Some of these posts are hilarious.
Quite honestly, you're only just beginning your studies (and some of you don't even know whether you've been accepted into law school). You've got a HUGE learning curve ahead of you, and your immaturity is strikingly obvious in your posts thus far. ENTER scores and the like may seem absolutely important to you now, and the supposed 'reputation' of certain schools over others paramount, but once you're in law school you'll be fighting like mad to be the best you can be against other students who will be more educated and more motivated. Remember, if you're attempting law school straight from VCE (irrespective of your marks), you'll be competing against postgrads and older students who will be able to write better, speak more eloquently and understand the very different expectations of tertiary assessment.
It is simply not easy.
Getting into law school is one thing, but the concerns over reputation will diminish once you face the reality of study. My advice to all of you is to stop flapping your lip about 'reputation' and 'ranking' and START READING NOW. Read introductory texts and review topics like jurisprudence, the history of the common law, legal ethics and the mechanics of the Australian legal system.
Getting into a good law school is one thing. Doing WELL in law school exists in ANOTHER UNIVERSE. Who cares if you went to Melbourne Law if you flunk out, or achieve consistent Pass grades throughout your degree?
This is NOT 'The Firm'. Or 'Boston Legal'. Or 'Legally Blonde'. And you are NOT the smartest person in the room.
And, NO, Yr. 12 Legal Studies will NOT provide the critical insights that will gain marks for you in 1st year Law. As foundational knowledge, it's fine. For analytical and critical understanding (necessary for higher exam marks), you need to be reading material at a higher level.
And, NO, your 'Careers Adviser' during VCE does NOT know all that much about the legal profession, nor can he/she predict law school rankings in the future. A 'Careers Adviser' is, by necessity, a generalist high school teacher who will provide some careers guidance across a range of disciplines. If they really knew half the garbage they spin, THEY would be doctors, lawyers, etc. instead of high school Careers Advisers. Right?
Honestly, folks - law school will knock you down a peg or two. 99+ VCE scores are great - they give you the power of choice. But they are by no means an indicator of future tertiary performance. The majority of law school students, irrespective of background, score in the Credit range (60-70%) during assessment. That's the truth.
Law school is a ticket to nothing but hard work and extreme competition. Snobbery will only get you so far...
