Night programs/part time programs Forum

[red52]

I noticed I qualify for better schools on a night program (as does everyone I'm sure).

Would doing a night program/part time offer any disadvantages other than taking 4 years to graduate? Are graduates of a night program/part time program less likely to find a better job or something? Why don't more people go to more prestigious schools and participate in a night program rather than take a step down and do a day program at a lower quality school?

Thanks in advance!

[2014]

What schools are you looking at PT programs for? Your definition of prestigious and the TLS consensus might be different.

The expectation will be that you are working a career job during the day and doing law school at night. I assume you would have a lot of questions to answer come OCI if you just jumped the rankings and did PT while either not working or doing like retail during the day.

[red52]

What schools are you looking at PT programs for? Your definition of prestigious and the TLS consensus might be different.

The expectation will be that you are working a career job during the day and doing law school at night. I assume you would have a lot of questions to answer come OCI if you just jumped the rankings and did PT while either not working or doing like retail during the day.

Well it normally says on the web sites that it is for convenience purposes... Does that necessarily mean I would have to be working?

All I'm asking is if it would be a good idea to try applying for evening programs for schools that would normally be slightly out of reach?

[2014]

My opinion is no, but others may disagre.

Look at it this way, what would you say when an employer asks you "Why part time?" because they will ask.

[fruitoftheloom]

Also - some people "sneak" into programs they may not be qualified for by starting at night and transferring to full time at the end of the first year. I think some schools allow this. It seems like schools are getting annoyed by this and starting to discourage/disallow the practice.

(Ex: Houston I think still allows transferring w/o a problem, but I've heard that Fordham & Georgetown discourage it (on TLS).

[dingbat]

To my knowledge Fordham is amenable to switching.
The three big disadvantages are:
1) a lot less scholly aid for part-timers
2) potential conflict between regular job and legal internships
3) possible issues re OCI /hiring schedule - but this can be avoided by being knowledgable of the process

[nygrrrl]

Also - some people "sneak" into programs they may not be qualified for by starting at night and transferring to full time at the end of the first year. I think some schools allow this. It seems like schools are getting annoyed by this and starting to discourage/disallow the practice.

(Ex: Houston I think still allows transferring w/o a problem, but I've heard that Fordham & Georgetown discourage it (on TLS).

Fordham allows transferring at the end of 1L (subject to permission) but they are actively working to discourage this. Two years ago they sliced the evening program in HALF to start squelching this "back door" thing: the PT program is now 80 students per year. The Dean of Admissions is open about his desire to make the program what it once was: a way for working professionals to get their law degree, at night.

As for respectability, everyone I know who has done the P/T program at Fordham while working FT has heard only positive things during OCI/etc: interviewers understand how rough it is to work 40+ hours and THEN go to school.

I also agree with what others have said - if you do a PT program and are NOT working, you will be asked about it. As well you should be.