Dropping out Forum

[rpupkin]

OP: If I understand your post correctly, you are currently a 1L at HYS, which means that you've been taking classes for somewhere between one and four weeks, depending on which of HYS you're at. The first few weeks of law school are a weird, awkward time. I remember wanting to drop out during my first few weeks. (I'm glad I didn't.)

I'm going to depart from the hive here and suggest that you do not drop out right now. Give it a full year, including working at an internship over the next summer. If you still hate it, drop out then.

By the way, your writing is fine.

[totesTheGoat]

I know it's a few weeks later, but maybe you're still wrestling with this. Here are a few things that I would say from my position as somebody who wasn't sure if law school was going to be a good fit, but stuck with it.

1) Wanting to drop out is a natural feeling. It comes and goes with the ridiculousness of law school. Make sure that this isn't just a phase, and that you really want to drop out.

2) Check yourself. As a wannabe psychiatrist, you're probably aware of cognitive biases. Don't let your cognitive biases control your decision making. Try to account for them as you evaluate your options.

3) Actually give yourself options. You're really going to be a mess if you drop out and end up living in your parents' basement for 3 years while you're trying to "figure things out." An exit plan is a must if you're going to drop out.

4) Take control of your own life. Once I graduated high school, the influence my parents had over my decision making went down significantly. I do still ask their advice and opinion at times, but they know that their expectations can extend only so far. If your parents were saying "don't drop out of law school because we can't afford to pay for your soul searching for the next 3 years," that's one thing. If they are saying "don't drop out of law school because we're (insert family name) and we're all lawyers," that's inappropriate.

5) Confront reality. I don't know what your UG degree is in, but jobs are scarce for many law school students who drop out. Are you actually going to be able to have your own place and pay your bills or are you going to be relying on your parents to subsidize your career finding expedition? Do you really have the money to hop from one graduate program to another? Graduate school isn't an exercise in finding an area of study that feels the least like hard work. You're going to be working hard or you're going to be making a below median income at an unskilled job. Also, the loans eventually come due, and if you're making $28k, it's really hard to pay off grad school. That's just reality.

6) Balance your interests. There are so many people who talk about "following your passion" or "doing something that you like." While that is important, it is only one consideration of many. If you don't derive enjoyment from work, it doesn't matter what work you do. You might as well make as much money as possible while at work. If you want to have flexibility, perhaps law is a good fit because you can potentially retire at 40. If you enjoy nice things, law may be a good fit because you can spend your 6 figure income on buying nice things. Perhaps you enjoy expensive hobbies or the ability to travel or to meet new people. There are a lot of reasons to be a lawyer that don't have to do with an undying love of the law.

Finally, don't be afraid to ask the school to delay your next semester for a year. If you can make it through the first semester, try your other options (see 3) on for size before continuing with law school. If you realize that you really do want to be a lawyer, you can come back in a year. I think the absolute worst option is to just blindly drop out after a month because you think you don't like it. Planning ahead is really important!

[TheSpanishMain]

I am a 1L at HYS and feel like I have started on a completely wrong path. I have been having doubts about a career in law since I first started the application process. Parental and peer pressure combined with the fact that I had spent the last 4 years of my life in pursuit of going to law school forced me into enrolling. I will admit when I started on this path, I was money crazy. I wanted to make a lot of money fast and a top law school seemed like the easiest way to do it. However over the past year, money and prestige have stopped mattering to me. I want to do something I enjoy;I am leaning towards becoming a psychiatrist. That's something that I have always wanted to do but was scared off at first by the length of medical school/residency. How do I brake this news to my family and friends? Any input from someone who has been in this position or knew someone that dropped out would greatly appreciated.

Ps. I know my writing sucks and that's one more reason I should not become a lawyer.

I'm a little confused here. Most doctors make more than most lawyers, so I'm not sure why, if you were "money crazy" you opted for law school instead of medical school.

Anyway, more to the point, I'm always a little concerned when I see people bouncing between law and medicine mention their parents. It makes me wonder if they really want to do either, or if they just want their parents to be able to tell their boomer friends that their kid is a (insert prestigious job). I'm not saying that's you, but really try to be honest with yourself about what you want and why. Make sure this isn't just because you want validation from mom and dad. I'm married to a doctor: medical school and residency are a long, brutal slog. It's a great profession, of course, but you have to be positive you're doing it for the right reasons and not just because you're a high achiever who has been conditioned to chase shiny things.

[krads153]

I am a 1L at HYS and feel like I have started on a completely wrong path. I have been having doubts about a career in law since I first started the application process. Parental and peer pressure combined with the fact that I had spent the last 4 years of my life in pursuit of going to law school forced me into enrolling. I will admit when I started on this path, I was money crazy. I wanted to make a lot of money fast and a top law school seemed like the easiest way to do it. However over the past year, money and prestige have stopped mattering to me. I want to do something I enjoy;I am leaning towards becoming a psychiatrist. That's something that I have always wanted to do but was scared off at first by the length of medical school/residency. How do I brake this news to my family and friends? Any input from someone who has been in this position or knew someone that dropped out would greatly appreciated.

Ps. I know my writing sucks and that's one more reason I should not become a lawyer.

I'm a little confused here. Most doctors make more than most lawyers, so I'm not sure why, if you were "money crazy" you opted for law school instead of medical school.

Anyway, more to the point, I'm always a little concerned when I see people bouncing between law and medicine mention their parents. It makes me wonder if they really want to do either, or if they just want their parents to be able to tell their boomer friends that their kid is a (insert prestigious job). I'm not saying that's you, but really try to be honest with yourself about what you want and why. Make sure this isn't just because you want validation from mom and dad. I'm married to a doctor: medical school and residency are a long, brutal slog. It's a great profession, of course, but you have to be positive you're doing it for the right reasons and not just because you're a high achiever who has been conditioned to chase shiny things.

Just guessing, but maybe because med school costs more (given interest accrual during residency) and it takes a lonnnng time to become a doctor so you're missing out on income for 8 or more years. Plus, psychiatry is seen as low on the prestige pole of medicine and tends to have lower pay than most other practices.

Anyway, I don't think OP knows if he wants to be a doctor either, so I wouldn't recommend jumping into that either. There are plenty of 9 to 5 jobs that pay a reasonable living. I'd get a real job and work for awhile and see what you really want.

[rubberplant2020]

It sounds like you're just a really smart kid who is very pampered. If I was you I'd live on my own and get a job tutoring the LSAT to make good money relatively stress free until you figure out who you are. The fact you got into HYS is marketable in and of itself, and can buy you time to come up with a life plan.