Accept a Research Assistant Position? Forum

[non sequitur]

One of my professors has offered me to be his research assistant starting this fall for the academic year. However, I am also on Law Review and may have a chance of securing a political part time job throughout the school year (10-15 hours a week). I am also enrolled in 15 semester hours.

Do you think I will have enough time, between all that listed above and attempting to secure a job for next summer, to do RA work? FWIW, he specializes in my favorite subject in law school (Con Law, so obviously that won't translate into a job, barring academia).

[Geist13]

Drop the other job. with 15 credit hours + LR, another 15 hours per week is probably too much (don't forget to account for commuting time etc.). Ask the professor how much work is expected. Mine is only 5 hours a week, so i figured I could do it on top of 12 credits and law review (just planning on doing an hour of work every weekday morning).

Also, if you're considering a judicial clerkship (State or federal) the RA position will be much more valuable, since you'll get a really good faculty recommendation (assuming you do a good job).

[savagedm]

Drop the other job. with 15 credit hours + LR, another 15 hours per week is probably too much (don't forget to account for commuting time etc.). Ask the professor how much work is expected. Mine is only 5 hours a week, so i figured I could do it on top of 12 credits and law review (just planning on doing an hour of work every weekday morning).

Also, if you're considering a judicial clerkship (State or federal) the RA position will be much more valuable, since you'll get a really good faculty recommendation (assuming you do a good job).

TiTCR... I tried to work in a RA gig while interning/working a political campaign/school and I was spread so thin that I went several weeks on end with 4 hours of sleep a night (on weekends too) just to keep up.

Don't do it unless the RA gig is super low on hours.

[shepdawg]

I was put in the same position as you, but declined the RA position. I am without a SA offer as of now, so my 2L grades are still important.