I go to a top tier law school. I am proud that I got into this school, especially because I based my decision of where to apply on proximity in feet to my apartment.
This law school teaches you that mediocrity is a fate worse than death. Before I came here, I was content with my "mediocrity." I lead my happy little life and enjoyed myself. Now I'm surrounded by too many people willing to step on whomever to reach the top. Who look down their noses at the people who didn't get as good a job, or as high a grade, or as prestigious an honor; and who badmouth behind the backs of those who did better.
The sad truth is, it's designed this way, law school is. It's all about competition. Your grade is based on how well you did in comparison to everyone else in the class. There are writing competitions, negotiation competitions, moot court competitions. Law school is designed those who want to do the best, not those who simply want to do well.
Perhaps it does make sense, since competition is built into the job of lawyering. But is it wrong that my goal is to do simply the best job I can do? I know that when I'm representing someone I'm going to work extremely hard to get the result my client needs, but I'm not doing it to "beat the other guy." Or should I be?
See, there I go second guessing myself. Because the whole system perpetuates the idea that if you aren't the best, you will fail. And I'm not going to be the best. I accept that. And it's that acceptance that makes me a bad law student. Or rather, it makes me mediocre.