Poll: Fordham PT 2009: will you be working? Forum

[palmettoru]

I am going to be starting Fordham PT in a few weeks, and was wondering how many of you will be working part-time or full-time jobs?

I just started a new job and am trying to gauge whether it's realistic to balance a 40+ hour work week and also do well at Fordham PT.


Thanks in advance for your responses!

[OperaSoprano]

Does this include volunteer work or internships? I won't have a paying job, but I definitely want to do something.

[palmettoru]

For the purposes of this poll, I am trying to determine the extent to which people have rigid obligations that may interfere with school. While volunteering and internships may or may not fall into this category, they tend to allow for more flexibility than a FT job. For instance you can probably scale back volunteer work for the month leading up to exams, but I doubt I will have enough vacation days to take off several weeks for finals.

[jrock12]

kinda scary to say but i'll continue to work 50+hrs/wk...i get into work very early in the a.m. though

[OperaSoprano]

For the purposes of this poll, I am trying to determine the extent to which people have rigid obligations that may interfere with school. While volunteering and internships may or may not fall into this category, they tend to allow for more flexibility than a FT job. For instance you can probably scale back volunteer work for the month leading up to exams, but I doubt I will have enough vacation days to take off several weeks for finals.

How much flexibility will you have? I had a job that I could essentially do from home (or wherever else), since it was mainly writing and editing, but that position is no more. I know many alumni who have successfully balanced 40 hour a week jobs, though the timing aspect makes me nervous. I'm terrified enough as it is, but I don't have much now, except the heart for a grand adventure. Hopefully a grand adventure with a job waiting at the end of it.

You are lucky to have an interesting and remunerative job ITE. If I had one, I would certainly try to keep it.

[palmettoru]

As far as flexibility goes i will have to wait and see (I havn't really asked yet since I just started). It seems to be the norm for everyone to be in the office 50+ hours/week though. Ideally, I could scale back and become a part-time employee for the month of December and just work 20 hours a week. This way, work will force me to wake up in the morning and then I can hit the library in the afternoons. A little worried about the workload at Fordham but yea I definitely got lucky with this job and don't necessarily want to give it up.

[OperaSoprano]

As far as flexibility goes i will have to wait and see (I havn't really asked yet since I just started). It seems to be the norm for everyone to be in the office 50+ hours/week though. Ideally, I could scale back and become a part-time employee for the month of December and just work 20 hours a week. This way, work will force me to wake up in the morning and then I can hit the library in the afternoons. A little worried about the workload at Fordham but yea I definitely got lucky with this job and don't necessarily want to give it up.

I wouldn't give up your job, but I would certainly consider working part time or reducing your hours as much as they will let you, if you can afford to do so. I think a part time job would be the perfect compromise. You are lucky to have a cool job, though.

[sentinal5656]

OP,

If you are serious about practicing the law, I suggest not having a full time or even a part time job. All that matters 1L year, are grades. It will decide the level of prestige in your job coming out of law school. Most of the people you will be competing with are going to have no professional commitment outside of law school. Many many people I talked to so far in the PT program plan on focusing on school and school alone. Thus, I recommend not having a job, especially ITE. Remember that employers will be interested in your 1L GPA rather than the job you had during 1L year...

To stay competitive you need to put in the time your fellow PT classmates are going to be putting in. I think you will be at a series disadvantage if you work...

[jrock12]

palmettoru, do you plan on staying in the p/t afte 1L? or transferring over?

[palmettoru]

palmettoru, do you plan on staying in the p/t afte 1L? or transferring over?

JRock -- I am kind of on the fence with this one. Does anyone know what the career options are for people that do not transfer over to FT? I am assuming that if you don't transfer to FT, you won't be able to do a 2L summer internship, which means it would be difficult to get a job with a firm. Any insight on this one guys?

[palmettoru]

In other words, does staying in PT only make sense only for those that already have a job lined up / are going to start up their own firm / don't need OCI ??

[sentinal5656]

palmettoru, do you plan on staying in the p/t afte 1L? or transferring over?

JRock -- I am kind of on the fence with this one. Does anyone know what the career options are for people that do not transfer over to FT? I am assuming that if you don't transfer to FT, you won't be able to do a 2L summer internship, which means it would be difficult to get a job with a firm. Any insight on this one guys?

I know most firms hire most of their incoming associates from the summer associate class. So, by not doing a summer associate internship, I think you might be at a disadvantage. But, I know that all the OCI resources are open to PT students and so they should be able to find something.

Basically, I would transfer over if you can. Not transferring over won't destroy your chances of landing a job though.

[rosie]

if you dont transfer into day, and stay PT, you do your summer associate-ship after your 2E year...but you would have to take a leave of absence from whatever your full time job is.

Edit: oops...i meant 3E year...that way they offer yo at the end of the summer and you start work after you graduate at the end of your 4E yr

[sentinal5656]

if you dont transfer into day, and stay PT, you do your summer associate-ship after your 2E year...but you would have to take a leave of absence from whatever your full time job is.

That's a good idea...

[palmettoru]

yea I a

if you dont transfer into day, and stay PT, you do your summer associate-ship after your 2E year...but you would have to take a leave of absence from whatever your full time job is.

That's a good idea...

Definitely agree with you on that one. Besides the fact that you need to take leave/quit your current job to do a summer associate-ship, I would assume that you would also need to take time off to do OCI interviewing. I guess if you had an extremely flexible job where you could take unlimited days off, it could work out for you.

[jrock12]

palmettoru...i'm crazy busy at work, but i will PM you in a bit

[palmettoru]

bump.. i'm trying to get as large of a sample size as possible.

[palmettoru]

What section is everyone in? I am in Section 10.

[jrock12]

What section is everyone in? I am in Section 10.

palm i know i owe you a PM, sorry, i just got really caught up with work at the end of last week...i am in section 9, so it looks like we'll be in some classes together