In reflection and celebration of my first year as an Associate at a big law firm, I’ve compiled a list of the top 18 tips that I hope to pass on to the next class of incoming Associates.

A year after taking and passing the California Bar Exam, I want to share with you the mistakes made, lessons learned, and what I would do differently if I could rewind to my first day of bar prep.

Here are the top 8 things I believe you should know when weighing the financial aspects of law school.

What do you like to do, and how will getting a law degree help you do more of what you like to do? The necessary follow-up question is: After weighing the costs against the benefits, financial or otherwise, is law school still worth it?