to believe that they are better than others. They are seeing that their school is ranked a bit higher, that their grades and rank are better, and that they have better job prospects. Some of these people are going to schools like Harvard and Columbia Law School. Others are "blessed" with schools such as Golden Gate University School of Law and Cooley. They start to size each other up, and as they do so, they become more and more elitist.
Now, I honestly believe that many who are thinking of going into law are elitist to an extent. The profession is a breeding ground for elitism. In law school each student is ranked according to how 'intelligent' they are, i.e. their grades. However, even though it could easily be argued that law school grades are arbitrary and even sometimes random with a lot of human error able to be present, law school students who are in the top 30% of their class feel smug. If you are in the top 10% with a summer internship lined up, you are the big cheese. And if you are that person but going to a top 14 school, you are THE CHEEZE. Three reasons that TLS sticks out to me:
1. Many TLS forumers are actually very sheltered kids who have little clue about reality.
One thing that strikes me about TLS as I will call it, is that if you post something on that site that does not jive with the cushy life experiences of the 'lawyer's son/daughter' they will cry 'flame'. I have seen this multiple times on the site, where someone asks advice about transferring to a lower ranked school for family reasons, or that they were in the top 20% but were having trouble finding legal employment. Some mention having life hardships that made it so that they could not find a job and are considering dropping out even though they have a high GPA. It is hard to realize that there are certain life experiences that interfere with school if you have never left your parents grasp.
2. TLS forumers think that they need a new Macbook every year for surfing the internet in class.
I made the mistake last semester of sitting in the back row. I thought law school was about studying, however I was made aware that it is really about google chat and facebook during class. It was so cute seeing all the students with their little MacBook Airs and iPads, surfing the internet, buying curtains and clothing, playing car racing games, and selling tickets. And then, when I went to TLS, I was made aware that every year one should purchase a new computer, because a three year old system is not good enough to take a law school exam on with exam4 or write a law school paper with.
3. TLS forumers think that everyone else is not going to get a job, but they will do something different and BAM! $160k/yearola.
I hate to burst their bubble, but even if they get a job that is good enough for them to sell the rest of their life into bondage for, they are not going to be happy. Someone else (their boss) will act just as elitist towards them as they act towards others.
In the end, I find TLS to be the most elitist place on the internet that I have come across. If you are serious about law school, you may want to check out this place. You should know who some of your classmates will be and who you will be working with and for if you are lucky enough.
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