Should I stay or should I go Forum
-
- Posts: 5
- Joined: Thu Jun 05, 2014 8:35 pm
Should I stay or should I go
hey all,
i just got my complete 1L grades (T10 school on a half scholarship), and after a reasonably okay first semester i pretty much crashed and burned... median is 3.3 here, and i only managed to reach that in one class out of four this semester (coupled with a 3.2 and two 3.1s, including a 3.1 in legal writing). my overall GPA is pretty much exactly median (3.31), but the only thing that's keeping me alive is a 3.9 i got in one class during my first semester (the other two fall semester grades were a 3.3 and a 3.2).
coupled with the fact that I was completely miserable last year and pretty much hated law school, i find myself wondering whether i should stick around for another two years or not. i absolutely don't want biglaw and i'm very PI focused with a lot of extracurriculars, but i also want to teach down the road and academia seems out of the question with my current performance. i'm heavily leaning towards sticking with law school, but part of me feels like that's a very expensive and masochistic decision when i could drop out now, work for a few years, and then apply for phd programs and focus on academia down the road.
so i guess tl;dr, had a shitty second semester, hated law school, still want to do stuff that law school could help with but also want to do things that law school isn't necessary for, no biglaw, median at t10 school but only one actually good grade, should i quit?
i just got my complete 1L grades (T10 school on a half scholarship), and after a reasonably okay first semester i pretty much crashed and burned... median is 3.3 here, and i only managed to reach that in one class out of four this semester (coupled with a 3.2 and two 3.1s, including a 3.1 in legal writing). my overall GPA is pretty much exactly median (3.31), but the only thing that's keeping me alive is a 3.9 i got in one class during my first semester (the other two fall semester grades were a 3.3 and a 3.2).
coupled with the fact that I was completely miserable last year and pretty much hated law school, i find myself wondering whether i should stick around for another two years or not. i absolutely don't want biglaw and i'm very PI focused with a lot of extracurriculars, but i also want to teach down the road and academia seems out of the question with my current performance. i'm heavily leaning towards sticking with law school, but part of me feels like that's a very expensive and masochistic decision when i could drop out now, work for a few years, and then apply for phd programs and focus on academia down the road.
so i guess tl;dr, had a shitty second semester, hated law school, still want to do stuff that law school could help with but also want to do things that law school isn't necessary for, no biglaw, median at t10 school but only one actually good grade, should i quit?
Last edited by northernbelle91 on Thu Jun 05, 2014 8:54 pm, edited 1 time in total.
- ph14
- Posts: 3227
- Joined: Mon Sep 12, 2011 11:15 pm
Re: Should I stay or should I go
Post your debt/scholarship/costs information.
-
- Posts: 5
- Joined: Thu Jun 05, 2014 8:35 pm
Re: Should I stay or should I go
half scholarship. should be in almost $200k debt when i graduate. relying heavily on LRAP.
- ph14
- Posts: 3227
- Joined: Mon Sep 12, 2011 11:15 pm
Re: Should I stay or should I go
With $200k in debt and hating law school, I would drop out in your shoes. Keep in mind, though, for many people, 2L and 3L years are markedly better in terms of quality of life and enjoying law school.
-
- Posts: 911
- Joined: Sun Mar 25, 2012 10:26 pm
Re: Should I stay or should I go
Drop out immediately.northernbelle91 wrote:half scholarship. should be in almost $200k debt when i graduate. relying heavily on LRAP.
Without landing (and doing) big law, that kind of debt is going to be a HUGE financial burden for 10 years at the absolute very least--and I wouldn't bank on LRAP/PSLF with the way the economy and political atmosphere are going.
If you hate law school, you are almost certainly going to hate the practice of law anywhere.
Want to continue reading?
Register now to search topics and post comments!
Absolutely FREE!
Already a member? Login
- Lacepiece23
- Posts: 1396
- Joined: Thu Oct 27, 2011 1:10 pm
Re: Should I stay or should I go
I have a half scholarhsip to the most expensive law school in the country, and I will only be looking at 120k in debt. How the hell did you get to 200k in debt?northernbelle91 wrote:half scholarship. should be in almost $200k debt when i graduate. relying heavily on LRAP.
- jbagelboy
- Posts: 10361
- Joined: Thu Nov 29, 2012 7:57 pm
Re: Should I stay or should I go
yea this makes no sense. I have a slightly less than half scholarship and I'm hitting around $140 not including SA money (<$120k with)Lacepiece23 wrote:I have a half scholarhsip to the most expensive law school in the country, and I will only be looking at 120k in debt. How the hell did you get to 200k in debt?northernbelle91 wrote:half scholarship. should be in almost $200k debt when i graduate. relying heavily on LRAP.
edit; maybe op is including UG debt
- Tiago Splitter
- Posts: 17148
- Joined: Tue Jun 28, 2011 1:20 am
Re: Should I stay or should I go
What T10 grades like this?northernbelle91 wrote: i just got my complete 1L grades (T10 school on a half scholarship), and after a reasonably okay first semester i pretty much crashed and burned... median is 3.3 here, and i only managed to reach that in one class out of four this semester (coupled with a 3.2 and two 3.1s, including a 3.1 in legal writing). my overall GPA is pretty much exactly median (3.31), but the only thing that's keeping me alive is a 3.9 i got in one class during my first semester (the other two fall semester grades were a 3.3 and a 3.2).
-
- Posts: 830
- Joined: Wed Apr 16, 2014 2:33 pm
Re: Should I stay or should I go
Drop out. You want to be a professor.
-
- Posts: 74
- Joined: Wed Mar 06, 2013 6:43 pm
Re: Should I stay or should I go
Duke.Tiago Splitter wrote:What T10 grades like this?northernbelle91 wrote: i just got my complete 1L grades (T10 school on a half scholarship), and after a reasonably okay first semester i pretty much crashed and burned... median is 3.3 here, and i only managed to reach that in one class out of four this semester (coupled with a 3.2 and two 3.1s, including a 3.1 in legal writing). my overall GPA is pretty much exactly median (3.31), but the only thing that's keeping me alive is a 3.9 i got in one class during my first semester (the other two fall semester grades were a 3.3 and a 3.2).
-
- Posts: 893
- Joined: Fri Jul 13, 2012 4:23 pm
Re: Should I stay or should I go
Yep.AnaMariana42 wrote:Duke.Tiago Splitter wrote:What T10 grades like this?northernbelle91 wrote: i just got my complete 1L grades (T10 school on a half scholarship), and after a reasonably okay first semester i pretty much crashed and burned... median is 3.3 here, and i only managed to reach that in one class out of four this semester (coupled with a 3.2 and two 3.1s, including a 3.1 in legal writing). my overall GPA is pretty much exactly median (3.31), but the only thing that's keeping me alive is a 3.9 i got in one class during my first semester (the other two fall semester grades were a 3.3 and a 3.2).
Also, with 80k in scholarship at a low COL area like Durham you aren't taking out 200k (even with interest). You shouldn't be even close to 200k
-
- Posts: 5
- Joined: Thu Jun 05, 2014 8:35 pm
Re: Should I stay or should I go
took out $50k in loans last year for half of tuition ($25k) and cost of living ($25k) - I'm probably going to take out fewer CoL loans next year but it's still a good amount of money. i also have $20k in undergrad debt.
I feel like I'd be able to get a decent job and have a good shot at a public interest fellowship out of law school, because I'm going very heavy on targeted extracurriculars, but i kinda feel like i'm in a "damned if i do, damned if i don't place" esp. since i'm already in debt and wouldn't be eligible for LRAP if i don't finish. i guess i knew what i signed up for, though. thanks for the input y'all.
I feel like I'd be able to get a decent job and have a good shot at a public interest fellowship out of law school, because I'm going very heavy on targeted extracurriculars, but i kinda feel like i'm in a "damned if i do, damned if i don't place" esp. since i'm already in debt and wouldn't be eligible for LRAP if i don't finish. i guess i knew what i signed up for, though. thanks for the input y'all.
-
- Posts: 893
- Joined: Fri Jul 13, 2012 4:23 pm
Re: Should I stay or should I go
As someone who goes to a similar school in a similar area, or the exact same school, you have no business taking out 25k to live in Durham. Take out 10k and, if you need to, get a roommate.northernbelle91 wrote:took out $50k in loans last year for half of tuition ($25k) and cost of living ($25k) - I'm probably going to take out fewer CoL loans next year but it's still a good amount of money. i also have $20k in undergrad debt.
I feel like I'd be able to get a decent job and have a good shot at a public interest fellowship out of law school, because I'm going very heavy on targeted extracurriculars, but i kinda feel like i'm in a "damned if i do, damned if i don't place" esp. since i'm already in debt and wouldn't be eligible for LRAP if i don't finish. i guess i knew what i signed up for, though. thanks for the input y'all.
Also 50k per year is ~175k at repayment
To answer you question more directly: See how you like your work this summer. Put in the same hours as associates (or full-time employees, if you in the public sector). Pay attention and make it as "real" as possible. See how you feel about the work and go from there.
(Note: If you're at USAO, ACLU, or some other awesome job, be aware that this isn't realistic post-grad work. So take that into account)
Duke isn't the place for academia or non-law jobs. Talk to CSO and sort this out before the fall. Nail down a plan
Register now!
Resources to assist law school applicants, students & graduates.
It's still FREE!
Already a member? Login