Dropped out of a T1 and you can actually ask me anything Forum

[A'nold]

Thanks for taking time out of your day to open a brand new TLS account to say +1 to something some idiot had to say to me above. Not bashing op. In fact, I like op, she is being honest and seems like a good person.

You may like her, but you definitely sounded like you were accusing her of being somewhat disingenuous.

Yeah, I phrased that entire thing badly. I was actually playfully ribbing the op but I see how someone might have taken it another way. I don't think I deserved f7u's response though.

[OperaSoprano]

OP, congrats on pursuing something that makes you happy, and for taking time to help others considering the same. I concur that high GPA =/= personal happiness, or adequate reason to stay given lack thereof, though A'nold makes a point that it is a factor for some people, as a near prerequisite for certain jobs.

Also, an excellent point in this thread about standing out -- law school tends to encourage the herd mentality and punish nonconformity to some degree, and I say this as someone glad to have stayed. I noticed in my own job search that the further I strayed from firm interviewing, the more positive the reception.

I wish PinkCamellia all the best.

[A'nold]

OP, congrats on pursuing something that makes you happy, and for taking time to help others considering the same. I concur that high GPA =/= personal happiness, or adequate reason to stay given lack thereof, though A'nold makes a point that it is a factor for some people, as a near prerequisite for certain jobs.

Also, an excellent point in this thread about standing out -- law school tends to encourage the herd mentality and punish nonconformity to some degree, and I say this as someone glad to have stayed. I noticed in my own job search that the further I strayed from firm interviewing, the more positive the reception.

I wish PinkCamellia all the best.

Ah, my favorite TLS'ers. Good points Opera. I also wish pinkamellia all the best. Law is definitely not something you want to be in if it doesn't fit who you are. It can be very unforgiving and cold, unfortunately.

[pinkcamellia]

1) What was your undergrad degree (if you don't mind my asking)?

2) Was that the primary qualification that enabled you to do consulting work or was it mainly due to your prior work experience?

3) Do you think you would have dropped out without having found a good alternative?

4) Are you happy to have tried and dropped out than to not have tried at all?

Also, thanks a bunch for sharing your story. Hearing about people who made the decision to drop out in a clear, responsible manner actually makes the whole process of choosing to go to law school seem less daunting.

Sorry I didn't respond to this earlier - I got lost in the other posts.

1) UG degree was one I built myself - My UG has a thing called New College where you tell them what you want to study to achieve a goal. Using that program I wrote a non-fiction book and a few academic articles instead of taking traditional classes my sophomore and junior years. It says English on my diploma, but I thought having this extra info would help. Many people say they weren't a traditional liberal arts major, so I figured you should know that I definitely wasn't.

2) My degree, my writing background, and a little bit of luck. I honestly didn't even have to spend a lot of time hunting. I pride myself on my interview skills.

3) Yes, I still would have dropped out. I really felt uncomfortable in law school. I missed having a creative outlet and more open-minded friends. I'm not saying all law students are conservative, but many at my law school were, and it made it hard for me to be myself.

4) I struggle with this question. Sometimes I regret going. Sometimes I feel like I can hold my head high because I tried. It sucks having to tell people who matter that you're no longer seeking a JD. It feels like your failures are on display. But as soon as I let go of the fact that I couldn't please everyone all the time, it became easier. I think for younger students like me, you are afraid to stop pleasing your parents.

I hope this is helpful!

[A'nold]

1) What was your undergrad degree (if you don't mind my asking)?

2) Was that the primary qualification that enabled you to do consulting work or was it mainly due to your prior work experience?

3) Do you think you would have dropped out without having found a good alternative?

4) Are you happy to have tried and dropped out than to not have tried at all?

Also, thanks a bunch for sharing your story. Hearing about people who made the decision to drop out in a clear, responsible manner actually makes the whole process of choosing to go to law school seem less daunting.

Sorry I didn't respond to this earlier - I got lost in the other posts.

1) UG degree was one I built myself - My UG has a thing called New College where you tell them what you want to study to achieve a goal. Using that program I wrote a non-fiction book and a few academic articles instead of taking traditional classes my sophomore and junior years. It says English on my diploma, but I thought having this extra info would help. Many people say they weren't a traditional liberal arts major, so I figured you should know that I definitely wasn't.

2) My degree, my writing background, and a little bit of luck. I honestly didn't even have to spend a lot of time hunting. I pride myself on my interview skills.

3) Yes, I still would have dropped out. I really felt uncomfortable in law school. I missed having a creative outlet and more open-minded friends. I'm not saying all law students are conservative, but many at my law school were, and it made it hard for me to be myself.

4) I struggle with this question. Sometimes I regret going. Sometimes I feel like I can hold my head high because I tried. It sucks having to tell people who matter that you're no longer seeking a JD. It feels like your failures are on display. But as soon as I let go of the fact that I couldn't please everyone all the time, it became easier. I think for younger students like me, you are afraid to stop pleasing your parents.

I hope this is helpful!

It's a double-edged sword really. People make fun of you when you tell them you are in law school (so many lawyer jokes......shudder) but if you drop out they act like you are a failure or something. I find that most of these people don't have very much going in their lives but like to build themselves up at others' expense anyway. Good job keeping your head up. Law school or not we all have the same worth as human beings.