Law School Applications Down

I guess potential law students have gotten the message that going to law school might not be the best career path right now. The Wall Street Journal is reporting that law-school applications have declined 11.5% since last year. In fact, the total number of applicants "is the lowest since 2001 at this stage of the process." Students know that the job market for attorneys continues to be weak, and that they would almost certainly graduate with significant debt that would be difficult to pay back in a reasonable timeframe. It is undoubtedly a good thing for students to be more realistic about the costs and benefits of a legal education, but as someone who works at a law school that is tuition dependent, the drop in applications is also a cause for concern.