Why Applicants Want to Go to Law School

May 19, 2016

Law school is a place where students come together to learn for many different reasons. While they all put in hard work, their end goals are not the same. We’ve spoken to hundreds of applicants and current students, and have discovered that these are a few compelling reasons why our applicants want to go to law school.

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To Serve Justice

Many applicants go to law school to help make sure that justice is served and to protect the rights of others. They want to be sure their rights are protected and enforced, and they want to be a voice for those who go unheard. They might want to stop domestic violence, human trafficking, elder fraud, or drug dealing, or they may want guns off the streets and the elimination of racial profiling.

To Find a Better Life

Some candidates talk about growing up as the children of immigrants, and some are immigrants themselves. Others grew up in lower-income households, are first-generation college students, or would like to change their career path. These candidates want to find a better life for themselves and their families by finding a stable and secure profession with a good income.

Intellectual Curiosity

Most applicants possess an intellectual curiosity about the law and policies. They are passionate about the impact of law on society and enjoy reading, writing, arguing and researching. They are interested in law school for the intellectual journey and the possibility of making change by way of scholarly writing, working on Capitol Hill or for a congress person, government agency (like the EPA or NOAA), or working as a law clerk for a judge. Many think about a career in politics or supporting politicians.

The Thrill of the Courtroom

Others are drawn to law school because they want to succeed as courtroom champions; whether by defending or prosecuting, and they want to win. They are competitive and have grown up with people telling them they should be a lawyer.

When applicants come to Stetson, they most often are looking for information in these specific areas:

  • Advocacy (concentration or JD/LLM)
  • Elder Law
  • Environmental law
  • JD/MBA
  • Social justice Advocacy
  • International law (most often human rights/trafficking and immigration and our study abroad opportunities)
  • Clinics and Externships opportunities

Want to get a feel for Stetson Law in person? Schedule a campus visit. We’d love to meet you.

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Topics: Applying to Law School