Quote:
Originally posted by dphies00
Hey everyone --
Does anyone have opinions about going to law school part time? I have a job with a company that I love and while they're not going to help with tutition, they will be flexible with my time commitments in the office.
People keep telling me that there's no way that I'll be able to go part time and keep up a 40 hour work week. I have other friends in grad school and they manage their time well between a career and school. I feel like I can do it!
Any thoughts?
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Law school isn't really grad school, it's professional school. There is a difference in workload.
My school doesn't offer a part time program. However, the other law school in my city does (part time/evening). It takes them 4 years, plus summer, to be done. YOU DO NOT WANT TO BE IN LAW SCHOOL THAT LONG!!! 3 years is hard enough as it is. Even though they are part time, they still end up taken 12 credits sometimes, which is just about a full time workload.
Also, after your first year, you're going to want/should work in the legal field. Unless your current job is law related, you're going to have to go somewhere else.
How flexible is the office, really? 40 hours a week, plus at least 10 hours of classes, time going between the two, studying, getting to know your fellow law students, is going to be tough. Yeah, it's possible (nothing is impossible) but it is not a good idea if you want to keep your health, sanity, grades, and current job.
Is there a part time program even in the same city as where you work? have you been accepted yet? If not, I would strongly encourage you to talk with the people at the law school.
My personal opinion is DON'T DO IT! Pick one or the other.
Right now, i'm working 20 hours a week at a law firm and taking 13 credits. It's NOT easy to do. Not to mention the fact that I have to start trying to find a job for when I graduate and start preparing for the bar next semester.