However, as I progressed from my first year to commencement, it became clear that there are hidden financial and emotional costs that come with becoming a lawyer. Each step introduced new expenses, such as casebooks before classes even began, professional attire for interviews and conferences, and travel costs for networking opportunities. While valuable, the role required a regular commute and out-of-pocket costs, which I covered with personal savings. That summer also brought preparation for a required professional exam, which added another cost to an already expensive path. As you can see, the path to becoming a lawyer is not defined by the LSAT ((Law School Admission Test) score, admission and tuition alone.