UVM Career Services Blog

To Go or Not to Go: Considering Graduate School

Posted on September 27, 2012 with No Comments

There are lots of reasons why people choose to go to graduate schools and pursue advanced degrees.  Deciding to go is a complex decision but for some guidelines, we’ll explore a few good reasons why not to go to graduate school.

An article called “The Five Worst Reasons to Go to Grad School” provides some useful tips for when to avoid graduate school.  Here are the five reasons, paraphrased:

1.  To Fill a Personal Void

You are more than your degrees.  Graduate school is great for people who find their zest from studying particular topics in-depth but doesn’t tend to be an effective patch for the holes in one’s life.

2.  For bragging rights

Graduate school is a hefty undertaking, and it will take time and money.  There are cheaper ways to obtain a positive reputation.

3.  Buying your way into a network

You will join a new network if you go to graduate school, but you are likely already a part of many networks (including the UVM community) and these will grow throughout your career, with or without graduate school.

4.  It’s the only way to get a job

Some jobs do require advanced degrees and some prefer them.  But there are lots of career opportunities for people with Bachelor’s degrees.  Employers want dedicated and skilled workers, and those skills can be developed in a plethora of ways.

5. It’s what to do when you’re lacking direction

Graduate school is not the place to discover your life’s path or career journey.  The strongest graduate school candidate’s know what they want to study and why.  Not with meticulous detailed measure, necessarily, but enough to have a vision for where the process might lead.

Ultimately, the decision to go to graduate school should be based on much reflection and consideration and it is yours to make.  To learn more about the ins and outs of considering and applying to graduate school, visit the Career Services website.  You can also attend the Grad School Fair on Wednesday, October 3 from 2-4 pm to speak to admissions representatives from different programs.

~Ashley Michelle

Navigating Your Way to the Right Law School

Posted on September 20, 2012 with No Comments

Finding the right law school can be a daunting task. You must weigh the costs and benefits of earning a J.D. as well as determine what will make your law school experience fulfilling. Examine the following important areas:

Evaluate specialty, experience and training opportunities

Specialized courses, clinics and professional skills training opportunities tailored to your interests can provide valuable knowledge and lay the foundation for your legal career.  Learn about which schools provide valuable hands-on experiences, allowing you to work with clients and practicing attorneys.

These opportunities, are ideal for discovering your passion, honing your skills, and making connections with future employers.  Think about where and in what field you will want to practice after graduation.

Professional guidance and support

Look at a school’s available resources that you will  utilize throughout your experience, including the number and type of student groups as well as career services such as career fairs and alumni networks.  When thinking about future employment, be sure to look at the school’s employment statistics for graduates to see what type of work they tend to pursue.

Evaluate financial assistance options side-by-side with tuition and fees

When considering law school, cost should be a top priority.  Law school is not cheap and often requires large student loans.  Be realistic!  Assess your financial situation and determine the availability of aid as well as repayment options after graduation.

Check out Equal Justice Works Guide to Law Schools, which allows you to examine a school’s available curricula, financial aid options, and staff and faculty engagement.

Radhika Singh Miller, guest blogger, serves as program manager of educational debt relief and outreach at Equal Justice Works

You can find more resources and information on the Career Services Considering Pre-Law and Applying to Law School pages.

Also, don’t miss the Law School Panel: Mon, Sept 24^th 4-5:30pm. Davis Center, Jost Foundation Room!

Pre-Law Series: Watch and Learn

Posted on December 6, 2011 with No Comments

The semester is almost over. Keep up the good work, you’re almost there! If you have also been working on applications to law school, then hopefully you are almost finished and ready for a well-deserved break.

As you look forward to some much needed free time, here are some resources for good movies and TV shows related to the law. Sit back and enjoy!

Top Ten Movies
ABA Journal: Top 25 Movies
Best Law Movies of All Time
Best Legal TV Shows
The Five Best Legal TV Shows of All Time

Of course, I don’t recommend relying only on TV and movies to learn about the law. Informational interviewing, or more simply, chatting with people about the work that they do in order to learn more, is a great way to get a first hand sense of the legal profession. Learn more about how to utilize networking and info interviewing in your career exploration. Here are some great questions to get you started on your networking conversations.

You can use these questions and tips whether you are setting up a formal informational interview through our alumni Career Connection, attending a Networking Event over winter break, or just casually chatting with your friend’s parents over dinner.

Good luck with finals!

~Kala

Pre-Law Series: Beyond the Law School App

Posted on November 1, 2011 with No Comments

So you want to go to law school?

That is just the beginning!  As the legal job market has gotten tighter, new lawyers need to find their niche sooner and be able to contribute to the bottom line of the firm. Take a moment to learn a little more about the various fields of law and think about what area might interest you:

• AboutLawSchools.org
• Justia.com

Here is a great collection of blogs in a variety of specialty areas. Keep up to date with news and trends.

Or maybe you are hoping to use that law degree for some other purpose?

Check out these articles on utilizing that law degree for a different career path:

• Different Careers with a Law Degree
• How Transferable Skills Help Lawyers Change Careers

And here’s a New York Time’s article about people with law degrees, who change their mind about the law altogether: Maybe It’s Time for Plan C

You don’t need to have it all figured out before you go to Law School. However, you will be able to make better choices regarding law school and legal internships if you have a keener sense of your ultimate goals.

~Kala

Pre-Law Series: Balancing the Scales

Posted on October 4, 2011 with No Comments



“A law degree is good preparation for anything.”  Perhaps, but the rising cost of law school combined with a slow legal job market has had a big impact on the options of new JDs as they leave law school.

It’s now more important than ever that you understand the costs and benefits of attending law school.

Slow down for a minute to consider:

• Have you talked with law students about their experiences in law school?
• Have you talked with people who have JD’s, both those who are and are not practicing law? (Alumni are a great resource!)
• Have you visited a law school or sat in on a class?
• Have you assessed your skills, strengths, and interests and decided that they are a good fit with the core skills and values recommend for future JD students by the American Bar Association?
• Do you understand the financial realties, including the cost of law school, loan repayment, and average rate of pay in your chosen field of law?

It may take a little time to do the above, but it’s well worth the investment of your time and energy.  Like the proverbial scales of justice, weigh your options carefully.

See the Career Services Considering Pre-Law page for more info and advice.

~Kala