Becoming a Lawyer: The Effects of College and College Experiences

Research has demonstrated that the type of college attended and a student’s academic/social experiences there have little influence on his or her later occupational status when socioeconomic status and academic ability are controlled. Vincent Tinto posits that college origins and college experiences are more likely to be influential for the professions than for other occupations, a distinction not previously made. This study tests Tinto’s hypothesis for lawyers and partially supports it.