Things to consider before starting law school:
1. You will have to work.
I started with this one because I think it is the most obvious. Law school requires a lot of hard work. I'll say it again: law school requires a lot of hard work. You will be reading, writing, and thinking critically until your eyes cross and probably beyond that point. Since my undergrad is in English Literature I was prepared for the massive amounts of reading and writing but many of my colleagues were not. If you aren't a strong reader keep this in mind but don't let it crush your law school dreams. Good reading and writing are not innate skills given to only a few. You can learn to be a great writer and legal writing is VERY different from it's "flowery cousin" most people have drilled into their heads in school. Also, most law schools have tutoring or writing centers to assist in the transition. Don't be afraid to utilize this resource.
2. It is incredibly expensive.
Law school is not cheap. The amount of loans I took out to cover one semester of law school could have paid for me to go through my current graduate program twice. An obvious response to this is a lawyer's salary is much higher than a teachers but it really depends on the legal field. Check out this article from the Houston Chronicle http://work.chron.com/salary-lawyer-based-field-law-5096.html. According to the article, the average non-profit lawyer makes around $42,000 annually. Oddly enough, the average teacher's annual salary in Virginia was around $57,000 last year. Money should not be the only consideration in choosing a career but pretending it doesn't matter is foolishly naive. Plus, loans can be a huge but necessary pain.
3. Know Thyself.
As with any major life decision make sure you do your research beforehand. Talk to lawyers in the field you are interested in about what their career entails. Don't depend on blogs or the internet to thoroughly educate you about law school (or anything else for that matter). Make sure to ask about money, work load, work/life balance and anything else that is important to you. Choosing a career is an incredibly personal decision, which leads to the next point:
4. Don't be afraid of change.
If you get into law school and discover it is not for you, don't be afraid to change. Yes, there will be people who decry your decision or assume that you "just couldn't hack it". Do not listen to them. You cannot please everyone in this world so work on pleasing yourself and your deity of choice. Don't be afraid to do what you feel called to do.
About a month into my first semester of law school I knew I was in the wrong place. I loved my classes, professors, and the friends I made but in my heart I knew a legal career was a poor fit. I left law school and started a MAT (Masters of Teaching). I love what I do and could not be happier with my career choice.
Don't be afraid of being a law school dropout. I promise the stars will stay in the sky and you can still be successful in life. What you do and how well you do it are entirely up to you.
I wish you all the luck in the world.
