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Accelerated JD program problem, please help!

Posted: Wed Mar 21, 2012 4:37 pm
by dmkaminski
I'll try to make this very confusing problem as concise as possible. During my junior year of college, I applied to my school's "3+3" program, where you could skip your senior year of college and go directly to law school, getting your bachelor's degree at the end of your 1L year and your law school degree at the end of the 3 years (getting both your bachelor's and JD in a combined 6 years). The only blurb my school had on its website said you needed to have 3/4 of your credits done for your bachelors to get in. I had about 70%, so I figured I'd give it a shot, took the LSATs, applied, and got in. In the middle of my 1L year, the school informed me I didn't have enough undergrad credits to be in the program. There was a discussion of me finishing out my 1L year, taking my undergrad courses, and coming back to the law school when I finished, but I stood my ground, and the school finally said told me to take undergrad courses in conjunction with my law courses, and take law courses every summer, then I would graduate on time. [side note here, they were going to have me pay for all these extra courses, but I fought with them enough to get them to pay for it, with the condition that I "not tell anybody"]. Everything was going fine, I was doing the extra courses while working to pay the bills and doing a full course load at the law school when I realized I couldn't do all of that and do an internship at the same time (and lets face it, in this day and age, you need to get out there and get experience, or you're going to be getting zero jobs upon graduation). So, I contacted the school and asked if I could take two CLEP exams instead because I couldn't possibly take the final two science courses I need to get my bachelor's; they said yes, I signed up, and I have recently informed them that we need to come up with another plan because there's no way I can pass them. I'm not exaggerating, and there's no hope of me passing, so that's done now, it's in the past. The college told me I still need to take two science courses (I've already taken the labs), but they won't allow me to take online intersession courses, nor go to a community college (not that they have intersession courses anyways), and my only option now is to take them in the summer. Which is fine, except the law school now tells me I won't graduate until I finish those two courses, which won't be until Mid-June..so even though I'll have the courses for my bachelor's degree (and all my law school requirements done, mind you),by the time of the July 2012 bar exam, I won't be able to graduate from the law school until September 2012. And because the CT bar examining committee requires the student already have their law degree conferred upon them, I can't sit for the bar. Not to mention I received a scholarship for the cost of a bar review course which I am also now going to have to give up, because I won't be eligible to take this bar exam.

I'm extremely angry at both the college and law school for not working together on this problem to try and help me to get through it. The law school has mentioned on more than one occasion that this whole problem is my fault, even though someone somewhere took a look at my LSAT scores and my grades and decided I would be good to admit without, apparently, looking first to check whether I had 3/4 of my undergraduate credits done. In all honesty, I thought the 3/4 credit thing was a ballpark figure. If it was set-in-stone you need to have this many requirements done A) why would you write it in such a ballpark figure way, and B) then why would you admit me? Someone admitted me, that's not my fault. And by the way, the school already changed that website and it now spells out the requirements and tells you if you're a student thinking about applying for the "3+3" program, you need to talk to an academic advisor about it first (so, maybe admitting guilt there a little?)

Anyways, I don't know what to do know. I looked up any similar cases online, Westlaw, and Lexis and can't find anything even close. I wouldn't mind talking to a lawyer about it, but I don't really want to spend money on it if no one thinks I have a case. Please help.

Re: Accelerated JD program problem, please help!

Posted: Wed Mar 21, 2012 4:48 pm
by franklyscarlet
I don't mean to be harsh, but I see about 5 places along the line where I can see that this is your fault. At this point, it seems placing the blame entirely on your university is just juvenile.

Re: Accelerated JD program problem, please help!

Posted: Wed Mar 21, 2012 4:50 pm
by paratactical
You are very clearly violating the confidentiality of that agreement. I can't imagine that there are many people with your troubles out there. You should delete this.

Re: Accelerated JD program problem, please help!

Posted: Wed Mar 21, 2012 5:08 pm
by iowalum
Obviously we can't give you legal advice. And if someone here tries to, be careful of following it too closely.

First, it sounds like some of the problems were just as much on your end as theirs, and I understand being angry at the school but it sounds like you didn't do your homework in the first place.

But if I were in your situation I would either a) get over it and graduate in September/ask if you can get your scholly for the bar deferred, or b) file a formal complaint with the ombudsman at your school and work up the channels. I don't really think this is a legal matter.

Re: Accelerated JD program problem, please help!

Posted: Wed Mar 21, 2012 10:06 pm
by holdencaulfield
I can't believe I read all of that, but it's seems like your school has already bent over backwards for you on several occasions.

Re: Accelerated JD program problem, please help!

Posted: Wed Mar 21, 2012 10:34 pm
by bball1997
holdencaulfield wrote:I can't believe I read all of that, but it's seems like your school has already bent over backwards for you on several occasions.
+1

The way I see it this is pretty squarely on you. I doubt reaching out to an academic counselor to plan your coursework wasn't an option. Also, blaming the school for these problems because they admitted you seems pretty absurd.

Re: Accelerated JD program problem, please help!

Posted: Thu Mar 22, 2012 9:20 am
by vpintz
bball1997 wrote:
holdencaulfield wrote:I can't believe I read all of that, but it's seems like your school has already bent over backwards for you on several occasions.
+1

The way I see it this is pretty squarely on you. I doubt reaching out to an academic counselor to plan your coursework wasn't an option. Also, blaming the school for these problems because they admitted you seems pretty absurd.
Aaaaall of this.

Protip:
dmkaminski wrote:The law school has mentioned on more than one occasion that this whole problem is my fault
They are not wrong. This is like a friend of mine who didn't realize that she still had one UG course requirement to fulfill, and had to stay an extra semester. She chose to never go to advising sessions, check her degree audit, etc. I'd say most of this is on you.

Re: Accelerated JD program problem, please help!

Posted: Thu Mar 22, 2012 9:29 am
by sunynp
These are not "extra courses". They are courses required to get your degree. Sounds to me like you are trying to get out of doing them, but you can't. I don't think you have many options.

Re: Accelerated JD program problem, please help!

Posted: Thu Mar 22, 2012 9:36 am
by blurbz
How is "3/4 of credit must be completed" at all ambiguous?

Re: Accelerated JD program problem, please help!

Posted: Thu Mar 22, 2012 9:38 am
by vpintz
blurbz wrote:How is "3/4 of credit must be completed" at all ambiguous?
+1. 3/4 is 75%. 70% is not 75%. Again: this is on you, OP, not your school.

Re: Accelerated JD program problem, please help!

Posted: Thu Mar 22, 2012 9:39 am
by JoeMo
vpintz wrote:
bball1997 wrote:
holdencaulfield wrote:I can't believe I read all of that, but it's seems like your school has already bent over backwards for you on several occasions.
+1

The way I see it this is pretty squarely on you. I doubt reaching out to an academic counselor to plan your coursework wasn't an option. Also, blaming the school for these problems because they admitted you seems pretty absurd.
Aaaaall of this.

Protip:
dmkaminski wrote:The law school has mentioned on more than one occasion that this whole problem is my fault
They are not wrong. This is like a friend of mine who didn't realize that she still had one UG course requirement to fulfill, and had to stay an extra semester. She chose to never go to advising sessions, check her degree audit, etc. I'd say most of this is on you.
THIS! we all knew at least one person in undergrad that complained at the end because they forgot about that one course and they wouldn't let them CLEP/Skip/Replace or whatever other thing they wanted to do for credit.

Re: Accelerated JD program problem, please help!

Posted: Thu Mar 22, 2012 9:40 am
by JoeMo
paratactical wrote:You are very clearly violating the confidentiality of that agreement. I can't imagine that there are many people with your troubles out there. You should delete this.
And also this! If you really do have such an agreement, delete your original post before you end up getting in more trouble for bad-mouthing the school.

Re: Accelerated JD program problem, please help!

Posted: Thu Mar 22, 2012 9:45 am
by tennisking88
Also, their decision to admit you has very little to do with your decision to enroll. Just because they admit you to the law school does not mean the law school has an obligation to take your hand and walk you through your BA graduation requirements. You should have done this with your undergrad academic advising office WAYYY before applying.

Re: Accelerated JD program problem, please help!

Posted: Thu Mar 22, 2012 9:50 am
by sunynp
tennisking88 wrote:Also, their decision to admit you has very little to do with your decision to enroll. Just because they admit you to the law school does not mean the law school has an obligation to take your hand and walk you through your BA graduation requirements. You should have done this with your undergrad academic advising office WAYYY before applying.
Actually OP knew s/he didn't have enough credits - s/he said s/he had 70% finished, not 75% and s/he applied anyway. OP : the law school admitting you doesn't get rid of the undergrad requirements.

We can't help you with this problem. And you can see not any sympathy from this forum.

Re: Accelerated JD program problem, please help!

Posted: Thu Mar 22, 2012 9:54 am
by Davidbentley
You remind me of the girl in my 1st grade class who refused to wait patiently as I used the paste at our table to finish adhering the body of my paper Mâché turkey to its head. "Give me the paste" she said, "or else, or else I'll break my red crayon." I would like to say that I riposted with something particularly snippy, but I think I just kept on Pasting. Moments later, a distinct snapping sound hit my ears and it was quickly followed by a harrowing wail. " I Broke my red crayon" she cried, "DB made Me break my red crayon and it's my favorite crayon and now it's broken." It was the first time in my life that I realized that people are pretty fucking goofy. Stop whining OP.

Re: Accelerated JD program problem, please help!

Posted: Thu Mar 22, 2012 10:01 am
by JoeMo
Davidbentley wrote:You remind me of the girl in my 1st grade class who refused to wait patiently as I used the paste at our table to finish adhering the body of my paper Mâché turkey to its head. "Give me the paste" she said, "or else, or else I'll break my red crayon." I would like to say that I riposted with something particularly snippy, but I think I just kept on Pasting. Moments later, a distinct snapping sound hit my ears and it was quickly followed by a harrowing wail. " I Broke my red crayon" she cried, "DB made Me break my red crayon and it's my favorite crayon and now it's broken." It was the first time in my life that I realized that people are pretty fucking goofy. Stop whining OP.
Why is this girl giving me "wire hangers" realness?

Re: Accelerated JD program problem, please help!

Posted: Thu Mar 22, 2012 10:03 am
by jkpolk
Davidbentley wrote:It was the first time in my life that I realized that people are pretty
That's so cute!

Re: Accelerated JD program problem, please help!

Posted: Thu Mar 22, 2012 10:05 am
by Davidbentley
JoeMo wrote:
Davidbentley wrote:You remind me of the girl in my 1st grade class who refused to wait patiently as I used the paste at our table to finish adhering the body of my paper Mâché turkey to its head. "Give me the paste" she said, "or else, or else I'll break my red crayon." I would like to say that I riposted with something particularly snippy, but I think I just kept on Pasting. Moments later, a distinct snapping sound hit my ears and it was quickly followed by a harrowing wail. " I Broke my red crayon" she cried, "DB made Me break my red crayon and it's my favorite crayon and now it's broken." It was the first time in my life that I realized that people are pretty fucking goofy. Stop whining OP.
Why is this girl giving me "wire hangers" realness?

I often wonder what happened to her. Maybe she was just having a bad day, but I will never forget it.

Re: Accelerated JD program problem, please help!

Posted: Thu Mar 22, 2012 10:07 am
by jkpolk
Davidbentley wrote:It was the first time in my life that I realized that people are pretty
Davidbentley wrote:I often wonder what happened to her.
awwwwwwwww

Re: Accelerated JD program problem, please help!

Posted: Thu Mar 22, 2012 10:07 am
by Br3v
School gave you many chances.

Just do the classes and get on with your life.