Lately I have been keeping notes of what I overhear at law school. I wish I started this sooner, because I heard some really crazy crap being said during my first year of law school, but there has been some interesting stuff said.
For example, I was at an internship and I saw a letter of resignation from a co-worker who had quit saying, "I hope to come back to work for you in a few years, maybe after I make partner at a firm."
I almost bust up laughing. It's pathetic that some people think that they are going to make partner at a firm within a couple of years from my school. And no, it's not a top 25 school. It's closer to top 50. To be honest, when I got in, I felt really smug. I thought Here I am, going to a school that's in the top fourth of all law schools. I felt like a regular bad ass. I flaunted it to everyone. Of course nobody heard of my school, but when I told them about the U.S. News and World Report ranking I felt smug. Of course, most lay people don't care one bit about that, nor do they know much about it, nor do they understand how much stock employers give to those cursed numbers.
I didn't really use www.top-law-schools.com during my first year. But I feel I did OK. Above the median at least. Not great though. Not good enough for law review. I wonder if I used all those law school tips and tricks they use, you know, like type really fast and remember your outline verbatim, or make flash cards and use them in your study group and do leews. I wonder if I did all that crap if I would have made law review. I did law school by just trying to study my butt off and rereading cases over and over. I didn't buy the outlines or the hornbooks. I didn't join a study group. I didn't read outside books such as "Winning Law School" or whatever it is called. I just put my head to the books and thought I would to better based on how much time I spent studying.
Of course I constantly get to hear about someone's internship. How they secured summer employment. One guy was pretty smug about it, but didn't want to share how much he was earning. In his words "it's not the pay that's important, it's the prestige." Let me tell you this now kid, if they are not paying you much, there's probably not a lot of prestige. Sometimes it's hard to not laugh at this stuff.
Oh, and the girl who was going to Hawaii, well, she must have went, because she missed every class this last week. It must be nice to have your future secured for you. I overheard (due to her sitting in front of me during my Evidence class) that she has a daddy that is a partner at some law firm I've never heard of. No wonder she can look at Crate and Barrel websites during class on her brand new Macbook Air and jet set at her leisure, missing class and not giving a damn.
And yet, here I am, no connections. No job. Daily going to Simplicity and looking for work. Maybe I'll get something that pays $10 an hour. That way I can scrape by this summer and get ready for 3L. Hell, maybe when I get out of law school I can bump that up to $12 or $15 an hour. I best not get too greedy though.
Wednesday, 26 October 2011
Thursday, 13 October 2011
What's a good law school pick up line?
I sit, scared to death, hoping that my professor does not call on me. I admit it. I did not do the reading. I don't know why I didn't. I had plenty of time. I was in front of the computer all morning with the book wide open in front of me. I just could not keep my eyes on the page. I started to read and before I knew it I found myself day dreaming or thinking about something else. It's getting colder out now and I thought, I can't believe I wasted all my whole fall in class. But then again, I missed a ton of class. And the truth of the matter is, I can't be called on. I was called on last week and didn't do the reading. I looked like a fool. All eyes were on me for a few moments. And every day since then I half-assed the reading, hoping that if I got called on, by a stroke of luck I'd wiz through it and that would be it. The semester is almost over, and I am but one of a handful of people left to be called. I am scared to death.
Why can I not focus on my work? Why is it so hard to just read the forty eight pages for Federal Income Taxation? It's not like the material is that hard. Last year it would have even interested me. But now I feel what they call 2L burnout. The mounting stress of having no summer job prospects ahead of me. The mounting stress of soul crumbling debt. It's all sometimes too much for me to bear.
I could keep chugging along, hoping and praying that I get some good job. Sadly, I have been reading what people are saying: the market is bleak, the job prospects are awful. During 1L I didn't believe them. Now I'm in my second year, with a little experience under my belt, and I am starting to see that there is indeed trouble brewing. But what alternatives do I have? A worthless undergraduate degree? Like that will secure me a job! Ha! And I'm already sunk deep in graduate school debt. It's either finish this up and have a graduate degree, or find a job in this depressed economy with loan payments coming due.
I try to not blame the system for the wrongs that are my fault. I should have took people more seriously when they said "don't go to law school unless you are going to the top 25 schools," or "get a degree in engineering or in science." Yes, it is indeed my own fault for not doing those things. I look around my class room now, as I type, while my professor talks about deductions. People are on Facebook or buying crap for their dorms, and I can't help but wonder "are they scared too, or is this just a joke to them?" I see the people on the law review in the library, with their big smiles talking about their future plans. "I'm going to Hawaii for Christmas," one girl spouts. I feel jealousy. I know I won't be going there anytime soon. I hope and pray I find a job that will allow me to pay for a trip to Hawaii within the next five years. I wonder if I got a degree in engineering if I would be on my way to some tropical locale right now?
I have friends who went to college for computer science. I used to think that was a fad that would end when the bubble burst. How wrong I was. One friend is making well over $100,000 and the other, well, he's not too far behind. Both younger than me. Both just getting married. Wow, must be nice. What's a good law school pick up line? "Hey baby, I almost made law review?" I doubt that will go over too well. Most non-law school students have no clue what law review is. It's actually quite amazing how little non-law school students know about the law. And then again, it's pretty amazing how happy many of them seem to be to not know it. I won't be able to say I will know too much about deductions. Maybe it won't be on the test. Maybe I won't be called on. Who knows. Maybe this blog will be therapeutic to me. Maybe it will at least give me something to focus on instead of going to Facebook or spending my loan money to spruce up my dorm.
Why can I not focus on my work? Why is it so hard to just read the forty eight pages for Federal Income Taxation? It's not like the material is that hard. Last year it would have even interested me. But now I feel what they call 2L burnout. The mounting stress of having no summer job prospects ahead of me. The mounting stress of soul crumbling debt. It's all sometimes too much for me to bear.
I could keep chugging along, hoping and praying that I get some good job. Sadly, I have been reading what people are saying: the market is bleak, the job prospects are awful. During 1L I didn't believe them. Now I'm in my second year, with a little experience under my belt, and I am starting to see that there is indeed trouble brewing. But what alternatives do I have? A worthless undergraduate degree? Like that will secure me a job! Ha! And I'm already sunk deep in graduate school debt. It's either finish this up and have a graduate degree, or find a job in this depressed economy with loan payments coming due.
I try to not blame the system for the wrongs that are my fault. I should have took people more seriously when they said "don't go to law school unless you are going to the top 25 schools," or "get a degree in engineering or in science." Yes, it is indeed my own fault for not doing those things. I look around my class room now, as I type, while my professor talks about deductions. People are on Facebook or buying crap for their dorms, and I can't help but wonder "are they scared too, or is this just a joke to them?" I see the people on the law review in the library, with their big smiles talking about their future plans. "I'm going to Hawaii for Christmas," one girl spouts. I feel jealousy. I know I won't be going there anytime soon. I hope and pray I find a job that will allow me to pay for a trip to Hawaii within the next five years. I wonder if I got a degree in engineering if I would be on my way to some tropical locale right now?
I have friends who went to college for computer science. I used to think that was a fad that would end when the bubble burst. How wrong I was. One friend is making well over $100,000 and the other, well, he's not too far behind. Both younger than me. Both just getting married. Wow, must be nice. What's a good law school pick up line? "Hey baby, I almost made law review?" I doubt that will go over too well. Most non-law school students have no clue what law review is. It's actually quite amazing how little non-law school students know about the law. And then again, it's pretty amazing how happy many of them seem to be to not know it. I won't be able to say I will know too much about deductions. Maybe it won't be on the test. Maybe I won't be called on. Who knows. Maybe this blog will be therapeutic to me. Maybe it will at least give me something to focus on instead of going to Facebook or spending my loan money to spruce up my dorm.
Wednesday, 12 October 2011
Bad Law School Grades
There is nothing as disheartening as finishing 1L and thinking you did alright only to log onto your law school's web portal and realizing your grade(s) are smack-dab-jab-pow-slam-bam awful. There are two thoughts that go through a law student's head (other than suicide) when this happens: poker facing it to 2L or dropping out. There are some big choices to be had if you are in this predicament.
First, I want to remind everyone who is not yet in law school that you are almost guaranteed to be graded on a curve at any law school you attend. This is a ranking system that shows how well you did in comparison to others in your class based on graduation year. You will notice that this is the second big prestige issue you have come across in your law school career (the first being which school you attend). Prestige is a HUGE thing in law school. In fact, that's only the beginning of it. You will have to deal with prestige for the rest of your life.
When you are faced with law school grades there are a couple of options. First, you can suck it up to bad circumstances (or bad luck) and trudge on. Or, you can drop out and consider doing something else with your life. Dropping out requires you have a back up plan. Can you move back in with your parents?
I will explore both options in further detail below.
As far as for me. I had awful grades during my second year of law school even though I did very well during my first year. I stuck it out and I am very glad I did. In my third year of law school I got a good paying legal internship that didn't even ask me about my grades. I have the opportunity to continue to work with the firm after I graduate, even though I will probably relocate to the west coast.
Continuing law school after bad midterm or final grades.
Many people do bad during their first semester or year with law school and decide to continue. Many of these people believe that bad grades are a result of bad luck. For example, a test could have taught on something that the student just didn't study. "How was I to know that the rule against perpetuities would be on the exam?" you may ask. You might also find that your computer shuts down during the exam and you honestly believe that having to write the exam by hand hurts your grade. There are many reasons why bad grades may happen. The reality is that bad grades hurt. I have had horrible grades and have considered dropping out myself. It's not a fun thing to do.
I don't recommend dropping out of law school just because you have bad grades. Instead, you should ask yourself if law is something you really want to do. If it is, go for it. First year grades are important, but you will be able to improve your grades over time. The reality is that law school grades are only a part of the equation. Getting legal experience is just as important, if not more important than law school grades. After your first legal job, especially, employers are going to ask what you did employment wise and not what kind of grades you got in law school.
How to Drop Out of Law School
I don't recommend dropping out of law school unless you are sure you want to drop out. It is your choice. Do not be scared due to negative information that you see on the internet or in the news. Those sources have their own pecuniary interests and want to scare you. Scaring people is one way that the media brings people back to read more. However, if you want to drop out of school, then by all means, that is your choice, and your choice only.
There are a few ways to drop out. The first and easiest way you could do it is just to stop going (not recommended). There are a lot of mix ups with financial aid and such to keep in mind. Of course, you could just run overseas or join the military. However, the best way to drop out is to fill a form out that says, "I'm dropping out." I remember looking at that form with tears in my eyes, thinking that it was my only option. I wondered what I would do, how I would survive. I could not move back in with my parents. I needed the financial aid checks to pay my rent and food. I had no outside job. I had no real world experience. In short, I really felt that I needed law school.
If you are serious about dropping out, don't be afraid to go talk to someone. The dean will probably want you to stay. In fact, everyone will probably tell you to not leave. After all, the school makes money off you. But, if you want to do something else with your life, it is YOUR life. However, DO NOT listen to people who failed. They are NOT YOU. Everyone's life turns out different, even people who do the exact same thing. Opportunities may come your way that others had no chance of getting. You are a unique individual, and even with bad grades, you may have the work ethic to be different than those who failed at getting a legal job -- even those who failed to get a job with top grades from higher ranked law schools.
First, I want to remind everyone who is not yet in law school that you are almost guaranteed to be graded on a curve at any law school you attend. This is a ranking system that shows how well you did in comparison to others in your class based on graduation year. You will notice that this is the second big prestige issue you have come across in your law school career (the first being which school you attend). Prestige is a HUGE thing in law school. In fact, that's only the beginning of it. You will have to deal with prestige for the rest of your life.
When you are faced with law school grades there are a couple of options. First, you can suck it up to bad circumstances (or bad luck) and trudge on. Or, you can drop out and consider doing something else with your life. Dropping out requires you have a back up plan. Can you move back in with your parents?
I will explore both options in further detail below.
As far as for me. I had awful grades during my second year of law school even though I did very well during my first year. I stuck it out and I am very glad I did. In my third year of law school I got a good paying legal internship that didn't even ask me about my grades. I have the opportunity to continue to work with the firm after I graduate, even though I will probably relocate to the west coast.
Continuing law school after bad midterm or final grades.
Many people do bad during their first semester or year with law school and decide to continue. Many of these people believe that bad grades are a result of bad luck. For example, a test could have taught on something that the student just didn't study. "How was I to know that the rule against perpetuities would be on the exam?" you may ask. You might also find that your computer shuts down during the exam and you honestly believe that having to write the exam by hand hurts your grade. There are many reasons why bad grades may happen. The reality is that bad grades hurt. I have had horrible grades and have considered dropping out myself. It's not a fun thing to do.
I don't recommend dropping out of law school just because you have bad grades. Instead, you should ask yourself if law is something you really want to do. If it is, go for it. First year grades are important, but you will be able to improve your grades over time. The reality is that law school grades are only a part of the equation. Getting legal experience is just as important, if not more important than law school grades. After your first legal job, especially, employers are going to ask what you did employment wise and not what kind of grades you got in law school.
How to Drop Out of Law School
I don't recommend dropping out of law school unless you are sure you want to drop out. It is your choice. Do not be scared due to negative information that you see on the internet or in the news. Those sources have their own pecuniary interests and want to scare you. Scaring people is one way that the media brings people back to read more. However, if you want to drop out of school, then by all means, that is your choice, and your choice only.
There are a few ways to drop out. The first and easiest way you could do it is just to stop going (not recommended). There are a lot of mix ups with financial aid and such to keep in mind. Of course, you could just run overseas or join the military. However, the best way to drop out is to fill a form out that says, "I'm dropping out." I remember looking at that form with tears in my eyes, thinking that it was my only option. I wondered what I would do, how I would survive. I could not move back in with my parents. I needed the financial aid checks to pay my rent and food. I had no outside job. I had no real world experience. In short, I really felt that I needed law school.
If you are serious about dropping out, don't be afraid to go talk to someone. The dean will probably want you to stay. In fact, everyone will probably tell you to not leave. After all, the school makes money off you. But, if you want to do something else with your life, it is YOUR life. However, DO NOT listen to people who failed. They are NOT YOU. Everyone's life turns out different, even people who do the exact same thing. Opportunities may come your way that others had no chance of getting. You are a unique individual, and even with bad grades, you may have the work ethic to be different than those who failed at getting a legal job -- even those who failed to get a job with top grades from higher ranked law schools.
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