Should I drop out? Forum

[lemonrebecca]

I am now in a lower tier 2 law school. My grades are extremely low after the first year.I guess that they are near bottom. I am also having difficulty in finding a summer job.

I think that I should drop out from law school now.
However, I like law school and still want become a lawyer. But at this moment it is hard for me to hang in there.
If I want to drop out from law school, can I reapply it several years later?

[Pate]

After grades come out a lot of 1Ls consider leaving, even those in the T-14, given the debt and the job environment ITE. Chances of returning to LS down the road is excellent since schools are scrambling to find paying students.

[cinephile]

If you wait 5 years, your grades expire and you can start over as a 1L somewhere else.

[marmot8]

If you wait 5 years, your grades expire and you can start over as a 1L somewhere else.

Seriously?

[cinephile]

If you wait 5 years, your grades expire and you can start over as a 1L somewhere else.

Seriously?

Yeah. Check out your student handbooks. The ABA requires you finish law school within 5 years of matriculation (at least for full time students). If you don't, the grades expire and if you want to pick it back up, you start at the beginning.

[Bildungsroman]

In your position, I would drop out.

[2012JayDee]

If you wait 5 years, your grades expire and you can start over as a 1L somewhere else.

Seriously?

Yeah. Check out your student handbooks. The ABA requires you finish law school within 5 years of matriculation (at least for full time students). If you don't, the grades expire and if you want to pick it back up, you start at the beginning.

This is bad advice. Your grades will expire--meaning you can no longer get credit for having completed those courses towards graduation. YOU WILL ALWAYS HAVE TO TURN IN YOUR TRANSCRIPTS AS A PART OF YOUR LEGAL EDUCATION!!!!

Right now you have to determine if you truly want to be a lawyer--meaning you want the degree, the contacts, the network, etc. Or you want a certain type of job that, because of your grades, you may never have. If it's the former then you need to stay put and finish. You still have 2 years to pull up your GPA. Assuming you're in good academic standing, which is a 2.0 at most schools, you could still bring your GPA up to a B or better. If you're just below median or hovering around a B- then you're not in the best position for a big firm job but you'll be fine in terms of getting your grades up during 2L and 3L. Also 2L and 3L offer a very different experience. You will (and should) have the opportunity to do a semester-long internship with a judge. The contacts you can get from that are going to be unparalleled and it could lead to employment after graduation. You can also participate in any clinical programs if your school has them and try to get some experience working with real clients in the community.
Finally, you can take a part-time internship and gain legal experience that way. This is also a chance to think about alternative careers that may be available. Perhaps you have a passion for something and you've always wanted to work with a certain group of people or do a certain type of work. You legal education may qualify you for certain types of jobs where you don't have the work experience but qualify based on education.

This is the time when you need to start hustling. Spectacular 1L grades are just the beginning of law school and your legal career. Not everyone does well 1L year. Even people that do pretty well can strike out when it comes to trying to work at a firm. But the difference between people that have jobs and those that don't is the effort put in right now. People that quit because they won't strike it rich at OCI are going to be loathing in self pity for the next 4 semesters and then wonder how to pay back their loans. Everyone else is going to pull it together try and figure out what went wrong 1L and correct those mistakes come exam time, pick better, more interesting classes, network like crazy, and make something of themselves.

If you're worried about drowning in debt with no way to repay it that is a reasonable fear. But I assume that you have already acquired some debt from just completing the first year. If you don't return in the fall do you have a means to pay back your loans immediately. The minute you drop out of school you have to start paying them back. So if you can't get a job beginning in Aug/Sep your'e in a bad position no matter what. With 2 more years of school you've got a chance to pull it together.

[shock259]

If you wait 5 years, your grades expire and you can start over as a 1L somewhere else.

Seriously?

Yeah. Check out your student handbooks. The ABA requires you finish law school within 5 years of matriculation (at least for full time students). If you don't, the grades expire and if you want to pick it back up, you start at the beginning.

I don't think he was questioning the accuracy of your statement, but was rather stating that your plan would be a horrible idea.

[cinephile]

If you wait 5 years, your grades expire and you can start over as a 1L somewhere else.

Seriously?

Yeah. Check out your student handbooks. The ABA requires you finish law school within 5 years of matriculation (at least for full time students). If you don't, the grades expire and if you want to pick it back up, you start at the beginning.

I don't think he was questioning the accuracy of your statement, but was rather stating that your plan would be a horrible idea.

Ah, I see.

Well, in that case I'd probably drop out.

[abc12345675]

This isn't popular around here, but if you want to be a lawyer then stick it out. But your focus needs to shift IMMEDIATELY to networking. You should be meeting 5 new people a month. It is possible to find work with a smaller firm with an attorney who maybe didn't do so hot in law school himself..............You won't make a ton of money. But if you really want to be a lawyer than do it. The advice to drop out is from people who treat law school as an investment opportunity, which really is the smart way to go considering the cost. But if its something you want, I think you'll regret it later in life.

[marmot8]

If you wait 5 years, your grades expire and you can start over as a 1L somewhere else.

Seriously?

Yeah. Check out your student handbooks. The ABA requires you finish law school within 5 years of matriculation (at least for full time students). If you don't, the grades expire and if you want to pick it back up, you start at the beginning.

I don't think he was questioning the accuracy of your statement, but was rather stating that your plan would be a horrible idea.

Or both? Ha. I can't imagine doing so poorly I'd drop out full well planning on making a triumphant return in 5 long long years. Even if it's possible, seems rare. Anyone know someone who has done this? Sorry OP no advice shall be given from me.

[gokumax]

You're at a T2. Strike 1.

Your grades are near the bottom of the class. Strike 2.

You don't have a summer job. Strike 3.

You're out. Drop out while you can.