A Psychoanalysis on the Pre-Law Community
December 3rd 2010 11:00
“Your vision will become clear only when you can look into your own heart. Who looks outsIde, dreams; who looks insIde, awakes.”
Campus Grotto, a website that claims to give a inside source into college, states in one of their blog entries, “Most Popular College Majors”, that most undergraduate students enter college having no clear picture on what they want to do when they graduate. The blog goes on to say, “Many newer students are unsure about their futures, making the most popular major for incoming freshman being undecided.” It isn’t really that unusual for a student to change their major three or even four times before making a final decision on which one is best for them. When a student does make a final decision on their major and where they want to go with their life, the question arises-- What was it that actually drove them to make that final decision? Well, for starters, this is a complex question that can create many different answers, many of which may be false, correct, or both. To gain a more in-depth understanding on the puzzle of a potential law student’s mind we will take a more in-depth look at a specific academic community; pre-law students. By analyzing the psychoanalytical aspects of a pre-law student’s mentality and actions, one will be able to better understand what exactly drives them to achieve the success they so desire.
Students who go down the path of pre-law understand exactly what they are doing before they take the first step. They understand the complexities ahead of them and the hurdles that are waiting to be leaped. These students grasp the idea that to become successful hard work cannot be ignored. Lost in all this translation, however, is what pushes students to declare pre-law and then move onto law school.
Understanding of what type of law strikes interest in the mind should be the first thing a pre-law student thinks about. If a student doesn’t understand what they’re attempting to do; then how can they know it is right for them? According to California State University, at Northridge’s pre-law advisement department a student must realize that there are many different kinds of law careers. One advisor had this to say, “Most lawyers work for law firms…Many lawyers work for governmental agencies as well as council for corporate and private businesses.” The University also advises students to try to work in the field of law during their college years to help make the choice. Another advisor stated, “Working in some capacity while you are still in college should give you some idea about legal careers...”
By reading what Cal State has to offer can help a pre-law student make an educated decision regarding applying to law school or not. Despite the fact that there are numerous books, pamphlets, and journals that try and guide a pre-law student to decide on law school, they are not what make the decision. As the ancient proverb states, “You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink.” This tells us that even though others are here to help along the path of indecision; it is a decision to be made by the students themselves.
There truly is a grueling process that takes place long before an application for admission into law school is even sent out. This process is the thought process. We need to find what it is that brings out the passion for law that pre-law students have, we need to understand the mind.
According to Sigmund Freud, the founding father of psychoanalytical theory, the human mind is made up of two drives: sex and aggression. In other words, everything that we do is motivated by one of these two drives. Sex, is also known as the Life force, it is what represents our will to live and prosper as well as produce offspring. Aggression, also known as the Death force, is what represents our need to stay alive and fight off threats to our power and existence.
These two drives mold to create what is known to Freud as the Id, Ego, and Super-Ego. The Id is what state a human mind is during infancy and toddler years. As one grows in the first years of life, one gains a sense of self understanding and sense of need. As one grows older an Ego is born. This Ego brings about an understanding that people, other than oneself, have needs and desires and a sense of self and helping others is formed. The years go by and then a Super-Ego is developed. The Super-Ego brings with it the idea of right and wrong, showers us with morals and teaches us to develop ethical restraints. Overall, Freud believed that by understanding the Id and Egos, as well as the two drives of life, that one can gain a deeper understanding of understanding.
Freud believed that the majority of what we experience in our lives, the underlying emotions, beliefs, feelings, and impulses created by the Id and Egos are not available to us at a conscious level. He believed rather, that most of our inner drives and desires are buried in our unconscious. Even though our unconscious is buried away deep inside us, it still impacts us dramatically, according to Freud.
Although this theory seems minimal when deciding whether or not a student will apply to law school, it can help us shed light on the thought process of young minds, which on a case-by-case basis, allow us to understand the passion that drives students toward law. An understanding of Freud’s Ego and Id theory can help scholars gain knowledge of what life was like for such students at an early age and throughout their lives. AllPsych Online, a virtual psychology classroom, depicts Freud’s Conception of the Human Psyche using a simple metaphorical approach. They have written in their online book, Psychology 101, “Because the unconscious is so large, and because we are only aware of the very small conscious at any given time, this theory has been likened to an iceberg, where the vast majority is buried beneath the water's surface. The water, by the way, would represent everything that we are not aware of, have not experienced, and that has not been integrated into our personalities, referred to as the nonconscious. (Ch. 3, Sec. 5)” In general terms, the nonconscious things we are not aware of, have already cemented their place in our minds, but just haven’t made their way into our everyday lives. An understanding of the nonconscious allows for the student to realize what their mentality prior to law school admittance even was.
This work done by Freud to depict the human mind and analyze it can be helpful in all tracts of study and research. Specifically, for pre-law students, Freud opened up a new spectrum of thought that has let us analyze thoughts made by said students during the entire scholastic career. By what Freud argues, one can come to a conclusion that whether or not a student is aware of it, they make the choice to go into law long before the declare it or even know it for themselves for that matter.
Sigmund Freud opens up the mind to us and forces us to think. Nonetheless there are still physical attributes that often affect a student’s psychological decision. These attributes are affordability and location. Recently, however, these attributes have come into question as the main decision making points. According to a press release by Kaplan Test Prep in mid November 2010, aspiring law students tend to place rankings above all else.
The prices and locations of schools do not affect a student’s mind so much as its ranking? In the recruiting process for potential college athletes rankings are the some of the most important factors when considering the best school to attend. Whereas in academics and education, rankings are normally in middle of the pack of decision making factors. Although many people are aware of rankings for schools, one would think that cost would player a more important role. "Our survey shows that pre-law students are heavily influenced about where to apply to law school based on rankings, likely because of the perceived benefits that come with graduating from a top-ranked program," said Howard Bell, executive director, pre-law programs, Kaplan Test Prep
These “perceived benefits” of graduation that Bell talked about may have something to do with the notion that many pre-law students are optimistic about their chances at landing jobs after law school. An article by Martha Neil posted on the American Bar Association’s online Journal helps shed light on that notion. Neil’s “Survey: Most Pre-Law Students Confident re Own Prospects, But Dubious About Others” is a article based off of a Kaplan Test Prep survey, released in April 2010, that polled pre-law students on their perceived chances of finding jobs after school. Neil says, “The survey by Kaplan Test Prep and Admissions of 330 pre-law students determined that 52 percent are “very confident” of finding a legal job after graduating from law school and passing the bar exam.”
The survey, which shows high self-confidence in a students own job outlook, found a not so flattering degree of confidence for the job outlook of a student’s own peers. Neil want on to say, “However, only 16 percent are “very confident” that most of their classmates will achieve the same success.” This lack of confidence in others is something that may be attributed to the economic downturn and lack of available jobs, but Jeff Thomas, a former director of Kaplan Test Preps pre-law program thinks otherwise. Thomas attributes to the lack of confidence to a rise in competition. “What’s interesting is the drop-off in confidence in their peers, which perhaps may just be an indication of the general competitive atmosphere that exists between pre-law students.” said Thomas.
This competitive atmosphere that Thomas brings up is something not to be overlooked. The role of competition between pre-law students plays a big part in the psychoanalysis of pre-law students.
Competitiveness is a trait that all human’s are born with. This is strongly emphasized by Charles Darwin’s theory of natural selection outlined in his book, On the Origin of Species. Saberi Roy, a writer for EzineArticles.com (online database for original works), says that the competitive nature can be tied into Freud’s Id and Ego theory. Roy states in her work, On the biological, social, psychoanalytic, and cultural theories of competition and the difference between competition, power and ambition, “The psychoanalytic explanation [on competitiveness] would also be equally important as the balance between the id and ego and proper channeling of libidinal [the sex drive] urges help in achieving goals via the competition.” What this means is that the sexual energy motives people to achieve certain things in life, and to excel at their life goals. Therefor, this competitive nature could be what leads the unconscious and nonconscious thoughts unknown to oneself into the forefront of ones mind. Competition is a natural occurrence and can be a healthy activity if one is not competing solely for power. The competitive spirit is what drives people in not just school but life. Roy says, “In our modern urban society, competition is considered positive and in fact necessary to survive and prove one’s worth.” This competition is always on a pre-law students mind. This competition is what perpetually moves the minds of students during the application process all the way to graduation and beyond.
The conviction that competition is the engine driving not just a a pre-law student and his/her thoughts and decisions, but all peoples thoughts and decisions, can be tied into all aspect of psychoanalytical theory. Ids and Egos are developed with competition between others rooted deeply in the unconsciousness of a young mind. Competition is what fuels the life and death forces of Freud’s drives of life. For pre-law students the competition is never ending, there is always a new challenge ahead from law school to arguing cases in a court of law. Thus the competitive spirit can therefor be seen as one of the most influential aspects of the psychoanalysis of pre-law students.
The psychoanalytical explanation for pre-law students is a tricky path to follow. From how someone decides what to major in plays a huge role in the success of their future. A understanding of the career one wants to pursue brings about the question of how-- How did a student get to this point, and why? Having a basic understanding of Freud’s Sex and Aggression Drives as well as his Id and Ego theory can suffice as a answer to the question previously stated. A realization that law school rankings play a major role in a student’s choice of where to attend can open up thoughts of job outlooks for not just oneself, but peers as well. Being cognizant of the competition between law students both prior and post law school, can offer the deepest understanding on psychoanalysis on the pre-law community. Competition directly relates to this community and its psychoanalysis with the idea that it is a biological occurrence that drives the mind, conscious and unconscious.
All in all, it seems too many people that pre-law students are concrete in their idea and passion to pursue law as a career. On the contrary, pre-law students are as indecisive as any other type of student. The difference is however, that law school is much more rigorous than many other types of graduate schools. The thoughts and ideas that play around in the head of a pre-law student have been assumed to have been there since the student’s inception in the education system. The notion that law is the path for them has been placed long before they even knew it. Law students have eccentric, outlandish, and complex minds. Some of these minds are so complex they confuse and humble even the most knowledgeable of people. By analyzing the psychoanalytical aspects of a pre-law student’s mentality and actions, one will be able to better understand what exactly drives them to achieve the success they so desire
-Carl Jung
Obvious to many and oblivious to few is the fact that law school is extremely difficult. This difficulty encompasses the entire process of law school, from applying to admittance, all the way to graduation. For some, this difficulty is too much to overcome and they drop out and move onto something else. For others, this difficulty is a much longed for feeling, a passion, a natural high sought after for years. Law school challenges the minds of some of the world’s greatest thinkers and forces them to use logic and rationale along with philosophy and writing to come to factual conclusions about certain issues and topics. With that being said, what is it that drives these students to have this mentality? What plays on in the minds of undergraduate students before they even apply for law school admittance? We can even ask-- What plays on in the minds of these students after they apply or even graduate from law school? As acclaimed psychoanalyst Carl Jung’s quote depicts, the answer could lie within a student’s own heart, but may only be realized when a look into oneself occurs. Campus Grotto, a website that claims to give a inside source into college, states in one of their blog entries, “Most Popular College Majors”, that most undergraduate students enter college having no clear picture on what they want to do when they graduate. The blog goes on to say, “Many newer students are unsure about their futures, making the most popular major for incoming freshman being undecided.” It isn’t really that unusual for a student to change their major three or even four times before making a final decision on which one is best for them. When a student does make a final decision on their major and where they want to go with their life, the question arises-- What was it that actually drove them to make that final decision? Well, for starters, this is a complex question that can create many different answers, many of which may be false, correct, or both. To gain a more in-depth understanding on the puzzle of a potential law student’s mind we will take a more in-depth look at a specific academic community; pre-law students. By analyzing the psychoanalytical aspects of a pre-law student’s mentality and actions, one will be able to better understand what exactly drives them to achieve the success they so desire.
Students who go down the path of pre-law understand exactly what they are doing before they take the first step. They understand the complexities ahead of them and the hurdles that are waiting to be leaped. These students grasp the idea that to become successful hard work cannot be ignored. Lost in all this translation, however, is what pushes students to declare pre-law and then move onto law school.
Understanding of what type of law strikes interest in the mind should be the first thing a pre-law student thinks about. If a student doesn’t understand what they’re attempting to do; then how can they know it is right for them? According to California State University, at Northridge’s pre-law advisement department a student must realize that there are many different kinds of law careers. One advisor had this to say, “Most lawyers work for law firms…Many lawyers work for governmental agencies as well as council for corporate and private businesses.” The University also advises students to try to work in the field of law during their college years to help make the choice. Another advisor stated, “Working in some capacity while you are still in college should give you some idea about legal careers...”
By reading what Cal State has to offer can help a pre-law student make an educated decision regarding applying to law school or not. Despite the fact that there are numerous books, pamphlets, and journals that try and guide a pre-law student to decide on law school, they are not what make the decision. As the ancient proverb states, “You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink.” This tells us that even though others are here to help along the path of indecision; it is a decision to be made by the students themselves.
There truly is a grueling process that takes place long before an application for admission into law school is even sent out. This process is the thought process. We need to find what it is that brings out the passion for law that pre-law students have, we need to understand the mind.
According to Sigmund Freud, the founding father of psychoanalytical theory, the human mind is made up of two drives: sex and aggression. In other words, everything that we do is motivated by one of these two drives. Sex, is also known as the Life force, it is what represents our will to live and prosper as well as produce offspring. Aggression, also known as the Death force, is what represents our need to stay alive and fight off threats to our power and existence.
These two drives mold to create what is known to Freud as the Id, Ego, and Super-Ego. The Id is what state a human mind is during infancy and toddler years. As one grows in the first years of life, one gains a sense of self understanding and sense of need. As one grows older an Ego is born. This Ego brings about an understanding that people, other than oneself, have needs and desires and a sense of self and helping others is formed. The years go by and then a Super-Ego is developed. The Super-Ego brings with it the idea of right and wrong, showers us with morals and teaches us to develop ethical restraints. Overall, Freud believed that by understanding the Id and Egos, as well as the two drives of life, that one can gain a deeper understanding of understanding.
Freud believed that the majority of what we experience in our lives, the underlying emotions, beliefs, feelings, and impulses created by the Id and Egos are not available to us at a conscious level. He believed rather, that most of our inner drives and desires are buried in our unconscious. Even though our unconscious is buried away deep inside us, it still impacts us dramatically, according to Freud.
Although this theory seems minimal when deciding whether or not a student will apply to law school, it can help us shed light on the thought process of young minds, which on a case-by-case basis, allow us to understand the passion that drives students toward law. An understanding of Freud’s Ego and Id theory can help scholars gain knowledge of what life was like for such students at an early age and throughout their lives. AllPsych Online, a virtual psychology classroom, depicts Freud’s Conception of the Human Psyche using a simple metaphorical approach. They have written in their online book, Psychology 101, “Because the unconscious is so large, and because we are only aware of the very small conscious at any given time, this theory has been likened to an iceberg, where the vast majority is buried beneath the water's surface. The water, by the way, would represent everything that we are not aware of, have not experienced, and that has not been integrated into our personalities, referred to as the nonconscious. (Ch. 3, Sec. 5)” In general terms, the nonconscious things we are not aware of, have already cemented their place in our minds, but just haven’t made their way into our everyday lives. An understanding of the nonconscious allows for the student to realize what their mentality prior to law school admittance even was.
This work done by Freud to depict the human mind and analyze it can be helpful in all tracts of study and research. Specifically, for pre-law students, Freud opened up a new spectrum of thought that has let us analyze thoughts made by said students during the entire scholastic career. By what Freud argues, one can come to a conclusion that whether or not a student is aware of it, they make the choice to go into law long before the declare it or even know it for themselves for that matter.
Sigmund Freud opens up the mind to us and forces us to think. Nonetheless there are still physical attributes that often affect a student’s psychological decision. These attributes are affordability and location. Recently, however, these attributes have come into question as the main decision making points. According to a press release by Kaplan Test Prep in mid November 2010, aspiring law students tend to place rankings above all else.
The prices and locations of schools do not affect a student’s mind so much as its ranking? In the recruiting process for potential college athletes rankings are the some of the most important factors when considering the best school to attend. Whereas in academics and education, rankings are normally in middle of the pack of decision making factors. Although many people are aware of rankings for schools, one would think that cost would player a more important role. "Our survey shows that pre-law students are heavily influenced about where to apply to law school based on rankings, likely because of the perceived benefits that come with graduating from a top-ranked program," said Howard Bell, executive director, pre-law programs, Kaplan Test Prep
These “perceived benefits” of graduation that Bell talked about may have something to do with the notion that many pre-law students are optimistic about their chances at landing jobs after law school. An article by Martha Neil posted on the American Bar Association’s online Journal helps shed light on that notion. Neil’s “Survey: Most Pre-Law Students Confident re Own Prospects, But Dubious About Others” is a article based off of a Kaplan Test Prep survey, released in April 2010, that polled pre-law students on their perceived chances of finding jobs after school. Neil says, “The survey by Kaplan Test Prep and Admissions of 330 pre-law students determined that 52 percent are “very confident” of finding a legal job after graduating from law school and passing the bar exam.”
The survey, which shows high self-confidence in a students own job outlook, found a not so flattering degree of confidence for the job outlook of a student’s own peers. Neil want on to say, “However, only 16 percent are “very confident” that most of their classmates will achieve the same success.” This lack of confidence in others is something that may be attributed to the economic downturn and lack of available jobs, but Jeff Thomas, a former director of Kaplan Test Preps pre-law program thinks otherwise. Thomas attributes to the lack of confidence to a rise in competition. “What’s interesting is the drop-off in confidence in their peers, which perhaps may just be an indication of the general competitive atmosphere that exists between pre-law students.” said Thomas.
This competitive atmosphere that Thomas brings up is something not to be overlooked. The role of competition between pre-law students plays a big part in the psychoanalysis of pre-law students.
Competitiveness is a trait that all human’s are born with. This is strongly emphasized by Charles Darwin’s theory of natural selection outlined in his book, On the Origin of Species. Saberi Roy, a writer for EzineArticles.com (online database for original works), says that the competitive nature can be tied into Freud’s Id and Ego theory. Roy states in her work, On the biological, social, psychoanalytic, and cultural theories of competition and the difference between competition, power and ambition, “The psychoanalytic explanation [on competitiveness] would also be equally important as the balance between the id and ego and proper channeling of libidinal [the sex drive] urges help in achieving goals via the competition.” What this means is that the sexual energy motives people to achieve certain things in life, and to excel at their life goals. Therefor, this competitive nature could be what leads the unconscious and nonconscious thoughts unknown to oneself into the forefront of ones mind. Competition is a natural occurrence and can be a healthy activity if one is not competing solely for power. The competitive spirit is what drives people in not just school but life. Roy says, “In our modern urban society, competition is considered positive and in fact necessary to survive and prove one’s worth.” This competition is always on a pre-law students mind. This competition is what perpetually moves the minds of students during the application process all the way to graduation and beyond.
The conviction that competition is the engine driving not just a a pre-law student and his/her thoughts and decisions, but all peoples thoughts and decisions, can be tied into all aspect of psychoanalytical theory. Ids and Egos are developed with competition between others rooted deeply in the unconsciousness of a young mind. Competition is what fuels the life and death forces of Freud’s drives of life. For pre-law students the competition is never ending, there is always a new challenge ahead from law school to arguing cases in a court of law. Thus the competitive spirit can therefor be seen as one of the most influential aspects of the psychoanalysis of pre-law students.
The psychoanalytical explanation for pre-law students is a tricky path to follow. From how someone decides what to major in plays a huge role in the success of their future. A understanding of the career one wants to pursue brings about the question of how-- How did a student get to this point, and why? Having a basic understanding of Freud’s Sex and Aggression Drives as well as his Id and Ego theory can suffice as a answer to the question previously stated. A realization that law school rankings play a major role in a student’s choice of where to attend can open up thoughts of job outlooks for not just oneself, but peers as well. Being cognizant of the competition between law students both prior and post law school, can offer the deepest understanding on psychoanalysis on the pre-law community. Competition directly relates to this community and its psychoanalysis with the idea that it is a biological occurrence that drives the mind, conscious and unconscious.
All in all, it seems too many people that pre-law students are concrete in their idea and passion to pursue law as a career. On the contrary, pre-law students are as indecisive as any other type of student. The difference is however, that law school is much more rigorous than many other types of graduate schools. The thoughts and ideas that play around in the head of a pre-law student have been assumed to have been there since the student’s inception in the education system. The notion that law is the path for them has been placed long before they even knew it. Law students have eccentric, outlandish, and complex minds. Some of these minds are so complex they confuse and humble even the most knowledgeable of people. By analyzing the psychoanalytical aspects of a pre-law student’s mentality and actions, one will be able to better understand what exactly drives them to achieve the success they so desire
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