Job Market Shrinks for Lawyers

(NEWSER) - The sluggish economy has more law firms deferring offers of positions to graduating law students, Time reports. The idle young lawyers join more than 3,000 attorneys who have lost jobs since January 2008; the industry is expected to earn up to 10% less this year than last. One upside: Firms are offering as much as $75,000 to those who defer for a year. More»

Northwestern to join ranks of universities offering 2-year law degree program

(NEWSER) - Northwestern University’s law school will offer its JD program, normally a 3-year commitment, in 2 years, a move designed to increase the school's competitive edge and respond to critics who say students with jobs lined up coast through their final year. Northwestern isn't pioneering the approach, but as the first top-tier school to offer a shortened program, other elite universities may follow, Time reports. More»

Unemployed grads furious over dry job market

(NEWSER) - Recent law school grads are having a tough time finding a job, and there’s a very good reason for that: the recession drove tons of people into law school. Between 2007 and 2009, the number of people who took the LSAT shot up 20.5%, Slate reports, as students decided to sit out the recession in classrooms. At the same time, loads of universities have tacked on law schools—critics accuse the Bar Association of approving too many. More»

Engineering, economics, computing take top spots

(NEWSER) - As the school year begins, students seek out fulfilling and enlightening majors—that will hopefully bring in the big bucks down the road. PayScale lists the highest-paying undergrad degrees and their mid-career median salaries:

1. Aerospace engineering, $109,000
2. Chemical engineering, $107,000
3. Computer engineering, $105,000
4. Electrical engineering, $102,000
5. Economics, $101,000

Students' fed loans jump 25% from previous year

(NEWSER) - Some two-thirds of students borrow for college today, and they’re borrowing more than ever: For the 2008-2009 school year, the federal government loaned students $75.1 billion—25% more than the year before. That’s the biggest increase on record, the Wall Street Journal reports. The trend has troubling implications for grads, as many see their life choices pinched by the cost of their diplomas. (Average debt load: $23,186). More»