Better to drop out of 1L or never go? Forum

[Kulax22]

So now that I'm in a T14, I am realizing I might be consigning myself to a life of indentured servitude and Hell. especially after reading that the JD is a waste of time unless you specifically want to practice law.

I am getting serious gut reaction not to go to Law School, but I also don't want to wonder "what if??". Is it better in any conceivable way to drop out late in the summer, than to actually matriculate and see how you like things? I can't even tell if I'm upset because I am embarking on a whole new life, versus my intuition is saying not to do this.

[CyLaw]

So now that I'm in a T14, I am realizing I might be consigning myself to a life of indentured servitude and Hell. especially after reading that the JD is a waste of time unless you specifically want to practice law.

I am getting serious gut reaction not to go to Law School, but I also don't want to wonder "what if??". Is it better in any conceivable way to drop out late in the summer, than to actually matriculate and see how you like things? I can't even tell if I'm upset because I am embarking on a whole new life, versus my intuition is saying not to do this.

Did these feelings just start or have you been having them for a while? If they just started it is likely just anxiety about starting a new phase in life. If they are persistent, then you have some serious thinking to do, as law school is a hell of a commitment if you are not sure about it.

[StudentAthlete]

It's a big financial as well as time commitment. getting a JD for purely idealistic reasons is irresponsible. If law isnt something you really want to doo, err ont he side of NOT going to LS

[09042014]

So now that I'm in a T14, I am realizing I might be consigning myself to a life of indentured servitude and Hell. especially after reading that the JD is a waste of time unless you specifically want to practice law.

I am getting serious gut reaction not to go to Law School, but I also don't want to wonder "what if??". Is it better in any conceivable way to drop out late in the summer, than to actually matriculate and see how you like things? I can't even tell if I'm upset because I am embarking on a whole new life, versus my intuition is saying not to do this.

Drop out, especially if you don't want to practice law. Once you matriculate you are on the hook for tuition. IMO, you should defer for a year or two if you had a good cycle for your numbers. You may change your mind.

[sophia.olive]

Do you think law school is too much of a commitment? or is being a lawyer is too much of a commitment? If its the former I think you should really really consider not going.... because thats only the beginning. You should at least have a running start.
If you have a full ride i would go



"So now that I'm in a T14, I am realizing I might be consigning myself to a life of indentured servitude and Hell. especially after reading that the JD is a waste of time unless you specifically want to practice law."

um....... yeah!

[paz]

pursue 1L, rack up as much debt as you possibly can partying, doing lines of coke off of ugrad chicks asscheeks after dropping the "i goto t14 law school," buying unnecessarily extravagent items and living well beyond your means.

then drop out, become an assistant manager at walgreens and spend the next 9 years of your life paying off the prior mentioned debt. you'll live a far better standard of life this way instead of going through fully with the JD... not to mention you'll have notched one epic year.

[sophia.olive]

pursue 1L, rack up as much debt as you possibly can partying, doing lines of coke off of ugrad chicks asscheeks after dropping the "i goto t14 law school," buying unnecessarily extravagent items and living well beyond your means.

then drop out, become an assistant manager at walgreens and spend the next 9 years of your life paying off the prior mentioned debt. you'll live a far better standard of life this way instead of going through fully with the JD... not to mention you'll have notched one epic year.

sorry go...GO

[jackalope11]

Jumping in, if only to play Devil's Advocate... Although the advice here is certainly credited to large extent, I would stop short of saying that you get no value out of law degree unless you are going to practice law.

An overwhelming number of people with JD's are in other fields... From policy analysis to corporate management, there are other many other avenues open to LS graduates. From my own personal experience, I worked for a medium sized corporation (a little over 500 employees) and fully half of the upper management personnel had JD's (Including the CEO and COO), though almost none of their work required legal study.

Again, this is not to say that it is wise to go to LS with this plan in mind, only that you will have options if you decide that legal practice is not for you...

[Jessep]

An overwhelming number of people with JD's are in other fields... From policy analysis to corporate management, there are other many other avenues open to LS graduates. From my own personal experience, I worked for a medium sized corporation (a little over 500 employees) and fully half of the upper management personnel had JD's (Including the CEO and COO), though almost none of their work required legal study.

I can almost guarantee that most of these people actually practiced law before transitioning into another field though. There is a very big difference. Almost no one goes into a lucrative career out of law school that is not the practice of law. You need to put in at least a few years. It is really a bad idea to go to law school and not plan on practicing.

There's a good chance you are just having jitters before entering law school. Think long and hard about it, how you felt a few months ago.

Did you never plan on practicing law? Or have no interest in practicing law but just want to go to law school? If yes to either then don't go. Law school isn't for everyone.

[jackalope11]

I can almost guarantee that most of these people actually practiced law before transitioning into another field though. There is a very big difference. Almost no one goes into a lucrative career out of law school that is not the practice of law. You need to put in at least a few years. It is really a bad idea to go to law school and not plan on practicing.

Agreed, hence my statement:

this is not to say that it is wise to go to LS with this plan in mind

I was answering the OP's mention of concern about living a life of indentured servitude... forced to practice law even if they found that he/she had no desire to do so. I was stating that it is possible to attend LS, then decide to follow another career path if they found that practice was not for them (i.e. after "putting in a few years" and then moving on).

Also, FWIW, neither the CEO nor the COO were ever practicing attorneys. Not to say that this is common, or even a good generalization... only that it was true in this particular situation.

[BaronDetroit]

You took the LSAT,did all the applications and got into a premier school- no need to sabotage all that because of some last minute jitters. That nervousness is normal and something that most students experience at some point. Dropping out during 1L would be a better choice than never going.

[Kulax22]

You took the LSAT,did all the applications and got into a premier school- no need to sabotage all that because of some last minute jitters. That nervousness is normal and something that most students experience at some point. Dropping out during 1L would be a better choice than never going.

Thanks to everyone who answered.

I specifically would like to know which is harder to recover from:

A. You pull out last minute (so presumably that school never wants to hear from you again) and now need to get a new job etc. Moreover, you never quite know how it would have been.

B. You drop out, or don't continue after 1L = so you need to explain to future employers what you've been doing. But this way you at least know what it was like.

[TTH]

So now that I'm in a T14, I am realizing I might be consigning myself to a life of indentured servitude and Hell. especially after reading that the JD is a waste of time unless you specifically want to practice law.
.

I love people's logic regarding this. I've never heard anyone say "I don't want to practice medicine, but I'm going to go to medical school to give me a good background to get into the medical supply business."

[Kiersten1985]

OP, what is it that you actually would like to do with your JD?

[chicagolaw2013]

Dude, I haven't been able to sleep for like a week. I think it's just "cold feet". Pull yourself together.

That said, if you have no desire to practice law, you may want to bail now and save yourself the money and your business reputation/not have a break in your employment...there are still people on waitlists to your T14 school who would love a seat, I'm sure.

[dk84]

You can always go later. If you are having serious second thoughts about it, as it would seem from your posts, then quit while you're ahead. It is a huge investment, in time, money, and a future life. There are far too many unhappy lawyers hating their lives already. You can't play the what if game, because if you do go to law school, what if you missed an opportunity for an amazing new job that you would've gotten if you dropped out? Dropping out is better than starting and then dropping out because a), you would have to explain that to employers, b) you can always go next year once you figure out whether its really what you want to do, and c) most schools won't give all of the tuition you paid back etc.

[GrapeApe]

It is really a bad idea to go to law school and not plan on practicing.

I'm doing this... granted, I fall into one of the few notable exceptions for the use of a J.D.

[ManUdevil]

Thanks to everyone who answered.

I specifically would like to know which is harder to recover from:

A. You pull out last minute (so presumably that school never wants to hear from you again) and now need to get a new job etc. Moreover, you never quite know how it would have been.

B. You drop out, or don't continue after 1L = so you need to explain to future employers what you've been doing. But this way you at least know what it was like.

I can't comment on B. but I just did A. I withdrew late last week after having second thoughts for about the last two months. My primary concern was money and the amount of debt I was going to take on over the next three years (I would have paid sticker at my school). I had already paid my deposit and made trip to my schools location to look for an apartment. It was an extremely hard decision to make because I had already quit my job and now have nothing to fall back on. I still think it was a smart decision though b/c that amount of debt was too extreme and I would have been stressing over it all throughout law school.

Right now I am studying for the LSAT again to retake in october in the hopes of getting in somewhere with $$$ (although I probably burned my bridges at this particular school). So yeah, I'm out about three grand in total (deposit, travel, app fees, LSAT, etc.) plus I am also looking for a job again but I still consider it a small price to pay. Plus I pretty much have all my apps complete from last cycle, minus a little tweaking. My situation may not relate entirely, but I wanted to lay out it out there for you to consider. Good luck w/ your decision.

[johnnyutah]

What are your other options?

[20160810]

If you've just got cold feet, suck it up. If you really don't want to be a lawyer, then you need to drop out of law school immediately. Seriously. Just quit.

It amazes me how many people hate law school, don't want to be lawyers, but continue anyway because they think dropping out would make them a quitter/their parents would be mad/some other stupid reason.

[grouchynihilist]

Well I was going to be a 1L this year, but I made the decision not to go in early July. Of course I was going to a school ranked around 50 which frankly isn't good enough these days. Maybe if I was at a T14 I would have stayed, but maybe not. Even T14 doesn't guarantee anything. Also for those who say getting a JD is gonna automatically get your foot in another industry, it's actually the opposite. You're overqualified if anything and they don't want you. Yes, some corporate execs have JDs, but they always practiced law first for quite a while. They didn't step in to a mid level management job straight out of law school.

[Kulax22]

What are your other options?

Nothing really, except be out of debt and free to pursue whatever. I just don't like indentured servitude after being a free man.

I am being encouraged to see how I like the first semester, then drop out if I "know" it's not for me. But that's why I'm posting. I wonder if that looks bad to employers, like really bad and hard to recover from.

My alternative is start looking for jobs, etc. which in some sense could be fun. I'm sure I'd be OK as a lawyer but I still am looking for a career "passion" if such a thing exists for me.

[vanwinkle]

Law school: Haven of the lost and confused, and at the bargain rate of $60K/yr.

[ResolutePear]

If you've just got cold feet, suck it up. If you really don't want to be a lawyer, then you need to drop out of law school immediately. Seriously. Just quit.

It amazes me how many people hate law school, don't want to be lawyers, but continue anyway because they think dropping out would make them a quitter/their parents would be mad/some other stupid reason.

My parents would put me in a blender and make lolwut smoothies if I dropped out.






But, I'm not a lolwut pear IRL, so.. I'm pretty safe on that.