Afraid to Drop Out Forum

[hiphopmogul]

I genuinely don't like law school for a variety of reasons. Academically, I did fine first semester, but I just really do not feel like this is the career path for me. I noticeably lack the enthusiasm my fellow classmates have and I find being here in school somewhat depressing.

If I could end up in a good job elsewhere tomorrow, I would do it in a heartbeat. I am honestly just afraid to drop without having something lined up (not to mention that my parents would absolutely kill me).

At the risk of sounding pretentious, my undergraduate degree is prestigious enough that I should be able to get something of quality hopefully fairly quickly. I am hesitant to quit, however, as worst case scenario I leave and end up jobless.

Thoughts? Should I stick it out? I am not at a TTT or anything like that, so staying in my current position would hopefully lead to a good law employment outcome.

[BigZuck]

Really impossible to help here, we don't know your grades, debt, school, etc. I guess you said the career path doesn't seem to be for you but I'm not sure how you can get that from one semester of law school.

I wouldn't drop out purely based on not liking law school.

[hiphopmogul]

Really impossible to help here, we don't know your grades, debt, school, etc. I guess you said the career path doesn't seem to be for you but I'm not sure how you can get that from one semester of law school.

I wouldn't drop out purely based on not liking law school.

Hovering around median at a t-20


Full ride, so no debt.

[banjo]

Apply to non-legal jobs this semester and see what you get.

[Hutz_and_Goodman]

Quit. If this is how you feel now, imagine years and years of practice.

[lawhopeful10]

Apply to non-legal jobs this semester and see what you get.

Definitely this. I'm a 2L who got really good 1L grades but struck out at OCI. My undergrad degree was in economics and my law school has an undergrad version of symplicity. I have been applying non-stop to non-legal jobs that I am competitive for. My buddy is doing the same thing. He is an accounting major with a good undergrad GPA and has gotten a lot of interviews in only a couple weeks. You don't have to accept a job just because they are willing to interview you but you can test the market out and see. Also it's much easier to tell your parents you are dropping out to take a job in X rather than just I'm dropping out and moving back home.

[xiao_long]

At the risk of sounding pretentious, my undergraduate degree is prestigious enough that I should be able to get something of quality hopefully fairly quickly.

If you had a B.A. in Classics from Podunk State University, you should probably stay in law school. However, since you mentioned having a "prestigious" degree, you're likely better off than most recent college graduates (if not most law school graduates) in terms of being able to secure decent, meaningful employment somewhere.

There's no shame in dropping out; you tried something, and it didn't work for you. End of the story. What you don't want is to wait until the end of 2L before you finally choose to admit your initial false start with law school. Dropping out is definitely a hard decision, but it would be much easier now than later. Could you possibly take a leave of absence instead? That way, you would have much more leeway in terms of decision making.

[NotMyRealName09]

Have you considered that you may be depressed in the medical sense? That can impact outlook, enjoyment, relationships, etc. Just saying, make sure you're being as objective about your feelings as possible. Is it possible what you're feeling is chemical, and if treated, you would look at things differently? Something made you go in the first place. Don't throw it all away until you're sure you've considered everything.

I can tell you that there was a time in my younger life where, objectively, I had all the signs of depression and was probably clinically depressed, but if you asked me directly "are you depressed?" I'd have denied it adamantly, and of course never would have gone to a doctor. Later, I realized I was turning a blind eye to the symptoms, got a little help, took some meds for a little, and felt soooo much better while I sorted out life. It happens. People even in what seem to be good situations can suffer from chemical depression. Stay in school for now, try Prozac for a month (or whatever your doc prescribes if they see fit, but Prozac was amazing. No boners though), then see how you feel.

If its not that, drop out after completing the full year.

[Ron Don Volante]

I noticeably lack the enthusiasm my fellow classmates have and I find being here in school somewhat depressing.

Seems like you're just hanging out around the wrong crowd.

Just apply to jobs this semester and make a judgment call when and if you get offers.

[twenty]

Apply to non-legal jobs this semester and see what you get.

This, but also probably this:

Something made you go in the first place.

and also this

Seems like you're just hanging out around the wrong crowd.

Basically, make friends outside of the law school and stop listening to people that made significantly worse life decisions who are in the same classes as you (i.e, below median and paying sticker). You're in pretty good shape all things considering. I'd stick it out, at least through next semester.

[sublime]

..

[Nomo]

If you can get into a Top 20 law school with a full-ride you can drop out and land on your feet. It might take longer than you'd like to find work, you might not find a job that interests you right away, it might be stressful. But you will be fine.

[Ron Don Volante]

[quote="Nomo"]If you can get into a Top 20 law school with a full-ride you can drop out and land on your feet. It might take longer than you'd like to find work, you might not find a job that interests you right away, it might be stressful. But you will be fine.[/quote]

[aretoodeetoo]

Definitely drop out. I found law school to be depressing too. I too was on near-full ride at a t20. The two extra years of wasting time + incurring debts you didn't intend on incurring (living expenses) is annoying.

Even $20-30k debt is a huge amount of real money for something you don't like. Wish I were in your shoes. Hated practicing too.

[rhcp47]

Apply to non-legal jobs this semester and see what you get.

This, but also probably this:

Something made you go in the first place.

and also this

Seems like you're just hanging out around the wrong crowd.

Basically, make friends outside of the law school and stop listening to people that made significantly worse life decisions who are in the same classes as you (i.e, below median and paying sticker). You're in pretty good shape all things considering. I'd stick it out, at least through next semester.

This. I absolutely hated 1L, but found a job that I enjoy and reminded me why I'm here in the first place. Get out and meet people outside of the school (or like in my case, just outside of your section), and keep in mind that 1) this is all temporary and 2) school ≠ practice (well, not necessarily). Why did you choose to attend law school? Depending on your situation (aretoodeetoo is right about living expenses) and why you want/ed law school, I would give it another semester or two before calling it quits. Best of luck either way.

[Johann]

Legal jobs are nothing like law school. Especially govt ones. Law school is mostly academic bulshit and private practice and govt have little to do with them. I didn't read any of anyone's advice but I wouldn't drop out of law school until you are sure you don't want to be a lawyer.

[aretoodeetoo]

Again, I'm not following legal practice is nothing like law school...

Legal practice has a lot of similarities to law school, just everyone is too busy, too jaded, or too bitter. I didn't like law school cause it was like a straight frenemies situation. Practice gives you a united front but I doubt that my old suitemate and pals would think twice about burying me if there was an opportunity to move up a rung. But there were no opportunities so it was all good. I honestly hated legal practice.

Don't be afraid to drop out, bro. One guy dropped out after first semester and gossip girls will gossip until they're stuck looking for employment and enslaved to student debt. The one guy who dropped out seems just fine. A bunch of people who graduated with me aren't so fine.

[aretoodeetoo]

Probably most importantly, I forgot to add: is there anything you want to do besides practice law?

Like I sat around and thought this through: if I could do anything in the world, what would I want to do (within reason - like professional athlete or Marvel screenplay writer was a no go).

I couldn't come up with anything. So if you can't come up with anything, then yeah stick around.

[Desert Fox]

Legal jobs are nothing like law school. Especially govt ones. Law school is mostly academic bulshit and private practice and govt have little to do with them. I didn't read any of anyone's advice but I wouldn't drop out of law school until you are sure you don't want to be a lawyer.

Jobs are nothing like school; it is much much worse.

Drop out asap and save tuition money.

[haus]

Drop out asap and save tuition money.

Full ride, so no debt.

[Desert Fox]

Drop out asap and save tuition money.

Full ride, so no debt.

so drop out to avoid being a lawyer and avoid having an even larger resume gap. Staying for no reason doesn't do anything good despite what the nerd council is saying.

[stargazin]

Really impossible to help here, we don't know your grades, debt, school, etc. I guess you said the career path doesn't seem to be for you but I'm not sure how you can get that from one semester of law school.

I wouldn't drop out purely based on not liking law school.

Hovering around median at a t-20


Full ride, so no debt.

I would not drop out unless the situation were extreme. Think about how much work you put into earning that full ride at a T20. That's a lot of money. Drop out for what? No job is going to make you totally happy, I guarantee that. That is why it's called a job, it's not supposed to be fun. The stress of law school is nothing compared to the stress of the workplace. Think hard about this. If you feel depressed, go see a counselor and get to the root of it.

By the way, if you have time, I suggest watching a Korean TV series called Misaeng. It's about 20 1 hour long episodes, just Google it, you can watch it with English subtitles for free from any number of websites. It was an adjustment watching with subtitles at first, but it was one of the best shows I've seen recently. It was a realistic depiction of corporate life and the struggles of modern life in general. I was told the title "Misaeng" means "incomplete life," in the sense that all of lives are "incomplete." Worth the watch.