There seems to be an overwhelming amount of "horror stories" on whirlpool (on law and life in general), where, and wait for the truly impossible situation, you'll have people who scored average marks in average (not go8) universities, wondering why in 2017 they can't find a job, in a field that is more competitive than ever (as is every white collar industry).
I'm sorry but if you only managed to get a pass or credit average in your combined law degree and you had minimal responsibilities during university (and even if), then you deserve the predicament of being unable to find a job. The difficulty of law is greatly exaggerated. You'll hear people tell you that you need to give up your life, your sport, your hobbies and everything that you thought was fun, because this discipline is all consuming. I was told from day 1 that it's incredibly cut throat. Then when I started they said, "just wait for the REAL law subjects" (presumably the ones of greater density). I got there and it was laughable. Sure it was harder, but it was nothing that isn't doable. Some areas of law are complex and you need to apply the law carefully, considering the exceptions, but it's still words. Put me in an engineering or complex maths class, and now you're talking. I'd seriously struggle. It's not hard to get at least a distinction if you're consistent. Most of the course structure at UTS at least is quite balanced, between class participation, assessments that you sometimes have over a month to complete, and a final exam. And you're not clueless for the exams either. There are revision lectures, your tutor goes through practice exams with you and so on and so forth. I hear it's strikingly similar in other institutions. I'd say there are some hell-ish subjects (in structure more than content) but it's nothing earth shattering.
Wannaspoon, correct me if I'm wrong but I recall a few years ago you saying something to the effect of "I stay up for two weeks during my law exams; no sleep but that's how I pass". I remember reading that as I was entering law and preparing myself for what was ahead of me. I don't think it's a coincidence that someone who needs to cram the entire course work in the last two weeks before the exam, to the complete sacrifice of sleep, is complaining about the lack of opportunities in law. It should be worded "the lack of opportunities FOR ME".
There are students who will be the whole package; good grades, great personality, a critical thinker, solid EC's and experience. There are also people who get constant distinctions and high distinctions and can't even talk to you pleasantly for a minute without facilitating unbelievable inner cringe because they're just so awkward. There are people with high marks and who have extreme social anxiety; which is undeniably a negative trait in law. You have people who get credit to distinction averages who are leagues ahead of the HD bookworm students, because they're pragmatic and they have experience. They know how to get things going, know how to talk to people and in general they have decent connections.
Trying to link someone's failure to one aspect when everything matters is looking at a tenth of a painting in an attempt to understand the entire painting. It's nonsensical in every sense of the word.
The worst thing you can do to yourself is sit there all day reading horror stories on whirlpool, where every story teller there attempts to magnify their quality and underplay where they went wrong. Of course you're struggling to get a job if you didn't start job searching until six months after graduation and you have absolutely no experience. Of course you're struggling if you spent most of your time screwing around at uni parties and events at the expense of your grades. It's time to take some responsibility because in disciplines just as competitive as law, you don't have as many vocal complainers. In general, it seems, law students are willing to argue about anything for the sake of arguing.
By the way, disregard what I have to say. I'm just a clueless university student who knows nothing, I've never talked to anyone practicing law, I've never had a job or any of that jazz (not srs)
