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I’m thinking about studying abroad next year (3L) and was wondering if anyone had any input or experience worth sharing.

I have an SA for next summer already and the firm had a 100% offer rate last year and this year. I was recruited into an specific practice group rather than General SA, and I should be able to hit all the main courses my school offers in tha field even with study abroad. I might have to skip one or two doctrinal classes which will be on the bar, but they’re not relevant to my practice group and frankly I’m ok not taking all of them.

Any reason i should think twice about this? Will taking a semester “off” affect my startup at the firm at all? I did a little traveling before law school but never studied abroad in undergrad.

The only thing that makes me nervous is that I need to decide by mid March, which is obviously before I’ll have an offer.

Thanks

Anonymous User wrote:I’m thinking about studying abroad next year (3L) and was wondering if anyone had any input or experience worth sharing.

I have an SA for next summer already and the firm had a 100% offer rate last year and this year. I was recruited into an specific practice group rather than General SA, and I should be able to hit all the main courses my school offers in tha field even with study abroad. I might have to skip one or two doctrinal classes which will be on the bar, but they’re not relevant to my practice group and frankly I’m ok not taking all of them.

Any reason i should think twice about this? Will taking a semester “off” affect my startup at the firm at all? I did a little traveling before law school but never studied abroad in undergrad.

The only thing that makes me nervous is that I need to decide by mid March, which is obviously before I’ll have an offer.

Thanks

Absolutely do it. I went to UT and did this Fall of my 3L year. It was absolutely the best experience of my life. I even did an ad hoc study abroad, so I could get free tuition abroad (I have EU citizenship as well) and saved money in the end. To address your concerns about the timeline, you can always not go if you don't get the offer. I met all the application deadlines (March as well) and paid the $500ish administrative deposit, got my associate offer in July, and got on a flight in August. In Europe, I stacked all of my classes on Monday-Tuesday, which meant 4-5 day trips all over the place! All the classes are P/F basis. I loved taking international investment (ICSID) classes and even forged some decent connections with professors and lawyers while doing a moot court. Go and don't look back!

One downside for me was that I had to handle some administrative hiccups along the way, because I went to a European university that did not have an exchange agreement with UT. I thought it was fun though and it helped that I spoke the local language.

Let me know if you have any questions.

BasilHallward wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:I’m thinking about studying abroad next year (3L) and was wondering if anyone had any input or experience worth sharing.

I have an SA for next summer already and the firm had a 100% offer rate last year and this year. I was recruited into an specific practice group rather than General SA, and I should be able to hit all the main courses my school offers in tha field even with study abroad. I might have to skip one or two doctrinal classes which will be on the bar, but they’re not relevant to my practice group and frankly I’m ok not taking all of them.

Any reason i should think twice about this? Will taking a semester “off” affect my startup at the firm at all? I did a little traveling before law school but never studied abroad in undergrad.

The only thing that makes me nervous is that I need to decide by mid March, which is obviously before I’ll have an offer.

Thanks

Absolutely do it. I went to UT and did this Fall of my 3L year. It was absolutely the best experience of my life. I even did an ad hoc study abroad, so I could get free tuition abroad (I have EU citizenship as well) and saved money in the end. To address your concerns about the timeline, you can always not go if you don't get the offer. I met all the application deadlines (March as well) and paid the $500ish administrative deposit, got my associate offer in July, and got on a flight in August. In Europe, I stacked all of my classes on Monday-Tuesday, which meant 4-5 day trips all over the place! All the classes are P/F basis. I loved taking international investment (ICSID) classes and even forged some decent connections with professors and lawyers while doing a moot court. Go and don't look back!

One downside for me was that I had to handle some administrative hiccups along the way, because I went to a European university that did not have an exchange agreement with UT. I thought it was fun though and it helped that I spoke the local language.

Let me know if you have any questions.

Seconded. Spent my 3L fall in Europe and was the best time of my life. Not a single downside, but I did become incredibly jealous of students from other schools that could spend the whole year abroad. Also, my firm thought it was amazing and awesome I got to have go abroad 3L - everyone said they wish they had done the same thing.

Awesome, THanks for the encouragement. I just found out the exchange school is willing to do a 1-semester program for me instead of the full year which they typically require, so that is good news (as much as being away for a war would be very cool, I need to finish all my required classes).

Now I have some thinking to do on this, but applications are due soon.

How did you guys do study abroad? Was there a certain program or is it through your school? I go to Berkeley and they are weird about it. You supposedly have to unenroll and reenroll once you come back. They try to steer you towards field placements/internships instead. I'm gonna be a transactional SA and most field placements are lit/PI focused so that's interesting to me. I just want to chill and explore a different country/culture for a semester.

filbrt wrote:How did you guys do study abroad? Was there a certain program or is it through your school? I go to Berkeley and they are weird about it. You supposedly have to unenroll and reenroll once you come back. They try to steer you towards field placements/internships instead. I'm gonna be a transactional SA and most field placements are lit/PI focused so that's interesting to me. I just want to chill and explore a different country/culture for a semester.

At UT, we had a Graduate & International Programs office that administered the study abroad program and worked with different schools to make the process seamless. We paid UT tuition rates, your scholarships applied, etc.; besides housing and signing up for classes, we didn't interact with the host university much. Some people did it ad hoc though, and had to reach out to their target universities, apply on their own, work out which classes would transfer for credit, pay tuition to that school (and from my understanding federal loans/scholarships weren't applicable to their tuition, but I may be wrong on that), etc. I think they did pay a lot less for their semester though.

OP here. My law school has existing relationships with a few international law schools. I think you can set up your own program if you want but at this point, I’m not picky. They set up housing and classes for you, you buy a flight and show up, but still pay tuition at my American school.

cantdecide wrote:

filbrt wrote:How did you guys do study abroad? Was there a certain program or is it through your school? I go to Berkeley and they are weird about it. You supposedly have to unenroll and reenroll once you come back. They try to steer you towards field placements/internships instead. I'm gonna be a transactional SA and most field placements are lit/PI focused so that's interesting to me. I just want to chill and explore a different country/culture for a semester.

At UT, we had a Graduate & International Programs office that administered the study abroad program and worked with different schools to make the process seamless. We paid UT tuition rates, your scholarships applied, etc.; besides housing and signing up for classes, we didn't interact with the host university much. Some people did it ad hoc though, and had to reach out to their target universities, apply on their own, work out which classes would transfer for credit, pay tuition to that school (and from my understanding federal loans/scholarships weren't applicable to their tuition, but I may be wrong on that), etc. I think they did pay a lot less for their semester though.

I went to UT and did the ad hoc study abroad. I did not qualify for scholarship because my tuition was 195 Euros for the semester. But I did get federal loans for living expenses, as I would get back at UT. I transferred 18 hours and dealt with the host university often. A bit intensive, but not too stressful, given the savings of about 12k WHILE traveling around Europe.

3L study abroad was the best part of my education, college and law school included. There are absolutely ZERO downsides, especially if you have a job lined up. Just pass your classes. Save a shit ton of money over the summer, hell, take out an extra loan for the hell of it and live it up in Europe/Australia/wherever you're going.

Fellow UT student here... where did you guys/gals study abroad? Any places to see/avoid?

trmckenz wrote:Fellow UT student here... where did you guys/gals study abroad? Any places to see/avoid?

I did ad hoc at a university in southwestern Germany. Great location for getting all around Europe. I stacked classes on Monday-Tuesday and 3LOLed the rest of the time.

I’m currently spending my 3L year abroad in Paris and couldn’t be happier about my decision. Literally every attorney at my firm last summer that I told I was doing this replied with something along the lines of “That’s a thing?! I wish I had done that!” My program also gives me a French master’s degree, so that’s a nice plus.

The only downside is being away from many/most/all of the friends you spent the last two years commiserating with, and getting to spend 3LOL screwing around “at home.” But I’ve been to six countries this semester, doing much less work than I would be at home, and have zero regrets. If you’re going biglaw, this is your last chance to spend a year goofing off and traveling constantly and exploring the world — my two cents, take advantage of it while you can!

BasilHallward wrote: ↑

Fri Nov 09, 2018 1:44 am

trmckenz wrote:Fellow UT student here... where did you guys/gals study abroad? Any places to see/avoid?

I did ad hoc at a university in southwestern Germany. Great location for getting all around Europe. I stacked classes on Monday-Tuesday and 3LOLed the rest of the time.

I'm at UT Law trying to do an ad hoc study abroad program. Can I get in contact with you to ask how you went about it / who you dealt with?

You would be a fool not to go. There were a bunch of haters on this site who complained when I recommended doing this. I went abroad my final year and regret nothing. I didn't even have a job lined up and still got one before graduation. Law school is stupid and I do not recommend spending one second of your final year in the states.

I did this and 100% one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. 3L is a joke. Travel and enjoy life before you get a job and work until you die.

EDIT. Ah, this thread is a necro. Nevertheless.