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PSA to 1Ls: take the credits, not the money

Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2011 3:06 pm
by IAFG
If you are sitting between getting paid some shit $10 an hour or getting 4 credits for the summer, take the credits. The money isn't worth more than being able to take a lighter load later.

Obviously if you are looking at real money at a firm or other legit employer that's different.

Re: PSA to 1Ls: take the credits, not the money

Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2011 3:15 pm
by 071816
Image

In all seriousness, thanks for the insight.

Re: PSA to 1Ls: take the credits, not the money

Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2011 3:35 pm
by Ludo!
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Re: PSA to 1Ls: take the credits, not the money

Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2011 3:56 pm
by Anonymous User
I got the best of both worlds. Split my summer with a judge (3 credits) and in-house ($20/hour).

Re: PSA to 1Ls: take the credits, not the money

Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2011 4:59 pm
by IAFG
Anonymous User wrote:I got the best of both worlds. Split my summer with a judge (3 credits) and in-house ($20/hour).
I took a part-time for-credit "job" and then more classes and am graduating a semester early now. Those credits were all auto-As too so my GPA got a good bump on top of it.

Re: PSA to 1Ls: take the credits, not the money

Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2011 5:16 pm
by leobowski
Some people would rather take the money and live frugally instead of taking out additional/unnecessary loans. Not really a valid point across the board.

Re: PSA to 1Ls: take the credits, not the money

Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2011 5:25 pm
by seatown12
At Wash U summer credits can't be applied to fall so you have to pay for them by the credit, and then still pay full tuition each semester

Re: PSA to 1Ls: take the credits, not the money

Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2011 5:43 pm
by IAFG
seatown12 wrote:At Wash U summer credits can't be applied to fall so you have to pay for them by the credit, and then still pay full tuition each semester
You have to pay your school to work for free?! Wow that sucks

Re: PSA to 1Ls: take the credits, not the money

Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2011 5:45 pm
by RMstratosphere
IAFG wrote:
seatown12 wrote:At Wash U summer credits can't be applied to fall so you have to pay for them by the credit, and then still pay full tuition each semester
You have to pay your school to work for free?! Wow that sucks
At IU-B too.

Re: PSA to 1Ls: take the credits, not the money

Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2011 6:14 pm
by IAFG
leobowski wrote:Some people would rather take the money and live frugally instead of taking out additional/unnecessary loans. Not really a valid point across the board.
I know of two people who got s.h. over the summer, graduated early then started working early, and at the very least I will save a semester of COL, so this still sounds pennywise and pound foolish to me, if your goal is to maximize financial gain.

Re: PSA to 1Ls: take the credits, not the money

Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2011 6:47 pm
by leobowski
Oh well if you're talking about graduating early, then that's a different story.

Re: PSA to 1Ls: take the credits, not the money

Posted: Fri Dec 02, 2011 12:11 am
by Nom Sawyer
Wait what IAFG, u can graduate early from law school if u have enough credits?!?

Thats huge savings, why dont more people know about this... ( Altho I don't think I have it in me to take more than 3 classes a semester now haha)

Re: PSA to 1Ls: take the credits, not the money

Posted: Fri Dec 02, 2011 1:20 am
by IAFG
Nom Sawyer wrote:Wait what IAFG, u can graduate early from law school if u have enough credits?!?

Thats huge savings, why dont more people know about this... ( Altho I don't think I have it in me to take more than 3 classes a semester now haha)
I still have to pay tuition, though I think this varies from school to school. In my case I will still be better off bc I won't have to pay rent in Chicago for a semester, and some people can either get employment in the gap or start at their firm early, so that can also be a financial game-changer.

That said, I think the flexibility is worth more than the piddling +/- $4,000 of either loans or wages, whether you use that flexibility to be in a better place financially or for something else.

Re: PSA to 1Ls: take the credits, not the money

Posted: Fri Dec 02, 2011 1:25 am
by NinerFan
If you have weak ties to your target market, it might be important to secure a job in that market for your first summer, though. Also, if you have a definite interest in some part of law, like energy or tax or bankruptcy, it would be helpful to get a job in that area. Likewise for getting a job with a DA's office or a public defender's office or etc if your'e interested in prosecution/crim.

Re: PSA to 1Ls: take the credits, not the money

Posted: Fri Dec 02, 2011 1:31 am
by IAFG
NinerFan wrote:If you have weak ties to your target market, it might be important to secure a job in that market for your first summer, though. Also, if you have a definite interest in some part of law, like energy or tax or bankruptcy, it would be helpful to get a job in that area. Likewise for getting a job with a DA's office or a public defender's office or etc if your'e interested in prosecution/crim.
I know I didn't have any practice area relevant options on the table :? but the geography thing is a good point. Also the public defender thing.

Re: PSA to 1Ls: take the credits, not the money

Posted: Fri Dec 02, 2011 4:27 pm
by Nom Sawyer
IAFG wrote:
Nom Sawyer wrote:Wait what IAFG, u can graduate early from law school if u have enough credits?!?

Thats huge savings, why dont more people know about this... ( Altho I don't think I have it in me to take more than 3 classes a semester now haha)
I still have to pay tuition, though I think this varies from school to school. In my case I will still be better off bc I won't have to pay rent in Chicago for a semester, and some people can either get employment in the gap or start at their firm early, so that can also be a financial game-changer.

That said, I think the flexibility is worth more than the piddling +/- $4,000 of either loans or wages, whether you use that flexibility to be in a better place financially or for something else.
Ahhh I see, that makes sense then. Yeah but having an entire semester off is still a definite plus.

Re: PSA to 1Ls: take the credits, not the money

Posted: Sat Dec 03, 2011 6:12 pm
by shepdawg
THis only makes sense if the student has a full ride. Otherwise they're paying $1-2k/unit. I have decided just to take the max fall/spring course loads so I don't have to pay extra for summer school.

Re: PSA to 1Ls: take the credits, not the money

Posted: Sat Dec 03, 2011 6:17 pm
by IAFG
shepdawg wrote:THis only makes sense if the student has a full ride. Otherwise they're paying $1-2k/unit. I have decided just to take the max fall/spring course loads so I don't have to pay extra for summer school.
At some schools, summer is free "included." I thought it was every school, but I have already been schooled.

www.top-law-schools.com

Posted: Sat Dec 03, 2011 8:10 pm
by Borhas