Shared experience on part time student, full time employee? Forum

[MentalArbitrage]

I'm attending GW part-time in the fall while working at a firm full time (9-5). Can any one who attended part-time while working share their experience regarding studies, mental sanity, etc? I'm curious whether there is any marked disadvantage given the limited time to study/relax.

Thanks.

[Dr. Review]

I am not, and have never been, a part time student. The general knowledge that I have gotten from those who have completed PT programs while working full time was that the entire four years were pretty difficult, and that there isn't much time outside of work/school/study for anything else.

[MentalArbitrage]

That's a promising response

[nouseforaname123]

Search my post history. You'll find what you're looking for.

[MentalArbitrage]

Not much luck in that department.

[rinkrat19]

I'm a 0L, but I was seriously considering doing a PT program while working full-time. My life would have been 7:30-4 work, class from 5 or 6 to 9 or 10 at night, with only the weekends to study. And forget having a life.

The PT program I was looking at was exactly one class at a time lighter than a full-time student.

There are additional disadvantages, like not being able to get legal externships and jobs during the summers. That's ok if you've got a legal job lined up for after graduation, but summers are where most law students find their post-graduation employment.

[call saul]

I just finished my 1L PT at GW while working a 9-5. I'd say it was probably the most difficult thing I've done so far in my life, but its definitely manageable. I mean, if you want to work big law you gotta get use to late nights and no social life. Its a good way to ease into that kind of lifestyle (though I realize that biglaw will be much more difficult).

As far as sanity, everyone in the PT program, save a few, seems to stay normal. Students would often grab a beer or two after classes on thursdays.

The workload is manageable if you budget your time well. I was gunning for A's so I spent a lot more time studying late and on the weekends. But some of my peers managed to do well and still had time on the weekends to go out and relax.

The only real disadvantage to being PT with a job is that you wont have that much time to prep when finals roll around. When the other students you are competing against (PT shares some classes with FT students) are buried in the library, you're stuck in the office grinding it out. That ties back to budgeting your time. Get your outlines prepped and out of the way a month or so before exams and spend the rest of your weekends taking practice tests and memorizing the BLL.

Lastly, as I have posted before, my PT section killed finals. I think it says a lot about motivation when people are willing to work 40+ hours a week and then take 10-11 credit hours.

Welcome to the grind.


edit: Also, if you cant hack it, switching into the FT program at GW is a piece of cake. Just fill out a form. I know a couple of kids who did this.

[MentalArbitrage]

I appreciate the input. What was your weekly class schedule like?

[call saul]

Fall Semester
Monday:
- Legal Theory/Torts 6-8pm

Tuesday:
- Contracts/CivPro 6-8pm (classes alternated every week)

Wednesday:
- CivPro 6-8pm
- Deans Fellow 8:15-9:10pm (part of your LRW class where a 3L teaches you bluebooking and shit)

Thursday:
- Contracts 6-8pm
- LRW 8:15-9:30pm

*Note: LRW/Deans Fellow class schedules varied for everyone as these classes were only 10-12 students

Spring Semester
pretty much the same schedule as the fall semester

[MentalArbitrage]

Much appreciated.