I quit my job today to have more time to study for the LSAT Forum

[olikatz]

I finally did it. I know most said that I should just take December but I just couldn't handle the stress I put on myself by setting the expectation for myself to take September. Just a little about me and my job: I graduated in May 2016 and had landed this job through a job fair at school before I graduated. I am an insurance claims adjuster for a mid level insurance company. If you have ever worked for an insurance company, especially a smaller one that cuts corners, you will know the downside to these kind of jobs. It is a high stress, low paying job. For everyone in my unit but me, it is a lifetime career. I would have left this job within the next few months anyway, even if I was somehow able to manage taking the LSAT while holding down this job.

Among my grievances were:

1) I recently found out that I was the only one in my department (of 35 employees) with a 4-year degree, meaning I was underemployed and working a position that some with just a high school diploma were working.
2) When I initially interviewed for the job, I was told I would be salaried. When I started, I was told I am actually an hourly worker that had to clock in and out.
3) All the benefits like medical, dental, 401k they told me about turned out to be nothing more than extremely expensive plans that ate into my gross pay.
4) I was micromanaged with pre-determined breaks that varied throughout the weeks and had ZERO downtime, which meant studying during work was impossible
5) An unrealistic case load that was measured and ranked on a whiteboard in the office as if I were selling cars
6) Knowing the entire office would be relocated in January to an office that would increase my commuting distance to 100 miles roundtrip daily
7) A culture of berating customers through racism and homophobia that has been fostered by generations of co-workers and supervisors, that I refuse to be a part of

This was just some of the stuff I put up with to make a whopping $2k a month after all my deductions from these "benefits" were taken (I live in Southern California). I was making $1500 cash per month working part time during undergrad at my previous job delivering pizza.

I know I might just sound like I'm just bitching about working a job when there are some people who cannot find a job. But I had to do what is right for me and my health. I wake up at 6:00am for this job and I come home at 6:00pm. During the peak of my energy at noon, I frequently thought to myself how this could better be dedicated towards studying for the LSAT. On my way home, I would debate with myself whether or not I can study today and start to consider how little time I would have to study for the night. This only added to my anxiety. I would come home anxious and would snap on anyone in my house at a moments notice. My motivation for studying quickly dropped and my plans of studying 3 hours a night and 10 hours on the weekends quickly vanished as I am too tired to give a damn at the end of the night and too busy running weekend errands I couldn't do on the weekdays.

While doing some reflecting, I realized that I didn't take this job for the work experience (it has nothing to do with my career goals), not for the money (I've been investing in the stock market since I was 15 and have a nice little nest egg to help sustain myself), and not even because I truly wanted the job (see above reasons). I did it because I thought it would make others around me proud that I was working a serious job while studying for law school immediately after undergrad. After consulting with my loved ones I found out that it didn't really make a difference of what they thought of me because they would support my decisions and would still be proud of me regardless.

So today, I handed my boss a 2 week notice and explained that I could not do the job anymore due to other obligations that I have. My plan from here on out is to remain jobless but to also dedicate my working hours to studying for the September test. This means vigorously drilling and PTing until the Sep test. I know this will have its stressors, but I nonetheless feel as though a weight has been lifted from my shoulders and I am beginning to drill again right now. Regardless of how I do, I will find another job after the September LSAT and if need be take the December test with a part time job. Well thanks for reading my rant, I can't believe you made it this far. I just hope if you are in my situation and are in between what to do, you think about what would be best for you and find the best option for yourself. I am not saying working and studying do not go hand in hand. I am saying, working this particular job and trying to study, did not work for me.

[Barack O'Drama]

Congrats!

I think you made a great choice. Life's too short to waste time being miserable for a job you are going to quit in a few months regardless. Having more time to study makes it a win-win.

[FayRays]

Hey, always choose you and what makes you feel better over anything else.

In the end this life is short and if we spent it in bad places when we can work a bit harder and get better places, we are cutting ourselves short.
If we let go of our dreams because of this, that or whatever reason or person out there, we are betraying ourselves
and if we didn't try our best to get ourselves a better life, we are cheating ourselves.

Now it's time to relax, take a day or two off, and then work hard to get the best you can on the LSAT

You can do it.

[olikatz]

Congrats!

I think you made a great choice. Life's too short to waste time being miserable for a job you are going to quit in a few months regardless. Having more time to study makes it a win-win.

Let's just hope this move pays off

[RamTitan]

Congrats!

I think you made a great choice. Life's too short to waste time being miserable for a job you are going to quit in a few months regardless. Having more time to study makes it a win-win.

Let's just hope this move pays off

I think you made the right decision, especially since you plan on going to law school next year anyways.

With that said, find ways to distract yourself from the test and studying. I took a two month leave of absence from my job to study for the June test, and I became obsessed and stressed to the max.

[Blueprint Mithun]

While doing some reflecting, I realized that I didn't take this job for the work experience (it has nothing to do with my career goals), not for the money (I've been investing in the stock market since I was 15 and have a nice little nest egg to help sustain myself), and not even because I truly wanted the job (see above reasons). I did it because I thought it would make others around me proud that I was working a serious job while studying for law school immediately after undergrad. After consulting with my loved ones I found out that it didn't really make a difference of what they thought of me because they would support my decisions and would still be proud of me regardless.

So today, I handed my boss a 2 week notice and explained that I could not do the job anymore due to other obligations that I have. My plan from here on out is to remain jobless but to also dedicate my working hours to studying for the September test. This means vigorously drilling and PTing until the Sep test. I know this will have its stressors, but I nonetheless feel as though a weight has been lifted from my shoulders and I am beginning to drill again right now. Regardless of how I do, I will find another job after the September LSAT and if need be take the December test with a part time job. Well thanks for reading my rant, I can't believe you made it this far. I just hope if you are in my situation and are in between what to do, you think about what would be best for you and find the best option for yourself. I am not saying working and studying do not go hand in hand. I am saying, working this particular job and trying to study, did not work for me.

Good on you for taking that step. It sounds like you had plenty of good reasons for leaving that job, and I can guarantee that the reduced stress will make it easier to learn and perform better on the LSAT. I've always thought of studying for the LSAT as a part-time job in and of itself. A couple of pieces of advice going forward: focus on studying, but don't burn yourself out and don't beat yourself up if you're not where you want to be by the September test. Focus on what's ahead and not on what you left behind.

[SunDevil14]

Congrats. I did the same thing. The potential pay off for scholarships far outweighs the meager wage you make in a few months. Beside who needs a petty "shift lead" trying to put you in your place when your dog is dying at home, and you have greater ambitions.

If you don't thank yourself now, then you will later.

[loomy78]

Congrats!

I think you made a great choice. Life's too short to waste time being miserable for a job you are going to quit in a few months regardless. Having more time to study makes it a win-win.

Let's just hope this move pays off

LOL OP are you planning on working in biglaw?

[olikatz]

Congrats!

I think you made a great choice. Life's too short to waste time being miserable for a job you are going to quit in a few months regardless. Having more time to study makes it a win-win.

Let's just hope this move pays off

LOL OP are you planning on working in biglaw?

Not really. Hoping to work in public sector, but want to accumulate as little debt as possible. Why do you ask?

[haus]

Not sure why you felt so stressed in the job you quit. The rankings ment nothing to you due to your lack of need for the job. The people who need to work a crappy job with no option in sight to support a family, they have a reason to stress.

I am sorry that you had a brief glance into a bad world that is a long term reality for many. I wish good luck with your LSAT and your future studies and employment, but I suggest you take some time to consider why sitting in a classroom and getting a piece of paper to hang on a wall really entitles you to a better job when you seem to bring little in the way of experience or skills?

[RamTitan]

Not sure why you felt so stressed in the job you quit. The rankings ment nothing to you due to your lack of need for the job. The people who need to work a crappy job with no option in sight to support a family, they have a reason to stress.

I am sorry that you had a brief glance into a bad world that is a long term reality for many. I wish good luck with your LSAT and your future studies and employment, but I suggest you take some time to consider why sitting in a classroom and getting a piece of paper to hang on a wall really entitles you to a better job when you seem to bring little in the way of experience or skills?

I hate it when people do this. OP, don't listen to this bull.

Haus, he's not entitled; he made a decision to focus on a long-term goal. It's a matter of investing resources.

[Jordan Catalano]

Not sure why you felt so stressed in the job you quit. The rankings ment nothing to you due to your lack of need for the job. The people who need to work a crappy job with no option in sight to support a family, they have a reason to stress.

I am sorry that you had a brief glance into a bad world that is a long term reality for many. I wish good luck with your LSAT and your future studies and employment, but I suggest you take some time to consider why sitting in a classroom and getting a piece of paper to hang on a wall really entitles you to a better job when you seem to bring little in the way of experience or skills?

I hate it when people do this. OP, don't listen to this bull.

Haus, he's not entitled; he made a decision to focus on a long-term goal. It's a matter of investing resources.

+1 Go take a zanex, haus

[appind]

I finally did it. I know most said that I should just take December but I just couldn't handle the stress I put on myself by setting the expectation for myself to take September. Just a little about me and my job: I graduated in May 2016 and had landed this job through a job fair at school before I graduated. I am an insurance claims adjuster for a mid level insurance company. If you have ever worked for an insurance company, especially a smaller one that cuts corners, you will know the downside to these kind of jobs. It is a high stress, low paying job. For everyone in my unit but me, it is a lifetime career. I would have left this job within the next few months anyway, even if I was somehow able to manage taking the LSAT while holding down this job.

Among my grievances were:

1) I recently found out that I was the only one in my department (of 35 employees) with a 4-year degree, meaning I was underemployed and working a position that some with just a high school diploma were working.
2) When I initially interviewed for the job, I was told I would be salaried. When I started, I was told I am actually an hourly worker that had to clock in and out.
3) All the benefits like medical, dental, 401k they told me about turned out to be nothing more than extremely expensive plans that ate into my gross pay.
4) I was micromanaged with pre-determined breaks that varied throughout the weeks and had ZERO downtime, which meant studying during work was impossible
5) An unrealistic case load that was measured and ranked on a whiteboard in the office as if I were selling cars
6) Knowing the entire office would be relocated in January to an office that would increase my commuting distance to 100 miles roundtrip daily
7) A culture of berating customers through racism and homophobia that has been fostered by generations of co-workers and supervisors, that I refuse to be a part of

This was just some of the stuff I put up with to make a whopping $2k a month after all my deductions from these "benefits" were taken (I live in Southern California). I was making $1500 cash per month working part time during undergrad at my previous job delivering pizza.

I know I might just sound like I'm just bitching about working a job when there are some people who cannot find a job. But I had to do what is right for me and my health. I wake up at 6:00am for this job and I come home at 6:00pm. During the peak of my energy at noon, I frequently thought to myself how this could better be dedicated towards studying for the LSAT. On my way home, I would debate with myself whether or not I can study today and start to consider how little time I would have to study for the night. This only added to my anxiety. I would come home anxious and would snap on anyone in my house at a moments notice. My motivation for studying quickly dropped and my plans of studying 3 hours a night and 10 hours on the weekends quickly vanished as I am too tired to give a damn at the end of the night and too busy running weekend errands I couldn't do on the weekdays.

While doing some reflecting, I realized that I didn't take this job for the work experience (it has nothing to do with my career goals), not for the money (I've been investing in the stock market since I was 15 and have a nice little nest egg to help sustain myself), and not even because I truly wanted the job (see above reasons). I did it because I thought it would make others around me proud that I was working a serious job while studying for law school immediately after undergrad. After consulting with my loved ones I found out that it didn't really make a difference of what they thought of me because they would support my decisions and would still be proud of me regardless.

So today, I handed my boss a 2 week notice and explained that I could not do the job anymore due to other obligations that I have. My plan from here on out is to remain jobless but to also dedicate my working hours to studying for the September test. This means vigorously drilling and PTing until the Sep test. I know this will have its stressors, but I nonetheless feel as though a weight has been lifted from my shoulders and I am beginning to drill again right now. Regardless of how I do, I will find another job after the September LSAT and if need be take the December test with a part time job. Well thanks for reading my rant, I can't believe you made it this far. I just hope if you are in my situation and are in between what to do, you think about what would be best for you and find the best option for yourself. I am not saying working and studying do not go hand in hand. I am saying, working this particular job and trying to study, did not work for me.

i'd wondered what kind of people take up a job as an insurance claims adjustor. thought that it was a thankless job and one has to be a kinda prick to be doing it, as the job requires doing everything possible to deny or minimize payments to claimants. what kind of insurance claims you dealt with?

hope your move pays off.

[Barack O'Drama]

Not sure why you felt so stressed in the job you quit. The rankings ment nothing to you due to your lack of need for the job. The people who need to work a crappy job with no option in sight to support a family, they have a reason to stress.

I am sorry that you had a brief glance into a bad world that is a long term reality for many. I wish good luck with your LSAT and your future studies and employment, but I suggest you take some time to consider why sitting in a classroom and getting a piece of paper to hang on a wall really entitles you to a better job when you seem to bring little in the way of experience or skills?

I hate it when people do this. OP, don't listen to this bull.

Haus, he's not entitled; he made a decision to focus on a long-term goal. It's a matter of investing resources.

Exactly. Sounds like pure projection.... Being that OP never mentioned literally anything you said in your post. I'm also sorry you have a shitty job and don't have the balls to chase your dreams like OP does. Exactly, you aren't sure why he felt stressed, so take a fucking seat.
I think the skills will be having completed law school, lol... It doesn't entitle you to a better job; you earn it by going to law school, lol.

Are doctors entitled to practice because a piece of paper? Or the skills they learn in med school?

Actually, I take everything back. OP, Haus is right. Stay in a job that makes you miserable and stressed so you'll have experience being miserable and stressed. This way you will have the skills of a lawyer!

What a jackass

[Mr. Momo]

Don't think too much of it OP. I made the decision even before I graduated to not work during the months I am studying. Sure, it's lost wages, but I think the LSAT is worth it.

[loomy78]

How's it going OP? How many hours are you studying a day?

[olikatz]

I finally did it. I know most said that I should just take December but I just couldn't handle the stress I put on myself by setting the expectation for myself to take September. Just a little about me and my job: I graduated in May 2016 and had landed this job through a job fair at school before I graduated. I am an insurance claims adjuster for a mid level insurance company. If you have ever worked for an insurance company, especially a smaller one that cuts corners, you will know the downside to these kind of jobs. It is a high stress, low paying job. For everyone in my unit but me, it is a lifetime career. I would have left this job within the next few months anyway, even if I was somehow able to manage taking the LSAT while holding down this job.

Among my grievances were:

1) I recently found out that I was the only one in my department (of 35 employees) with a 4-year degree, meaning I was underemployed and working a position that some with just a high school diploma were working.
2) When I initially interviewed for the job, I was told I would be salaried. When I started, I was told I am actually an hourly worker that had to clock in and out.
3) All the benefits like medical, dental, 401k they told me about turned out to be nothing more than extremely expensive plans that ate into my gross pay.
4) I was micromanaged with pre-determined breaks that varied throughout the weeks and had ZERO downtime, which meant studying during work was impossible
5) An unrealistic case load that was measured and ranked on a whiteboard in the office as if I were selling cars
6) Knowing the entire office would be relocated in January to an office that would increase my commuting distance to 100 miles roundtrip daily
7) A culture of berating customers through racism and homophobia that has been fostered by generations of co-workers and supervisors, that I refuse to be a part of

This was just some of the stuff I put up with to make a whopping $2k a month after all my deductions from these "benefits" were taken (I live in Southern California). I was making $1500 cash per month working part time during undergrad at my previous job delivering pizza.

I know I might just sound like I'm just bitching about working a job when there are some people who cannot find a job. But I had to do what is right for me and my health. I wake up at 6:00am for this job and I come home at 6:00pm. During the peak of my energy at noon, I frequently thought to myself how this could better be dedicated towards studying for the LSAT. On my way home, I would debate with myself whether or not I can study today and start to consider how little time I would have to study for the night. This only added to my anxiety. I would come home anxious and would snap on anyone in my house at a moments notice. My motivation for studying quickly dropped and my plans of studying 3 hours a night and 10 hours on the weekends quickly vanished as I am too tired to give a damn at the end of the night and too busy running weekend errands I couldn't do on the weekdays.

While doing some reflecting, I realized that I didn't take this job for the work experience (it has nothing to do with my career goals), not for the money (I've been investing in the stock market since I was 15 and have a nice little nest egg to help sustain myself), and not even because I truly wanted the job (see above reasons). I did it because I thought it would make others around me proud that I was working a serious job while studying for law school immediately after undergrad. After consulting with my loved ones I found out that it didn't really make a difference of what they thought of me because they would support my decisions and would still be proud of me regardless.

So today, I handed my boss a 2 week notice and explained that I could not do the job anymore due to other obligations that I have. My plan from here on out is to remain jobless but to also dedicate my working hours to studying for the September test. This means vigorously drilling and PTing until the Sep test. I know this will have its stressors, but I nonetheless feel as though a weight has been lifted from my shoulders and I am beginning to drill again right now. Regardless of how I do, I will find another job after the September LSAT and if need be take the December test with a part time job. Well thanks for reading my rant, I can't believe you made it this far. I just hope if you are in my situation and are in between what to do, you think about what would be best for you and find the best option for yourself. I am not saying working and studying do not go hand in hand. I am saying, working this particular job and trying to study, did not work for me.

i'd wondered what kind of people take up a job as an insurance claims adjustor. thought that it was a thankless job and one has to be a kinda prick to be doing it, as the job requires doing everything possible to deny or minimize payments to claimants. what kind of insurance claims you dealt with?

hope your move pays off.

Thanks I hope it does too. As for the type of person that gets into insurance, it varies. You are right when you say one has to be a prick. Talking to some co-workers during breaks leads me to believe that some of these people are good people at heart, but this job is a last chance kind of deal for them, therefore they must do what's in the best interest for the company. This means being a dick and yelling at people who paid good money for their product. In my opinion, insurance claims is the perfect secondary career. Many of the people working it have degrees in things like Dance and Culinary Arts and past stints as stockbrokers and realtors, but failed in those sectors. In essence these are people that gave up on their dreams along time ago and have to get a job to support families. Most are clearly just assholes who get a thrill out of treating people like shit and pissing others off (kinda like our friend haus). It's a job that breeds a lot of hatred for one's fellow man. I pretty much handled car accidents and car thefts. About a week before I quit, I handled my first fatality. It is interesting experience for someone that would be interested in doing PI later on.

[olikatz]

How's it going OP? How many hours are you studying a day?

My last day is this Friday, but I have been doing half days this whole week and can log about 6 solid hours a day. I believe I'll keep the same sleep schedule during my studies. I feel more energized studying mid-day too

[olikatz]

Holy shit guys! That escalated rather quickly. I've been off the forum for a few days, I can honestly say that I feel like I made the right move. I feel better overall and cannot wait to start logging major study hours next week!

[darthlawyer]

congrats ! not working is awesome. i woulda tried to get laid off/unemployment/paid to study. oh yeah i did that a few years ago.

[earlyfrost]

Good for you! I wish I had the luxury of quitting so that I could concentrate on studying, but I need health insurance. What are you doing about that? Covered California/parents?

[olikatz]

Good for you! I wish I had the luxury of quitting so that I could concentrate on studying, but I need health insurance. What are you doing about that? Covered California/parents?

Parent is retired so no insurance under his policy. I'm just gonna have to without insurance for a while. I broke my foot like 3 months ago and am still feeling the effects of it. If worse comes to worst, I'll just have to go to a free clinic or sign up for a community college class and use the school's doctor.

[Walliums]

Good for you! I wish I had the luxury of quitting so that I could concentrate on studying, but I need health insurance. What are you doing about that? Covered California/parents?

Parent is retired so no insurance under his policy. I'm just gonna have to without insurance for a while. I broke my foot like 3 months ago and am still feeling the effects of it. If worse comes to worst, I'll just have to go to a free clinic or sign up for a community college class and use the school's doctor.

You can also get a short policy on the marketplace. I believe they have emergency policies for when you are between jobs. And I wouldn't recommend going entirely without insurance - after a certain period of time, you'll get fined (via taxes).

[Kopetz]

Good for you! I wish I had the luxury of quitting so that I could concentrate on studying, but I need health insurance. What are you doing about that? Covered California/parents?

Parent is retired so no insurance under his policy. I'm just gonna have to without insurance for a while. I broke my foot like 3 months ago and am still feeling the effects of it. If worse comes to worst, I'll just have to go to a free clinic or sign up for a community college class and use the school's doctor.

It might be worth your time to complete an application for assistance with health coverage at Covered California, to see if you qualify for either Medical or advance tax credits to apply toward insurance premiums. Tax credits are based on yearly income, but iirc Medicaid eligibility is based on current income.

[olikatz]

Good for you! I wish I had the luxury of quitting so that I could concentrate on studying, but I need health insurance. What are you doing about that? Covered California/parents?

Parent is retired so no insurance under his policy. I'm just gonna have to without insurance for a while. I broke my foot like 3 months ago and am still feeling the effects of it. If worse comes to worst, I'll just have to go to a free clinic or sign up for a community college class and use the school's doctor.

It might be worth your time to complete an application for assistance with health coverage at Covered California, to see if you qualify for either Medical or advance tax credits to apply toward insurance premiums. Tax credits are based on yearly income, but iirc Medicaid eligibility is based on current income.

Completed yesterday. Thanks! At least I'll be covered if I have to go to ER