it's not obvious to me that law is the best path to take: options in other industries may be far more valuable

It all depends, of course. Each path has its risks and its rewards. However, if -- and that's a huge if -- you can get admitted to a top-tier law school, get hired by Biglaw, and spend a few years in, say, a white-shoe NYC law firm, that doesn't sound like horrible fate to me (subject to the sensitivities of your soul, naturally).