Am I wasting my money doing a law degree

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Villalad2001

Original post by Dannyboy2015

Why don't you take a year out and find a way to put that work ethic to good use doing something to help you get into a top university. Or you know, sign up for a foundation course at a better uni?

Bcos these are the 'fake' universities of the country so to say.

My A Levels would be a problem I’d imagine. I’m likely gonna get BBC and that is from quite a lot of hard work and study.

Reply 21

Villalad2001

Original post by 999tigger

Not the best selection.
Whether you make it depends on.
How good.
How determined.
How lucky.

People will make it, but be realistic about how in demand you will be or not.
The more mediocre you are the less chance so you have to be good and put in the effort.

I dont think its quite as grim as what Rar says, so take it with a pinch of salt. If you are going to those unis though it is probably you arent in the top tier of A level students and you will be competing against them.

I wouldn’t say I’m in the top tier no. I work hard but I’m just not as academic as a lot of people.

I know you’ll think going into law is stupid for that reason but it is a career path I have wanted to go down.

Reply 22

Villalad2001

Original post by Dannyboy2015

I don’t think I’m at the level of getting to a really good uni unfortunately :frown:

Fake unis does put me off though.

Reply 23

999tigger

Original post by Villalad2001

Its your life and your choices.
If you are determined, then get smart, learn from others and play to your strengths.
Trent imo is reasonably respectable.
Foundation at a better uni is possible.

For the moment focus on best grades possible. That increases your choices.

Reply 24

Ash2810

Original post by Villalad2001

Hi all,I have always wanted to study law as been fascinated by the legal system for as long as I can remember and would love to go to uni.I’ve got offers from Swansea, Nottingham Trent, Oxford Brookes, Manchester Met and Plymouth.However my parents have told me that paying all that money to do a law degree at one of these unis is pointless as it’s too competitive and I’ll never earn good money.Are they right and if I don’t go to a better university I’m wasting my time or should I just go?I’d like to earn a lot of money in the future but maybe it won’t be possible from one of my choices.

I personally would want to do a law degree at a university that is higher placed on the league tables as it is such a competitive degree. Most people in my school who have applied to study law have applied at universities such as Warwick, Nottingham, Exeter, Durham and Sussex. They’ve then put criminology as an insurance with the aim of converting to law at a later point.

That being said, if you’ve got a good LNAT score, you get good a level grades (ABB or above) and you get at least a 2:1 in your degree, you still stand a good chance at getting accepted into a graduate scheme at a law firm. You’ll also need a lot of work experience within law.
As you’ve said you’re likely to get BBC-BCC grades I would maybe consider going down the criminology degree route as you are interested in criminal law. There may be the chance to convert to a law degree later on. Law is a hugely competitive area and it will be hard to reach the higher paid, successful branches without consistent high attainment from a level and beyond.

Of course, the final decision will always be yours. If you decide that you really want to study law and you really want to go to uni this year, then accept your offers. If you think you can get higher a level grades and/or a higher LNAT score, then retake and reapply for law next year.

Good luck!

(edited 5 years ago)

Reply 25

Dannyboy2015

Do a foundation year.

You need lower grades for this.

It is covered by student finance.

Reply 26

Villalad2001

Original post by Ash2810

I personally would want to do a law degree at a university that is higher placed on the league tables as it is such a competitive degree. Most people in my school who have applied to study law have applied at universities such as Warwick, Nottingham, Exeter, Durham and Sussex. They’ve then put criminology as an insurance with the aim of converting to law at a later point.

That being said, if you’ve got a good LNAT score, you get good a level grades (ABB or above) and you get at least a 2:1 in your degree, you still stand a good chance at getting accepted into a graduate scheme at a law firm. You’ll also need a lot of work experience within law.

Of course, the final decision will always be yours. If you decide that you really want to study law and you really want to go to uni this year, then accept your offers. If you think you can get higher a level grades and/or a higher LNAT score, then retake and reapply for law next year.

Good luck!

Will law firms see what I got if I do an LNAT?

Reply 27

Ash2810

Original post by Villalad2001

Will law firms see what I got if I do an LNAT?

I don’t believe law firms will see your LNAT results, but in order to apply and get into to a more reputable university you will need to get a decently high LNAT score.

Reply 28

TimmonaPortella

Original post by Villalad2001

I’m more interested in the criminal side of law if I’m honest.

I know I won’t be able to make huge money as it’s so competitive but I don’t see why it’d hold me back from getting into law?

That does make things easier, but you should be realistic about the work you're looking at. Not being able to 'make huge money' may be a pretty large understatement. It's easy to say at this stage that you're not about money, but when you're making £20k busting your balls doing boring work as a paralegal in your mid 20s you might start to question your choices.

I'm not saying that will necessarily happen, but on your own description of yourself there's a decent chance you'll at least have to work through that before you get anywhere you might realistically want to be as a long-term goal.

These are all concerns about the profession though. Remember that taking a law degree doesn't commit you to anything. Tons of law grads end up doing other things, and that's fine.

Reply 29

Swansea University Enquiries

Official Rep

Original post by Villalad2001

Hi Villalad2001,

So it sounds like your main concerns are that of employability after the course. This is obviously a major point to consider for any degree! Most universities will have some sort of way of supporting you in this regard, and if you are motivated there are often additional opportunities universities can offer beyond your course and its lectures to help you prepare for a career immediately following your studies.

In our case, Swansea's School of Law have specific Employability support to help you head in the direction you wish to go. Please take a look especially at the placements, as these mean you can leave the university not only with a degree, but also with industry-specific experience that will put you ahead of the pack when applying for positions in your career track. Alternatively, you may wish to specialise via a Postgraduate course following your degree, and take up further employment-boosting opportunities then as well. You can see our Postgraduate and professional courses here, and it's certainly not too early to think about if this is the direction you wish to go in to achieve your career goals!

If you'd like any more information about any of this, please let me know.

Jamie