If you enjoy participating in debates and enjoy the complexities of legal arguments, you might be looking at a career in law. To make that happen, you will have to go to law school. But there are a lot of aspects to consider before you make up your mind.

To have a successful career in law, you need to invest a lot of time, money, and energy. Understand that being a lawyer is a rigorous career, and you should be ready to go through all the facts stated above. Here are four ways to determine if law school is a career option for you:

1. You’re Not in it for the Money

Many young grads think a career in law is very lucrative. Recruiters throw out $190,000 salaries for first-year associates to attract young grads to take up law as a career. Remember, this is an exception and not the general rule.

Also, aspiring students need to keep in mind the student loan debt, which can be more than $100,000. If you aren’t graduating from a Tier 1 law school with an exemplary track record, you are less likely to get the high-paying positions. That makes the student debt a more substantial burden for a lot of students.

However, if you still want an excellent education that prepares you for many different career paths, law school might be right.

2. You Can Get into a Good School

Although every student aspires to go to the top law schools, if your undergrad grades were low or you did poorly on the LSAT, you may have to settle for a lower-tier law school. Since there is not much difference in the expense, you will have to decide if the cost is worth the education you would get at a lower-tier law school.

The best way to secure a place at a top-tier law school is to improve your LSAT scores. Enrolling in one of the best online classes for LSAT prep will help you prepare thoroughly and improve your LSAT scores.

3. You Have a Calling

There are a lot of reasons you might be looking at law school. Maybe courtroom dramas are your favorite shows, you think it sounds fun, or your aunt told you you’d make millions. None of these are good reasons to go to law school. Practicing law isn’t like what you see on television. And you should never pick up a career because someone else thinks you should.

If you’re keen to go to a law school, you need to know what kind of law you want to practice, what could be the average salary range for that specific type of lawyer, whether your expectations will meet with the reality and other such finer details.

You should also have a career progression plan in place before you jump into law school. Although you can do a lot of things with a law degree, it is crucial to find out the worth of your law degree if you need a job in that field.

Before applying to law schools, you should also think about whether you want to work in a private sector or the public sector. Which city do you want to settle down in? How much value does your law degree have there? Consider all these factors before you go to law school.

4. You’re Not Afraid of Hard Work

Law school equals long hours of studying and reading complicated case briefs and legal findings. And those long hours don’t stop when you graduate. Practicing law often requires the same long hours, if not more, than school. To build a successful career in law, you need to have the right personality and work ethic.

In this line of work, you need to be confident and competitive. These characteristics will prove essential when you need to stand your ground in an argument. Remember that to be a successful law student or a law professional, you should have a strong work ethic, and you should be passionate about your beliefs.

Make an Informed Career Decision

Of course, no major life decision comes easily. But, if you do the research, you'll have a much better sense of whether or not a career in law is your true calling. You will either find that you are meant to something else entirely or find a rewarding career that will sustain you for years to come.