when to drop out, if you think you're going to Forum

[Kulax22]

So now that I've arrived and been at LS for a bit, I am still feeling this isn't for me. I don't ultimately want to be a lawyer, the more and more I hear about it. And that makes getting "pumped" for really boring difficult material even harder for me. Maybe it will grow on me - so in that hope I'm basically deciding on sticking out the first semester. If I leave after that, I can at least manage the debt. Also, I feel if I drop out ASAP I will probably only lose money (have to pay for my whole semester... and I don't know how to even bring this up) and am morally obligated in a sense to give it a shot, since I'm taking a more motivated candidate's place at a T14.

Also, I've spoken to a friend who claims in his business school there were a decent number of LS drop-outs. I don't think people will hold it against me too much in my broader career.

Anyone here feeling iffy as well?

[LAWYER2]

Wow, I'm sorry to hear that. I always assumed that everyone in LS really, really wanted to be there much like myself. Why did you go through such an extensive process if you had lingering doubts? Personally I believe you should stick it out. This 1L stuff is just chicken feed, you just have to digest it and continue to grow. I'm sure you'll start to get inspired by your success, but I'm afraid the opposite results would do just the opposite

[OGR3]

If you didn't think law school was for you, why have you made almost 500 posts on Top-Law-Schools.com?

[legalease9]

Are you sure that your desire to drop out is coming from a true disinterest in being a lawyer, rather than from a place of fear ignited by your first days as a 1L? If the latter, stick it out. You CAN handle it. And you will make it coming out of a T14, whether you do well or not. And the fear will get better over time. You are in no worse of a situation than any of your fellow students.

If its the former, then you may want to consider dropping out, although you better be sure, because that's a lot of debt and a huge opportunity you are giving up.

Don't worry about moral obligations. Its your life. You aren't obligated to do anything just because you earned a great opportunity.

No matter what you deside, stay as long as you have paid for. No reason not to. Good Luck.

[vanwinkle]

If you don't want to be a lawyer, the only logical response is NOW (followed by, why did you even go in the first place?).

[legalease9]

If you didn't think law school was for you, why have you made almost 500 posts on Top-Law-Schools.com?

What the hell does this have to do with anything?

[Black-Blue]

Most schools allow a tuition refund at this point. Make sure you look into that.

The majority of drop-outs drop out after 1L. Grade-wise, this is ideal because 1L grades determine everything, but by then you'd have already wasted an entire year of your life. Dropping out after 1st semester is difficult, because your grades won't be in until the 2nd semester, so you're be enticed to stick around until it's too late to get a refund.

After 1L but before 2L, at some schools you can drop out after OCI if the semester hasn't started yet. When 2L is underway, it no longer makes sense to drop out because it's already half way done.

So If you want to drop out, it's now or after 1L.

[legalease9]

Oh and just out of curiosity, how long is a "bit." A few weeks, a few days?

[OGR3]

If you didn't think law school was for you, why have you made almost 500 posts on Top-Law-Schools.com?

What the hell does this have to do with anything?

It seemed like just a small waste of time.

I didn't think business school was for me, so I didn't spend much time on the GMAT Club forums...

[Kulax22]

To answer the above questions on why I even applied, went, etc.-

Although I went in a bit too blindly, what I didn't count on was feeling this enormous finality. I didn't feel "wow all my other hopes and dreams are now officially done" until recently. And I'm not sure I can go into a life of high debt and high pressure and still feel I'm not really doing what I'd most like to do... which seems to increasingly not be law.

On the other hand this is a great opportunity, I am trying to keep my mind open and see how I like things.

[legalease9]

To answer the above questions on why I even applied, went, etc.-

Although I went in a bit too blindly, what I didn't count on was feeling this enormous finality. I didn't feel "wow all my other hopes and dreams are now officially done" until recently. And I'm not sure I can go into a life of high debt and high pressure and still feel I'm not really doing what I'd most like to do... which seems to increasingly not be law.

On the other hand this is a great opportunity, I am trying to keep my mind open and see how I like things.

What is it you want to do?

[jarofsoup]

I would try to push through it for a semester at least. I am not in law school, but I know that a 1L takes a very perscribed course load. I think you should see if you like it enough to get past 1L so you can take classes that interest you.

You are a 1L at a T14. You have the world at your feet.


Its been like 2 weeks since school started?...give it a chance you are paying for it....

[rynabrius]

If you feel like your hopes and dreams are "done" you should drop out ASAP. I felt like I was pursuing my hopes and dreams during 1L. Doing well is really tough, and all the tougher if you are not motivated. It's no shame to try something and decide it's not for you, and it would be to your benefit to get out as soon as you can if you're going to get out.

[rayiner]

What do you want to do that requires a JD?

If you don't have a good answer, then my answer is "drop out yesterday."

[savagecheater]

If you don't want to be a lawyer, the only logical response is NOW (followed by, why did you even go in the first place?).

This x100000.

It is imperative that people who haven't the foresight to actually try and figure out their future realize that law school is not the answer to their problems. It only adds more complexity.

[Black-Blue]

You are a 1L at a T14. You have the world at your feet.

Only the legal first can possibly be at your feet, and only if you are in the top ranks, and only if you can handle the mindnumbing work as an associate, and only if you have enough left at the partner stage.

[Jessep]

Are you feeling anxious because other career opportunities are cut off? That prior to law school you could do anything for a career and now you have narrowed your prospects? Thinking of being a travel writer? Read too much existential philosophy? If so, I think this is a fairly normal response. For many, it is difficult to look a pragmatic career square in the face and say you are committed to it for at least a number of a years. Personally, I would stick it out unless you have other serious, realistic career prospects. However, it depends on your priorities in life.

If you are flirting with the idea that you can do something super-cool and fun all the time for a living, come back down to earth and realize all jobs have downsides. It's why they are jobs and not vacations. Profitable vocations are brimming with downsides, but if you have the right outlook you make the most of it because most jobs are miserable. The happiest lawyers I've met are ones that have prospective on life: most jobs are terrible and pay terrible. Relative to other professions, being a lawyer is intellectually engaging (albeit maybe not for the first 1-2 years) and potentially profitable especially given your position.

Again, unless you have a realistic plan B I would stick it out unless you are independently wealthy. If this is the case, try your hand at whatever your heart desires. If you need to make a living and have no real career prospects, being a lawyer from a t14 school isn't a terrible deal if you can pull down decent grades and you have a personality.

[romothesavior]

If you don't want to be a lawyer, the only logical response is NOW (followed by, why did you even go in the first place?).

This. Vanwinkle (as he almost always is) is once again credited. No reason to be there if you don't want to be a lawyer. Save your money and go do something else with your life.

[jdhonest]

If you don't want to be a lawyer, the only logical response is NOW (followed by, why did you even go in the first place?).

This. Vanwinkle (as he almost always is) is once again credited. No reason to be there if you don't want to be a lawyer. Save your money and go do something else with your life.

Have any of your dr. phil proteges considered that the OP has decided that they do want to become a lawyer AFTER law school began?

Also, the logical and economically sound decision is to look into the refund and re-admission policy at the school the OP is attending. If there's no refund, then the OP may as well stick it out and do as well as possible so that another higher education avenue is more readily accessible.

IMO, it sounds like the OP tried out something, and is currently realizing that it isn't for them. Now, the OP seeks the best advice on how to handle the situation. Looking back at why the OP tried law school out in the first place isn't very productive to resolving the OP's question. As future lawyers, you may want to look into providing productive responses instead of asking antagonizing and counter productive questions. Some of you frequent posters really need to get the f_ck over yourselves. (here's looking at you romothesavior).

[lbeezy]

If you didn't think law school was for you, why have you made almost 500 posts on Top-Law-Schools.com?

I have considerably more posts than that and I'm still not a hundred percent sure that law school is for me.

[romothesavior]

Wow, why so hostile? What in the world did I say to set you off like that?

All I'm saying is that law school is a huge commitment of time, money, and energy. If OP isn't into it, then he or she should move on and do something else with their life. Law school isn't something you "dabble" in. It isn't like picking a hobby or even choosing a major in undergrad. It is a serious commitment and OP shouldn't do it if he or she doesn't want to.

Seriously, wtf has got your panties in a bunch? Nothing VW or I said was even remotely offensive or counterproductive.

[romothesavior]

Have any of your dr. phil proteges considered that the OP has decided that they do want to become a lawyer AFTER law school began?

Also, what does this sentence even mean?

[vanwinkle]

If you don't want to be a lawyer, the only logical response is NOW (followed by, why did you even go in the first place?).

This. Vanwinkle (as he almost always is) is once again credited. No reason to be there if you don't want to be a lawyer. Save your money and go do something else with your life.

Have any of your dr. phil proteges considered that the OP has decided that they do want to become a lawyer AFTER law school began?

Also, the logical and economically sound decision is to look into the refund and re-admission policy at the school the OP is attending. If there's no refund, then the OP may as well stick it out and do as well as possible so that another higher education avenue is more readily accessible.

IMO, it sounds like the OP tried out something, and is currently realizing that it isn't for them. Now, the OP seeks the best advice on how to handle the situation. Looking back at why the OP tried law school out in the first place isn't very productive to resolving the OP's question. As future lawyers, you may want to look into providing productive responses instead of asking antagonizing and counter productive questions. Some of you frequent posters really need to get the f_ck over yourselves. (here's looking at you romothesavior).

This is quite possibly one of the dumbest and most useless responses I've seen in quite a while. It's unhelpful, it's an ad hominem attack on another poster, and it's just all around stupid. HTH.

[TheTopBloke]

To answer the above questions on why I even applied, went, etc.-

Although I went in a bit too blindly, what I didn't count on was feeling this enormous finality. I didn't feel "wow all my other hopes and dreams are now officially done" until recently. And I'm not sure I can go into a life of high debt and high pressure and still feel I'm not really doing what I'd most like to do... which seems to increasingly not be law.

On the other hand this is a great opportunity, I am trying to keep my mind open and see how I like things.

You should be a politician. You didn't answer the question at all.

[romothesavior]

Have any of your dr. phil proteges considered that the OP has decided that they do want to become a lawyer AFTER law school began?

Also, the logical and economically sound decision is to look into the refund and re-admission policy at the school the OP is attending. If there's no refund, then the OP may as well stick it out and do as well as possible so that another higher education avenue is more readily accessible.

IMO, it sounds like the OP tried out something, and is currently realizing that it isn't for them. Now, the OP seeks the best advice on how to handle the situation. Looking back at why the OP tried law school out in the first place isn't very productive to resolving the OP's question. As future lawyers, you may want to look into providing productive responses instead of asking antagonizing and counter productive questions. Some of you frequent posters really need to get the f_ck over yourselves. (here's looking at you romothesavior).

This is quite possibly one of the dumbest and most useless responses I've seen in quite a while. It's unhelpful, it's an ad hominem attack on another poster, and it's just all around stupid. HTH.

I'm just honored to get a shoutout from such a valuable member of the TLS community as JDHonest.