Impending grad school decision... SO, which career will eventually provide me with the things I want most in life:
- Ultimate flexibility and control of my schedule.
- Upper middle class to wealthy income.
- Fulfilling and rewarding work.
I hear the horror stories about 80-90 hour work weeks for lawyers and I have heard the ones about teachers and NCLB and not making any money and blah, blah, blah.
That being said, I think each career can be pretty awesome if you do it on your own terms.
Your thoughts?
Law School or Master in Teaching?
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become a Principal of a school with above 750 students or a director of education. Both of these jobs make above $110,000 in Canada. Not sure how the US works. Principal = sweet job. 3 months off every year, and the most rewarding job of all the teachers.
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I really don't think a principal gets 3 months off every year. But I don't know for sure.
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I'm in the U.S. 3 months off in the summer does sound pretty awesome, although some folks on this board will say that it isn't really 3 months completely off.
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Easy...
If you're a superficial, greedy, power-hungry piece of crap who thrives on manipulation of the rules, then be a lawyer.
If you want to make a difference in this god forsaken world and do something positive, be a teacher. -
I'm a solo attorney, (crim. defense). I don't do anything bad, DWI, misdemeanor drug cases. I work about 35 hours a week and can take off when I want. I could never make what I make if I was a teacher. Go to law school, sounds like the money is important to you. Also, being an attorney gets you tons of respect even if most people don't admit it.
If you become an attorney, do not work at a firm, you have to open your own practice or it is a bad career. -
Okay...but I want ultimate control over a lot of my career, will teaching give me that?
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My GF's father is a lawyer who practices solo out of his own office like yourself, and he is loaded. He also does whatever he pleases, and he's a damn good guy. I just shudder at the thought of ending up at some huge firm and hating my life working in an office all day, like I do now (albeit not practicing law).
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Try again. As a teacher, you have almost no flexibility. You cannot leave early or arrive late. Your lunch is the same time every day, down to the minute. Sure, you will get summers off, but you will probably end up teaching or doing something else to make $ over the summer. Only adminstrators make real money in education. Teacher pay is teacher pay.
Lawyers have some control over their schedule. However, when a client says jump, you jump. And when you have to be in court, you have to be in court. I work 45-60 hours. Only time I hit 70+ is when there is a big trial. That is very rare. Once every year or two. Money is good, but not amazing. Work can be challenging, but "rewarding" moments are rare. Law is a lot of pushing a big ball up a hill only to have it roll back down again.
Bottom line is which profession do YOU really WANT to do. Do you find the law interesting? When Nina Totenberg comes on NPR to talk about USC arguments, do you listen in or tune out? Do you like kids? Do you find teaching interesting? Can you stand in front of a bunch of kids, keep them from committing felonies, all while teaching them about mitochondria? The answers to those questions are much more relevant than the questions you have asked. -
no fatties wrote:
Okay...but I want ultimate control over a lot of my career, will teaching give me that?
Nope. But if you're that selfish, then you shouldn't even be considering a teaching career.
Do our kids a favor and be a lawyer. -
I'm a partner in a law firm, and my brother is getting his masters degree in teaching. Currently he is a math and science teacher for kids in 7th and 8th grade. I'll try and do a brief analysis of the two professions.
I'm fortunate that even in this horrible economy, I'm still able to pull some decent coin. For the most part, my clients are cool, I work on interesting cases and the guys here at the office are great to work with on a day-to-day basis. But despite the money, the travel, the cases and the perks, it's hard for me to really enjoy it...I rarely go on vacation, and when I do, I'm never totally disconnected from the office. If a client calls, I need to be able to answer their question. The only time I am truly inaccessible to clients is when I am running.
My brother, on the other hand, earns significantly less. His car isn't as nice and he works in a classroom all day with kids. However, he appears to be much happier than me, has summers off, and when he walks out the door at the end of the day, he's not stressing about his job. He plays golf four days a week while on summer recess.
So, you're not going to be a millionaire teaching children, but I think you'll be much happier. -
The law does interest me, quite a bit. I am interested in having my own practice though, and I know that is nearly impossible to do right out of the gate. I have NO INTEREST in working for a medium to large sized firm. I want to work to live, not live to work.
John Smallberries wrote:
Try again. As a teacher, you have almost no flexibility. You cannot leave early or arrive late. Your lunch is the same time every day, down to the minute. Sure, you will get summers off, but you will probably end up teaching or doing something else to make $ over the summer. Only adminstrators make real money in education. Teacher pay is teacher pay.
Lawyers have some control over their schedule. However, when a client says jump, you jump. And when you have to be in court, you have to be in court. I work 45-60 hours. Only time I hit 70+ is when there is a big trial. That is very rare. Once every year or two. Money is good, but not amazing. Work can be challenging, but "rewarding" moments are rare. Law is a lot of pushing a big ball up a hill only to have it roll back down again.
Bottom line is which profession do YOU really WANT to do. Do you find the law interesting? When Nina Totenberg comes on NPR to talk about USC arguments, do you listen in or tune out? Do you like kids? Do you find teaching interesting? Can you stand in front of a bunch of kids, keep them from committing felonies, all while teaching them about mitochondria? The answers to those questions are much more relevant than the questions you have asked. -
no fatties wrote:
Okay...but I want ultimate control over a lot of my career, will teaching give me that?
Here we go again... wrote:
Nope. But if you're that selfish, then you shouldn't even be considering a teaching career.
Do our kids a favor and be a lawyer.
How is this selfish? Having control over your career could mean a bunch of different things. Maybe he wants to choose what, how, or in what order he teaches his students. Maybe he wants to be able to take them on field trips on a semi-whim? Is this selfish? No.
Of course he could mean that if he has periods 3 and 4 off, he is allowed to take off for a 8 mile run and shower and come back for 5th period, then again it's not selfish, it's simply considering which career would be most conducive to his lifestyle. Selfish would be jumping headfirst into a career then going against the grain and blowing off all the rules because they don't suit you, not asking questions to get an honest assessment of a situation. -
Agreed. I'm not trying to be selfish, just trying to get educated on some things before I jump into a career.
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In Canada a teacher gets about three months off a year. 2 months for summer, 1.5 weeks around Christmas, another week for mid-winter break, another week around easter, plus all the stats = 3 months off.
say what bro? wrote:
I really don't think a principal gets 3 months off every year. But I don't know for sure. -
Be a lawyer with your own practice. That way to decide your own working hours (and eventual paycheck). If you work for a firm then you are forced to do the 80-90 hour weeks struggling to make partner (and only then would you bring home the bank).
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You need to come to terms with the fact that making a solid income and having manageable hours straight out of school are mutually exclusive ends.
I'm starting at Yale Law in a few weeks, and I'm going into it assuming that I'm going to be working a ton straight out of school, although I will hopefully be making good money as well. That said, the option to teach is always open to me, so that if in 8 years or whatever I decide that I'd like to go back and teach, I can always do that. I suggest doing law school, if not just because going back to become a teacher is a pretty easy option, while leaving teaching mid-career to do law would be far more arduous a journey. -
He is on the defense side - that means he defends the offenders and doesn't prosecute them. In other words, he isn't sending anyone up the river. Even if he was a prosecutor - nothing wrong with upholding the laws.
Also, people who drive under the influence are not innocent victims - they can cause much harm - just look at the woman who drove the wrong way onto the Taconic.
Finally, you're a dick. -
Kudos to your for getting into Yale Law. I'll being going to a local regional school (If I go), top 50 but still no where near top tier.
I think I will just go to law school, I can teach whenever I want, and law can lead to great flexibility with my schedule as well as rewarding work. If I'm good at it I will be compensated accordingly, unlike teaching where there is a set payscale.
Thanks for all of the input so far. -
Spelling.
no fatties wrote:
Kudos to you for getting into Yale Law. I'll being going to a local regional school (If I go), top 50, but still no where near top tier.
I think I will just go to law school, I can teach whenever I want, and law can lead to great flexibility with my schedule as well as rewarding work. If I'm good at it I will be compensated accordingly, unlike teaching where there is a set pay scale.
Thanks for all of the input so far.
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