It’s to the point now where sounding like a broken record is giving me déjà vu.

Yet again, law school applications are down. Over 13% this time. Yet again, we here at Blueprint LSAT Preparation are repeating the news. Yet again, I sit to write an LSAT blog article on the impact of these decreases.

By now, everyone reading this LSAT blog should be aware of the general trend; of the issues in the legal profession stemming from the education system; of the employment issues for grads. If not, please take the time to check out some of my old articles on law school debt.

So what does the continuing decline in law school application numbers mean for you, the prospective law student? It means that it will be easier to find a seat. The top students are the ones sitting the test out, and that pulls everyone up a bit (especially since not all law schools are shrinking their class sizes, and those that are doing so aren’t doing it by enough). It even means that you can probably expect some more scholarship money, since the schools will be desperate to attract the students just above their numbers so that they can still fill their classes with students who meet their averages.

And it means you have to be even more careful when making your decision.

Getting into that law school you thought was a long-shot can be intoxicating. But that doesn’t mean paying full tuition for it is a good idea. Consider your scholarship options. Consider the market you want to work in. Then, consider smaller markets that more easily lead to jobs. Consider just how much money $125K is, and how much of your salary it will take.

Then, make an informed and adult decision as to the impact this will have on your life. If you sign your seat deposit while saying, “I’m a lawyer!” a la TMZ, you might want to take a few seconds to reevaluate the decision. Be Harvey Levin in The People’s Court, not TMZ.