When I was in high school and undergraduate school from 2000 to 2008, no one was talking about the PR/marketing/digital storytelling aspect of journalism; I even worked for the school newspapers, and all I heard was the refrain “newspapers die.” As a working adult, I know newspapers are dying, but journalism is still relevant. I am currently considering going to graduate school for a degree in journalism with a focus on public relations. As someone who has seen both sides, do you think this is a good way to break into such an area? Or am I just overshadowed by all those journalists who have become PR? “A philosophy major helped me in law school because law school is about logic. Philosophy taught me to build strong arguments and find flaws in weak arguments. » Can I recommend the lessons? The salary is comparable to journalism, the competition for jobs is much less than the law, it`s often fun, you actively help people and shape the future, and in no way exclude your other options on the road. I did it for a few years before moving into the private sector and I never looked back. A good experience and a nice fallback solution to keep in your pocket. As they say in law school, “it depends.” You need to look objectively at your career goals and financial situation before making your decision. As a law school journalist, you may be looking for a dramatic career change.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with that. Practicing law can be extremely rewarding, whether you work in a “large law firm” or are a hard-working human rights lawyer. Finally, your work ethic can be beneficial. Journalists work hard. There is no other solution. Whether you attend Harvard Law School or another law school, you`ll quickly find that your classmates are smart and motivated. And because law school courses are ranked on a curve, you`re essentially competing with your peers. While this may be somewhat important, law school admissions officers pay much more attention to your LSAT score and cumulative bachelor`s grade point.
But back to the question. I hesitate to give personal advice because I don`t know much about you. Still, I generally think that if a student feels a passion for a subject other than law, they should follow that passion. This will not inherently prevent them from entering law school. However, a law major may make it harder for you to find jobs in other fields if you end up dropping out of law school. It`s just something to think about. Journalism can be a good choice, but it`s certainly not a requirement. However, if you chose journalism, you would develop things like critical thinking that would serve you well.
Right now, I`m a student getting a bachelor`s degree in history pretty soon. Law school and journalism have been two of my passions for most of my life, but I have great concerns about it. First of all, I like to write and tell stories, which is why becoming a journalist has always attracted me. However, journalism salaries are notoriously low, and I may have to have a part-time job just to make ends meet. I want to travel the world, own pets, and give my hypothetical family a good life, and I`m worried that journalism just won`t help me with that. Not to mention that it is very difficult to break into the industry. With law school, on the other hand, I run a huge risk of being unemployed even after 3 years of study, because the legal market is absolute right now. My ultimate nightmare is not finding a job as a lawyer after graduation, and I`m stuck with over $100,000 in debt, with no income, to pay anything. If I do journalism and I can`t get a job, I could work as something else until a place becomes available, but with law school, if I can`t get a job as a lawyer, I can be really fucked. I haven`t passed the LSAT yet, so it may be a bit pointless to speculate now, but I want to think about the future and make plans. Then, your writing skills can give you an edge as a journalist in law school.
As a journalist, you undoubtedly know how to create concise and meaningful texts – all within strict deadlines. As you can imagine, these skills are essential in law school exams. In law school, you will learn a specific style of technical writing (called “CREAC” or “RAIC”). This requires adjustments. Nevertheless, your writing experience within the editorial staff will serve you well. It is a well-known fact that the readership of newspapers and television news channels is increasing in India. The demand for competent journalists with a flair for communication and a lot of curiosity is increasing. Legal education offers you this anyway and thus you acquire skills that are suitable for journalism. Unlike the United States, where demand for journalists has plummeted, India`s journalism sector is booming. This means that there is no shortage of career opportunities for people interested in getting into journalism as a profession.
In addition, there are opportunity costs. Even if finances aren`t an issue, law school requires three years of your life. You need to ask yourself if the loss of income and professional experience in journalism is worth more than three years of law school. Sometimes it is. Sometimes this is not the case. If you`re a working journalist or have a degree in journalism, the natural question is whether you should follow in their footsteps. For these kinds of questions, I hesitate to give general advice. Every law school decision is personal. Some variables that come first for you may be at the bottom for other candidates.
Your career goals may be different, especially if you don`t want to practice law forever. Many Journos, including myself, leave journalism for the right pay, normal hours, vacations, and the right PR benefits. Thus, you can also tell good stories. I`m not a lawyer, but I read quite often in the job market and I talk to a few friends who recently graduated from law school, and the general consensus is not to go to law school unless you get into a top-notch school. No matter how you cut it, you`ll leave law school with debt, but if you go to a top-notch school, you`ll be much more likely to end up with a good company with a good salary. Even though you can learn some of the terms or concepts taught at 1Ls, a pre-law major won`t give you much advantage in law school. I would recommend gaining work experience before committing to 3 years of school and 100k in loans. You might try to get a journalistic job or maybe an office/administrative job at a law firm. This would probably help you make a decision.
I also think that some experiences as an active adult (as opposed to a student) will definitely help you focus your priorities, which will also help you make a decision. Finally, be open to the idea that another area might pique your interest when you enter the workforce. Don`t reject it just because it wasn`t part of your original plan!! Essentially everything. Having been a journalist before law school does not necessarily prevent you from pursuing certain areas of activity. Unfortunately, I was not able to get much information about the interests or dreams of the questioner. However, many students who plan to study law dream of becoming a tough prosecutor, a human rights lawyer or something else. I can sympathize. Being a pre-law major won`t move the needle significantly in your law school application and preparation. In addition, by studying privilege, you run the risk of not being interested in the law in the long run. That said, if you`ve been out of university for a while, admissions officers will take a closer look at your work experience than the undergraduate GPA.
There, they will want to see what you did in the job market and how your work prepared you for law school. Nevertheless, the fact that you yourself are a journalist is not a black spot or a black spot on your application. For example, if you go to a “prestigious” law school like Harvard and end up taking on six-figure debt, how are you going to pay it off? Do you plan to practice for a few years before returning to journalism? If so, think long and hard about things like golden handcuff syndrome.