Does Law School Debt Motivate? Forum

[powerlawyer06]

Does anyone else feel like their law school debt is and will be a motivating factor in law school?

Hear me out. I went to UG on scholarship. I was extremely lazy but still pulled off a great GPA (come on UG is easy). Then I went into the professional world and truly busted my ass for the first time in my life. I felt I had to prove myself. I got promoted and became successful there and after a few years I had achieved all my professional goals and I became lazy again. Applying to law school has remotivated me and I don’t want to lose this feeling.

I have never been in debt (outside of my mortgage) in my life. I think the fact that I am paying so much for school and I will be leaving with around 100k in debt will keep me motivated throughout school. I know when I was on scholarship classes and grades really had no value to me. I am a finance nerd and I have broken down my law school costs by semester, day, hour, and per credit and I think this is truly motivational.

Does anyone else feel the same way? What about current law student, how does your debt affect you?

Edit: I am going to a T13.

[BlueDiamond]

IBTR

[FeelTheHeat]

Yes.

[Moxie]

Everyone is already motivated in law school. Maybe the debt is one reason, but people in LS generally have a better sense of motivation than my counterparts in UG.

Debt may be a particularly important factor if you have a large amount of debt at a lower-ranked law school, where you need to attain a high class rank to get a job to pay off your debt.

[Cupidity]

Debt doesn't motive anyone. It's monopoly money until you get your first bill in the mail.

[adt231]

Debt doesn't motive anyone. It's monopoly money until you get your first bill in the mail.

This is false if you're prudent. For most immature students right out of UG whose parents help them financially but not totally, yes.

[Muenchen]

Does anyone else feel like their law school debt is and will be a motivating factor in law school?

Hear me out. I went to UG on scholarship. I was extremely lazy but still pulled off a great GPA (come on UG is easy). Then I went into the professional world and truly busted my ass for the first time in my life. I felt I had to prove myself. I got promoted and became successful there and after a few years I had achieved all my professional goals and I became lazy again. Applying to law school has remotivated me and I don’t want to lose this feeling.

I have never been in debt (outside of my mortgage) in my life. I think the fact that I am paying so much for school and I will be leaving with around 100k in debt will keep me motivated throughout school. I know when I was on scholarship classes and grades really had no value to me. I am a finance nerd and I have broken down my law school costs by semester, day, hour, and per credit and I think this is truly motivational.

Does anyone else feel the same way? What about current law student, how does your debt affect you?

Edit: I am going to a T13.

I know a guy who was in a similar predicament. He just couldn't stop succeeding so damn much in life. Maybe you've heard of him.

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[09042014]

Not really. A year ago I was going to study so much. Now it's april and I'm not sure what Mens Rea is.

[bk1]

For some people it probably does.

For the vast majority it probably makes no difference.

[swc65]

Not really. A year ago I was going to study so much. Now it's april and I'm not sure what Mens Rea is.

hahaha same boat. I am so not motivated. i just got my statement from DofEd the other day o.O. Still not motivated to do anything.

[JOThompson]

I'm convinced I would've performed better if my scholarship had a GPA stipulation. Right now, my main motivation to study hard is to transfer. The danger of being another 60k in debt could be great incentive too.