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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?

Post your debt/scholarship/costs information.

half scholarship. should be in almost $200k debt when i graduate. relying heavily on LRAP.

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.

northernbelle91 wrote:half scholarship. should be in almost $200k debt when i graduate. relying heavily on LRAP.

Drop out immediately.

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.

northernbelle91 wrote:half scholarship. should be in almost $200k debt when i graduate. relying heavily on LRAP.

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?

Lacepiece23 wrote:

northernbelle91 wrote:half scholarship. should be in almost $200k debt when i graduate. relying heavily on LRAP.

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?

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)

edit; maybe op is including UG debt

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).

What T10 grades like this?

Drop out. You want to be a professor.

Tiago Splitter wrote:

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).

What T10 grades like this?

Duke.

AnaMariana42 wrote:

Tiago Splitter wrote:

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).

What T10 grades like this?

Duke.

Yep.

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

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.

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.

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.

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