Been in for 2 weeks, ready to drop out already. Forum

[Naked Dude]

Long story short - Been in LS for 2 weeks at a T25 school. I am paying around 13K a year in tuition + CoL to be here due to a nice merit award package. The thing is, I hate it. The classes are boring and I do not want to study at all. I have no interest in learning the law or ever practicing as a lawyer and I am not too big a fan of the school I chose to attend due to its market. I probably should have rethought matriculating at my school due to the fact that I ended up choosing the school via settling because I did not like any of my other options. I am 23, about to be 24 and come from a family of pretty successful lawyers who all kind of pushed me in this direction. My UG degrees are in Finance and Management and I probably should have gone that route. Needless to say I am confused and lost as to what to do. Talked to my parents and was told that I would be shunned/an idiot to leave a week in.

I will take any advice I can get from this forum as I am pretty much lost at this point.

Even if you can't get your money back, you've only sunk about 6.5k for this semester, which is a lot less money than most other people are paying. My friend just made a 12k investment in his business-6.5 k is a lot of money, but in the long run, considering the time, effort, and money it would take to finish, the sunk cost isn't overwhelming. I'm sorry your parents aren't sympathetic-if you have any sympathetic friends or family whatsoever that are moderately well-connected or in a position to get you work that would be great.

I honestly don't know--if you hate law school then you're not doing yourself any favors by staying, but you have to weigh that against your ability to secure a job in this market once you drop out. If you have enough money to float you for a few months I'd say drop out no question, but it's a tough call. If you can't get the money back and don't have the connections to get a job right away, staying for the semester will give you some time. I think tuition payment for the second semester at most schools is due before you get your grades (which, even considering the reality of how long it takes to grade exams and the need for every school to collect payment, is some sneaky bullshit if you ask me) but it is what it is.

[TrojanHopeful]

Law school will be rewarding to you in the sense that it will force you to no longer be a child.

Or you could drop out and become a professional baseball player.

[Naked Dude]

but you can do anything with a law degree

[target]

2 weeks is nothing. Give it a semester and see what kind of grades you get and if you change your mind. Never act in haste.

If you come from a family of successful attys, the lost tuition for one semester won't break 'em.

Finance will still be there next year.

Good luck.

FTFOP. Also, if later on you decide to go to law school, your dropping out will be a red flag. So, make sure you definitely want to drop out before doing so.

[MrPapagiorgio]

I would stick it out for the semester. Regardless if it's the truth, your parents are going to think leaving 2 weeks into the first semester is because you're scared/a quitter/lazy.

This. I've only been here a week and I am feeling similarly. It's mostly because after a week of assignments, I already feel like I am not as smart as I thought I was, especially in class when I hear other students articulate responses in a much better fashion than I can.

Having said that, if you walk away now, people will think you are a quitter/lazy because, well, you would be a quitter/lazy. The novelty of law school and the changes you have undoubtedly been experiencing are difficult, but require adjusting, not quitting.

Give it a chance. IMHO, 2 weeks is not enough to decide whether law school is for you. If you still feel this way in December, then I would consider suspending your law school campaign and endorse another career.

[Naked Dude]

I would stick it out for the semester. Regardless if it's the truth, your parents are going to think leaving 2 weeks into the first semester is because you're scared/a quitter/lazy.

This. I've only been here a week and I am feeling similarly. It's mostly because after a week of assignments, I already feel like I am not as smart as I thought I was, especially in class when I hear other students articulate responses in a much better fashion than I can.

Having said that, if you walk away now, people will think you are a quitter/lazy because, well, you would be a quitter/lazy. The novelty of law school and the changes you have undoubtedly been experiencing are difficult, but require adjusting, not quitting.

Give it a chance. IMHO, 2 weeks is not enough to decide whether law school is for you. If you still feel this way in December, then I would consider suspending your law school campaign and endorse another career.

Until I started law school, I had the feeling that time passed really quickly. This first week, though, has felt like a month. I hope that changes soon.

[MrPapagiorgio]

I would stick it out for the semester. Regardless if it's the truth, your parents are going to think leaving 2 weeks into the first semester is because you're scared/a quitter/lazy.

This. I've only been here a week and I am feeling similarly. It's mostly because after a week of assignments, I already feel like I am not as smart as I thought I was, especially in class when I hear other students articulate responses in a much better fashion than I can.

Having said that, if you walk away now, people will think you are a quitter/lazy because, well, you would be a quitter/lazy. The novelty of law school and the changes you have undoubtedly been experiencing are difficult, but require adjusting, not quitting.

Give it a chance. IMHO, 2 weeks is not enough to decide whether law school is for you. If you still feel this way in December, then I would consider suspending your law school campaign and endorse another career.

Until I started law school, I had the feeling that time passed really quickly. This first week, though, has felt like a month. I hope that changes soon.

Seconded. Glad I'm not the only one who has felt this week slog by.

[TrojanHopeful]

It's mostly because after a week of assignments, I already feel like I am not as smart as I thought I was, especially in class when I hear other students articulate responses in a much better fashion than I can.

From what I gather, quite a bit of people experience this. I am not yet in law school, but I think about this all the time. I hope that I don't feel out of place among what seems to be a large amount of geniuses. I have performed extremely well in undergrad and "feel" smart; however, I have been warned that the reality of being among those just as smart as you or even plenty of people that are smarter can be quite depressing/humbling.

[JoeFish]

You know what being able to articulate ideas very well in week one probably has less to do with than you think?
How well you'll do on LS Exams.

[Naked Dude]

In a way it's good. I had my ego shattered at the beginning of undergrad and it's one of the best things that could have happened to me in terms of changing my outlook. Being around smart and motivated people keeps me on my toes and pushes me. If you can move past your personal anxieties and self-doubt, you'll become a better student and learn a lot more than you would otherwise. You know, Batman needs the Joker and all that. You need other smart people to keep you on your toes, like yin and yang. Or something.

[MrPapagiorgio]

It's mostly because after a week of assignments, I already feel like I am not as smart as I thought I was, especially in class when I hear other students articulate responses in a much better fashion than I can.

From what I gather, quite a bit of people experience this. I am not yet in law school, but I think about this all the time. I hope that I don't feel out of place among what seems to be a large amount of geniuses. I have performed extremely well in undergrad and "feel" smart; however, I have been warned that the reality of being among those just as smart as you or even plenty of people that are smarter can be quite depressing/humbling.

It's not depressing, and is only humbling in a sense that you quickly realize that the effort you thought would be satisfactory is well below what is necessary.

You know what being able to articulate ideas very well in week one probably has less to do with than you think?
How well you'll do on LS Exams.

This may be true. I simply meant that being around people who are seemingly intellectually superior is awakening. Especially for me, because I am attending my reach school.

[beachbum]

I would stick it out for the semester. Regardless if it's the truth, your parents are going to think leaving 2 weeks into the first semester is because you're scared/a quitter/lazy.

This. I've only been here a week and I am feeling similarly. It's mostly because after a week of assignments, I already feel like I am not as smart as I thought I was, especially in class when I hear other students articulate responses in a much better fashion than I can.

Having said that, if you walk away now, people will think you are a quitter/lazy because, well, you would be a quitter/lazy. The novelty of law school and the changes you have undoubtedly been experiencing are difficult, but require adjusting, not quitting.

Give it a chance. IMHO, 2 weeks is not enough to decide whether law school is for you. If you still feel this way in December, then I would consider suspending your law school campaign and endorse another career.

Until I started law school, I had the feeling that time passed really quickly. This first week, though, has felt like a month. I hope that changes soon.

Seconded. Glad I'm not the only one who has felt this week slog by.

+1 to all of the above. I'm exhausted.

[dkt4]

If you don't/never did want to be a lawyer, drop out instead of wasting time and energy. Your parents sound like they're being childish. Nobody who's worth a damn will look down on you for verifying that this isn't what you want out of life.

i liked this post. no one worth a damn will look down on you, except your parents

[sebastian0622]

If you don't/never did want to be a lawyer, drop out instead of wasting time and energy. Your parents sound like they're being childish. Nobody who's worth a damn will look down on you for verifying that this isn't what you want out of life.

This is the correct answer. There are a lot more important things to life than a job. It's not worth being miserable over.

[gdizz01]

I would stick it out for the semester. Regardless if it's the truth, your parents are going to think leaving 2 weeks into the first semester is because you're scared/a quitter/lazy.

This. I've only been here a week and I am feeling similarly. It's mostly because after a week of assignments, I already feel like I am not as smart as I thought I was, especially in class when I hear other students articulate responses in a much better fashion than I can.

Having said that, if you walk away now, people will think you are a quitter/lazy because, well, you would be a quitter/lazy. The novelty of law school and the changes you have undoubtedly been experiencing are difficult, but require adjusting, not quitting.

Give it a chance. IMHO, 2 weeks is not enough to decide whether law school is for you. If you still feel this way in December, then I would consider suspending your law school campaign and endorse another career.

Until I started law school, I had the feeling that time passed really quickly. This first week, though, has felt like a month. I hope that changes soon.

Seconded. Glad I'm not the only one who has felt this week slog by.

+1 to all of the above. I'm exhausted.[/quote]

+2...I've wanted to go to law school all my life, and am also already exhausted and bored as hell of these stupid core courses that have essentially no bearing on the type of practice I want to be involved with. My first instinct was to just say "If you know it's not for you, then get an MBA" but I also agree with the people who say it's too soon to judge. I think if you stay, you'll probably find your rhythm to get through the grind, things will get easier, and you may find you enjoy it. My vote: stick out the semester.

[Miznitic]

I vote for you to drop out. The legal market is saturated enough as it is, the less competition, the better.

[MrPapagiorgio]

I vote for you to drop out. The legal market is saturated enough as it is, the less competition, the better.

I changed my mind. Drop out, and I will take the job you have waiting for you. We both win.

[MumofCad]

-

[Patriot1208]

Finance will still be there next year.

A finance job, otoh.......

[maxm2764]

Hmm....well I haven't started law school yet.

I did however have a rough transition to college. I went to a high school that was quickly deemed failing as soon as No Child Left Behind was put in place. I never really had to work to get grades. I still threw myself into classes, because I'm dorky like that, but pretty much everything I touched was exuberantly praised. Only 2 people from my graduating class left the broader Pacific Northwest for college. I went to DC on an athletic scholarship, and joined an honors class.

I was MISERABLE the first 2 months. I hated my schedule and felt like an idiot in my honors courses. I got a C on my first paper. I'd never even had a B. I was stunned. Turns out my grasp of English grammar was abysmal. I had never been introduced to the proper way to structure an argument. And worse, I couldn't even follow the conversations in the single core course I was taking: World Politics. Yes, an introductory class in my major and I was getting a C. The small colloquium course was taught using the Socratic method, so there was just nowhere to hide from my ignorance either. Everyone was comparing our simple readings to the works of people I now know are greats in my field, but at the time had never heard of: Weber, etc. Because it was an honors course, most had traveled the world, many had diplomats as fathers, and almost everyone had attended private schools.

My athletic agreement was based on my maintaining the academic merit scholarship I had received. Without it, I couldn't afford even with financial aid to live in DC and I needed to maintain a 3.5. Making it worse, I was working a part-time job to earn money to get out of the country for the first time over the summer. Then the professor of another course told me when I gave him my letter from the athletic department explaining I would miss approximately 50% of his classes on Fridays due to travel games, that he intended to fail me. He had a very strict attendance policy, no exceptions and they could fire him if they wanted but he wouldn't back down (he had just come from Clinton's administration and was teaching my only poli sci course). He said there was no way I could meet his participation requirements when I planned to clock in only 50% of the time.

Needless to say, I was pretty hopeless. A C and a F, and the other 3 classes unknown. But I was more embarrassed by just not realizing how tough it would actually be, despite all the warnings that I was going to be in a whole new world. I remember telling my parents I was done. I didn't want this. I wanted to come home and transfer 6 weeks in and pursue something else. Thank goodness I come from a no-nonsense family. My Dad basically told me to suck it up and work that much harder to catch up. He asked me when I decided to become a quitter (so similar to OP comments) and if I suddenly had forgotten how to use my library card.

I am so thankful I stuck it out till the end of the semester as he advised. The most devastatingly brilliant kid in that World Politics class, who had made me cringe when he raised his hand after one of my comments, later became my best friend. His memory of the class was vastly different than mine when we re-met 2 years later in another class. He thought I was the smartest hick he'd ever met lol. No seriously, it turns out that I wasn't coming across as stupid as I thought and we were all self-conscious and a little lost. I ended up getting an A in both those classes too.

Anyhow, I learned from that experience to make sure that I don't ever let an insecurity or a humbling experience stand in the way of me becoming or achieving what I really want in life. I also learned to stop comparing myself to everyone else, and be happy getting the most from each experience that I could. I know law school will humble me again, but I know why I'm there and you've earned your spot amongst those genuises. They are probably looking at you with envy too.

And this feeling does not make you a loser or unfit - I recently watched a Charlie Rose episode where he interviewed the current Governor of Massachusetts and Obama's friend (and fellow HLSer) Deval Patrick. They talked about this very experience that both he and Obama went through, and most importantly the strength that comes from learning that you can in fact compete. That is was that realization and the strength and confidence they gained from it, that drove much of their later success. There is something to be said about facing a challenge and allowing yourself to be humbled, but not defeated. Hardly an embarrassing group to identify with right?

So my point is that, at the end of this, you may decide law school is not for you (OP or others). But give it a semester and really commit to succeeding in it. Don't do it with one foot out the door or you might as well leave now. The worst case is that you come out learning that you don't actually enjoy law or want to pursue it, but showing yourself that you could have done it, that you weren't a loser or a quitter but rather someone who succeeded not only in law school but in having the courage to admit it wasn't for them and seeking what will bring you professional happiness. Since you've come this far, you should fully investigate the possibility and leave with the knowledge that this was a win for you, not a loss.

Anyhow, that is what I'd tell my best friend to do.

[MumofCad]

Yes, I tend to over-share, but I wanted to let the OP know that everyone has these moments (and some even have evidence to indicate they don't belong). What a shame to walk away without getting a grade or really giving it a go. I think most people would have serious regrets one day taking that path. Now fully exploring it and deciding its not for them, that's another case altogether.

[dkt4]

if in doubt, always quit and make excuses later. works every time.

[crysmissmichelle]

I love law school and am thrilled to be here, but


this was the longest week of my life.


Any new school or job takes time to get used to. . .don't drop out now unless you are just totally certain that this is just not for you.

[sunynp]

I think that people should only go to law school if they want to practice law. Just because you have a job waiting for you does not mean you want to practice law. You need to decide for yourself what you want to do and not be pushed into pleasing your family. If you know you will never want to practice, I see no point in continuing.

If you are just frustrated with your law school experience, then I would give it at least a semester.

[nigelfrost]

Quit. Now.