What do do from Here? Forum

[Anonymous User]

I probably could have gotten the entry level consulting job with my grades. Missing UG recruiting is a big hit on this front.

Any thoughts on whether applying from law school will be more succesful as applying as a dropout?

Contact your undergrad's career services. They will likely let you attend their fall career fair/on-campus recruiting process in the fall, giving you another solid shot at approaching consulting firms. That's what I did when I realized I had zero interest in becoming a lawyer, and it was a decent success. Though I did it as a 3L versus after finishing 1L or dropping out during 1L, so I can't help you in terms of your exact situation.

If you know you don't want to do law, though, I don't really see the point in wasting another 2.5 years. If I were you, I'd finish out the semester still, and then find a decent job/volunteer/do whatever until fall. Then, hit the recruiting process hard and hope for the best.

Does change the calculus that I'm still with my 1L summer firm? They pay me, they'll have me till I leave, and the work is pretty great (none of this would be an issue if they could guarantee a full time job).

[Anonymous User]

Will ponder. Anyone other perspectives from the evening crowd?

JD is just a ticket to a law license, which you apparently don't want. Don't waste another year and a half on something you don't want; it makes you look like a degree-fiending dilettante. You've already shown some useful traits--being smart enough to get into a fairly high-ranked law school--don't blow it by making silly moves.

If you can't get an entry-level consulting job, getting a JD probably isn't going to help you get it anyway. So drop out and try to get an entry-level consulting job. If that doesn't work, just start working in any field and later try to fight to management somewhere, then see if consulting is an option. But stop wasting time on law school if you don't want to practice law. You need real-world work experience to get to where you want to be, assuming you don't get in at the entry level. A JD is not real-world work experience.

I probably could have gotten the entry level consulting job with my grades. Missing UG recruiting is a big hit on this front.

Any thoughts on whether applying from law school will be more succesful as applying as a dropout?

I would think applying from law school to McKinsey etc. is more promising. They do recruit directly from law schools, and I think it would be tough to sell yourself to them as a law school dropout with no work experience. The undergrad route is obviously closed now (unless your undergrad career services does allow you back, as the previous poster suggested), and they mostly hire through established avenues unless you're a phenomenal candidate. That said, it's far from a sure bet, obviously, and would entail another year of law school before you know whether you're getting a job at one of the big consultancies.

Otherwise, my advice would be to drop out. Pretty much any job above flipping burgers can set you up for a strong MBA program and a business career a few years down the road if you spin it correctly. It's hard to give further advice without knowing about your UG background.

[Anonymous User]

Will ponder. Anyone other perspectives from the evening crowd?

JD is just a ticket to a law license, which you apparently don't want. Don't waste another year and a half on something you don't want; it makes you look like a degree-fiending dilettante. You've already shown some useful traits--being smart enough to get into a fairly high-ranked law school--don't blow it by making silly moves.

If you can't get an entry-level consulting job, getting a JD probably isn't going to help you get it anyway. So drop out and try to get an entry-level consulting job. If that doesn't work, just start working in any field and later try to fight to management somewhere, then see if consulting is an option. But stop wasting time on law school if you don't want to practice law. You need real-world work experience to get to where you want to be, assuming you don't get in at the entry level. A JD is not real-world work experience.

I probably could have gotten the entry level consulting job with my grades. Missing UG recruiting is a big hit on this front.

Any thoughts on whether applying from law school will be more succesful as applying as a dropout?

I would think applying from law school to McKinsey etc. is more promising. They do recruit directly from law schools, and I think it would be tough to sell yourself to them as a law school dropout with no work experience. The undergrad route is obviously closed now, and they mostly hire through their recruiting programs unless you're a phenomenal candidate. That said, it's far from a sure bet, obviously, and would entail another year of law school before you know whether you're getting a job at one of the big consultancies.

Otherwise, my advice would be to drop out. Pretty much any job above flipping burgers can set you up for a strong MBA program and a business career a few years down the road if you spin it correctly. It's hard to give further advice without knowing about your UG background.

Top 35 Liberal Arts College, Econ, 3.8. Meh internships for two summers, one at a F500

[sundontshine]

I would think applying from law school to McKinsey etc. is more promising. They do recruit directly from law schools, and I think it would be tough to sell yourself to them as a law school dropout with no work experience.

As far as I know MBB doesn't recruit from T15-18 law schools.

[Anonymous User]

I would think applying from law school to McKinsey etc. is more promising. They do recruit directly from law schools, and I think it would be tough to sell yourself to them as a law school dropout with no work experience.

As far as I know MBB doesn't recruit from T15-18 law schools.

That door is probably shut. If I want that, its going to be after an MBA (equally unlikely, but possible). I think Deloitte/Accenture is more accessible.

[sparty99]

The Deloitte/Accenture recruiting is almost over. They are doing final rounds now. So you are kind of late on that tip. Also, Deloitte and Accenture don't really do strategy. I would know. I worked there.

[Anonymous User]

The Deloitte/Accenture recruiting is almost over. They are doing final rounds now. So you are kind of late on that tip. Also, Deloitte and Accenture don't really do strategy. I would know. I worked there.

?
(Not OP)
I got an email from someone who does recruiting, saying that they were on campus this week. Also, there are postings on LinkedIn like this one: https://www.linkedin.com/jobs2/view/262 ... %3Aprimary
that was posted a few days ago...
Note that this is for Deloitte Tax, I'm not sure about others.

[sparty99]

The Deloitte/Accenture recruiting is almost over. They are doing final rounds now. So you are kind of late on that tip. Also, Deloitte and Accenture don't really do strategy. I would know. I worked there.

?
(Not OP)
I got an email from someone who does recruiting, saying that they were on campus this week. Also, there are postings on LinkedIn like this one: https://www.linkedin.com/jobs2/view/262 ... %3Aprimary
that was posted a few days ago...
Note that this is for Deloitte Tax, I'm not sure about others.

Deloitte Tax is not Consulting. Also, I believe that said intern. Anyhow, the undergrad recruitment fairs were mostly mid-end of September and first week of October. At this point, candidates are moving ahead to final rounds. The majority of the hiring will be completed by the end of year or the candidates they want to interview final round will have those invitations by end of year with the interviews taken place during the candidates winter break. There will certainly be outliers, but if you want consulting, you need to apply NOW. As second semester the focus is on hiring for Spring internships. I also have a co-worker who landed an analyst role after he dropped out of University of Chicago Law first semester.

[ManoftheHour]

Second, and I roll my eyes when I say this, you sound like all the confused young people who think consulting is some glamarous career. How do you know you would like consulting? Why the hell did you go to law school in the first place? No one can tell you what to do. This is your life. You live with the decisions. Do what you feel is best for you.

This. I have several buddies that work in different big 4 consulting firms. They pretty much sound like Biglaw with the same hours but half the pay (when they started anyway. Three of them are senior consultants now). Of course, if you could land one of those gigs, it's worlds better than staying in law school if you do not want to be an attorney.

[r6_philly]

This may sound snarky but how are you going to be good at business strategy if you can't leverage your advantages right now? There is value in a bar membership and the analytical skills you've gained, so try to use it to better your opportunities. How much your JD can help you depends on how you can convince someone that it helps you. You've been given enough chips, now strategize and ante up. We don't know your situation well enough to tell you what to do.

[Anonymous User]

This may sound snarky but how are you going to be good at business strategy if you can't leverage your advantages right now? There is value in a bar membership and the analytical skills you've gained, so try to use it to better your opportunities. How much your JD can help you depends on how you can convince someone that it helps you. You've been given enough chips, now strategize and ante up. We don't know your situation well enough to tell you what to do.

OP here: You're absolutely right - I'm actively trying to overcome that. I've been putting the hustle & network to try and get through the online application screen, but not as a full time effort. Still trying to strive for dem grades n'at.

[r6_philly]

Grades are important as far as getting a job in traditional way. If you are expanding your horizon on opportunities try to create a brand aside from your JD. Instead of a law student/grad who's looking for a job, try to be someone with something extra to offer (your JD). I have friends who was a step up when they looked for compliance type positions (not bar required) but it was a plus to be trained in the law, for example.