Fear about "regional market" Forum

[oreo3405]

Okay so here is my dilemma:
I am interested in working in the DC/MD market, particularly because that's where I am interested in living.
Currently, I am a Philadelphia resident, but do not want to work here (at least not permanently.)
As of right now, my SO has not been able to lock a job down in the DC/MD area in order for us to relocate (I'm in at AU, UBalt and waiting on UMD) so I may be going to a school in Philadelphia...(I'm in at Rutgers-Camden, Widener and waiting to hear from Temple and Villanova)
The hiring processes for his line of work take a good few months, so right now things arent looking too promising.
(Plus we're getting married, and I have to get surgery after graduation, so moving is seeming less and less like a practical option)

I'd be happy at the schools that I applied to, but fear about my job prospects when attempting to leave this area.
Thoughts?
Any one have any personal experiences?

[fatduck]

You will have trouble finding a job outside of Philly from those schools.

What's going to happen now is someone will quote my post and strike out the second half, like so:

You will have trouble finding a job outside of Philly from those schools.

[oreo3405]

You will have trouble finding a job outside of Philly from those schools.

What's going to happen now is someone will quote my post and strike out the second half, like so:

You will have trouble finding a job outside of Philly from those schools.

thanks for preventing the [realistic] condescending response.
I understand what you mean, which is where my apprehension comes from. I just dont really know what to do this point since I am so regionally restricted.

[Wholigan]

What do you want to do in DC/MD when you get out of law school?

[vissidarte27]

Is doing a LDR for a while an option until he can find a job in the DC area?

[Veyron]

You will have trouble finding a job outside of Philly from those schools.

What's going to happen now is someone will quote my post and strike out the second half, like so:

You will have trouble finding a job outside of Philly from those schools.

thanks for preventing the [realistic] condescending response.
I understand what you mean, which is where my apprehension comes from. I just dont really know what to do this point since I am so regionally restricted.

Find another line of work?

[dood]

Find another SO line of work?

[oreo3405]

Is doing a LDR for a while an option until he can find a job in the DC area?

That's a possibility, and one we have been talking over, even though getting married and then doing LD kind of blows. haha
I appreciate all the responses though, I suppose I'll figure it out.

[flcath]

You will have trouble finding a job outside of Philly from those schools.

What's going to happen now is someone will quote my post and strike out the second half, like so:

You will have trouble finding a job outside of Philly from those schools.

thanks for preventing the [realistic] condescending response.
I understand what you mean, which is where my apprehension comes from. I just dont really know what to do this point since I am so regionally restricted.

Find another line of work?

Seriously, dude, even if you make it big (which means Biglaw, which those schools will not put you into), the work still sucks.

That advice would be sound even if we were talking about a free education at those schools.

[dddhhh]

Is it viable to wait a year to start LS? This would give your SO more time to find a job and you to recover from your surgery as well as get adjusted to your married life.

[oreo3405]

Is it viable to wait a year to start LS? This would give your SO more time to find a job and you to recover from your surgery as well as get adjusted to your married life.

That's another option we are facing, even though I don't really want to wait and neither does he.
Would I be deferring the year? Or do I have to apply all over again?

[vissidarte27]

Is it viable to wait a year to start LS? This would give your SO more time to find a job and you to recover from your surgery as well as get adjusted to your married life.

That's another option we are facing, even though I don't really want to wait and neither does he.
Would I be deferring the year? Or do I have to apply all over again?

Maybe you can use the time to raise your LSAT score and apply to different schools or get more scholarship from the ones that accepted you this cycle? Get a little work experience, which never hurt an application, generally find a productive way to use the time?

I think that if you want to work in the DC/MD area and your SO can't find a job there right now, your options are basically wait a year or do LDR. Without strong ties to the area, it seems unlikely to be able to penetrate an already competitive market with a degree from a school in PA.

[Wholigan]

I still think it depends largely on what you want to do. If you want to work for the gov't in DC and shoot for the honors program, for example, I don't think it would matter as much whether you go to American/UMD or a T2 in Philly. If you want to have a shot at biglaw, you will obviously want to go to UMD or American, although it would be really difficult to break into the DC market even from one of those, unless you're at the top of the class. (Disclaimer: I'm from your current area, not DC.)

I think you'd be better off re-applying than asking for a deferral. Going to law school right out of UG is not a great idea ITE, so unless you have some significant experience from during undergrad, you're going to want to get a year of work in my opinion. Retaking might get you some money at one of the schools you were accepted to, or maybe would even make a more highly ranked school a possibility.

[oreo3405]

I still think it depends largely on what you want to do. If you want to work for the gov't in DC and shoot for the honors program, for example, I don't think it would matter as much whether you go to American/UMD or a T2 in Philly. If you want to have a shot at biglaw, you will obviously want to go to UMD or American, although it would be really difficult to break into the DC market even from one of those, unless you're at the top of the class. (Disclaimer: I'm from your current area, not DC.)

I think you'd be better off re-applying than asking for a deferral. Going to law school right out of UG is not a great idea ITE, so unless you have some significant experience from during undergrad, you're going to want to get a year of work in my opinion. Retaking might get you some money at one of the schools you were accepted to, or maybe would even make a more highly ranked school a possibility.

I don't have any interest in biglaw to be honest, and was more interested in government work, so this makes me feel a bit better. (I just got an email from my LS Advisor at my UG expressing the same thing, which makes me feel a lot better). I have been working at law firm, while inn UG and interned at a Philly government agency (OIG).

[Wholigan]

Yeah, if you want to work for the DOJ, they only hire through the honors program. (which is competitive itself.) While your chances would probably be better at getting into the program from say GW or GULC, they take people from Temple, Nova and Rutgers, and I'd venture a guess the rate is not much higher at AU/UMD, if at all. This is one area of the law where "regional markets" doesn't apply as much. Of course, you should always have a contingency plan, and there may not be many other options in DC/Baltimore from a Philly school if you don't make it into the honors program.

[rdcws000]

Is it viable to wait a year to start LS? This would give your SO more time to find a job and you to recover from your surgery as well as get adjusted to your married life.

very credited. Disregarding job prospects from the Philly schools altogether, this would be way to much to put into your first year of marriage if you really want it to work. Wait a year. It seems like a long time right now, and like you've wasted all this time and money applying, but in the long run the year won't matter.

Either that or put off getting married for a few years. Just trust me, don't do both.

[LurkerNoMore]

Ya know, sometimes when it feels like you are swimming upstream, it's just best to take the hint and go with the flow for awhile.

Given the schools you are in at, and the limited info you've provided, I would:

1. Not go to law school this fall.
2. Get the surgery now (or during your second or third year of law school).
3. Study again for the LSAT and retake.
4. Figure out where you guys are going to be living and get through the bumps of a move.
5. Reapply to schools in the area you get settled.

Government jobs in DC are very competitive. Enough people with stats and resumes that could get them BigLaw want the jobs that it doesn't leave much room for people who aren't competing on that level.

Taking time off between UG and law school is generally a good idea anyway, but in your case it seems very short sighted to try to force law school this year.