Law School Applications Decline 11 Percent in 2011
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Are college students finally beginning to understand that going to law school is often a dubious financial decision?
According to a recent article in the American Bar Association Journal, the answer is yes.
Even though college graduates have traditionally responded to economic recessions by increasing their applications to graduate schools, this year law school applications are down more than 11 percent:
Applications to start law school in the United States in the fall of 2011 have dropped 11.5 percent since last year and are on target to hit the lowest level in a decade, according to data provided by the Law School Admission Council Inc.
After widespread publicity about the hard-hit legal economy, it appears many prospective applicants have gotten the message that a law degree isn't necessarily a ticket to well-paid employment or even a legal job, the Wall Street Journal reported.
While many commentators have commented on the economic reasons behind the decline in law school applicants, there is an underappreciated aspect to this trend. The status of lawyers is declining. When people and especially parents begin to realize that becoming a law degree is not a guarantee of a secure income, fewer children will be encouraged to become lawyers. That may or may not happen over the course of a generation. But I am already seeing that some lawyers are beginning to lose some confidence and be aware of their declining fortunes. This may not be a bad thing for lawyers and their clients. I continue to expect lawyers to be a high-profile occupation. We're talking about a relative decline. if we see lawyer's jokes go out of favor or largely disappear, then we will know that the status of lawyers has taken a nose dive. I'm not expecting that, but in this rapidly changing world that wouldn't shock me.
