At a breaking point, thinking of dropping out...

[OneLdcgal]

You are not alone.  I'm a 3L now at a T1 school, and I despised law school and still do.  My first semester was awful ... I hated the work, the writing class, the other students, everything.  I was on the verge of dropping out every week (and some weeks I still consider it).  But maybe you'll find a job this summer that will make it worthwhile.  From what I saw in my 2L summer position, practicing looks a lot better than going through LS.  Good luck in making your decision, and if you decide to stay, know that it can only get better after 1L.

[Lampshade Punk]

I contemplated dropping out as well.  I was one click away from registering for the GRE and pursuing a PHD rather than law school.  Instead, I recommitted myself and I really feel alot better.  Make yourself commit and stick it out.  really.  if you keep going back and forth you won't be happy with either.  that is what I decided anyway.

[WhiteyEMSR]

The first semester of my first year of law school was one of the worst times of my life. I hated the classes, the material, everything. I was confused and stressed out beyond belief. I seriously thought about dropping out. I ended up sticking with it, and when I did well on exams at the end of the semester, my confidence rose. Things started to click for me and the work started to be not so unbearable.

I'm a 3L now, and I'm very glad I didn't drop out. I go to a good school, have good grades and have a good job lined up after graduation. My advice would be to stick with it for a little while longer. I think the feelings you're feeling are typical.

Good luck!

[HRoark81]

This seems like a pretty simple problem.  If you really hate research and writing, then law is not for you.

[james]

This seems like a pretty simple problem.  If you really hate research and writing, then law is not for you.

Does anyone really like writing legal memos?  Isn't that like saying you enjoy diarrhea?  And research- can be interesting but what about 10 years from now? Assuming someone doesn't have a younger associate doing most of that for them won't they have problems not vomiting on a daily basis?

[HRoark81]

I actually do (like writing memos, not diarrhea).  Research and writing is not limited to writing memos, though memos typify the types of things you will be doing as a lawyer.  If you don't like researching and writing (memos, briefs, motions, contracts), you'll probably end up hating the practice of law.

[1LMan]

You go to law school to become a lawyer.  If you aren't at a top school or don't have top grades you won't be making the big bucks, nor is it really a good reason to go in the first place.

Plain and simple: Do you want to be a lawyer?  If so, then suck up the right of passage that is law school and quit whining.  If not, then quit now before the debt gets any worse, but I would talk to a professor or two that you respect first.

Good luck.

P.S. I agree with the above poster regarding graduate school or an MBA.  Unless you are going to a Top 5 ivy league school, don't waste your time (or your money).

[dandlewood]

I can't help thinking that this is a flame.  If I'm wrong, sorry.  Love what you do, do what you love.  If your belief is as vehement as your discourse, you would be an idiot to continue a legal education.  It would be choosing a life of misery.  I love the law, I enjoy working with my brain and I find it interesting to deal with the law.

[1LMan]

I can't help thinking that this is a flame.  If I'm wrong, sorry.  Love what you do, do what you love.  If your belief is as vehement as your discourse, you would be an idiot to continue a legal education.  It would be choosing a life of misery.  I love the law, I enjoy working with my brain and I find it interesting to deal with the law.

I don't think your post really fits the legal profession.  What you do in law school is nothing like what you will do as a lawyer.  Also, there are several reasons people go to law school, many of which do not involve love of being a lawyer.  In the end, noone LOVES working at a big firm as a junior associate.  You do it to make $200k a year and provide a better life for your family.

[juliemccoy]

There are many people who hate law school but who enjoy the practice of law, and vice versa. Sitting in a classroom and talking about old cases teaches you legal reasoning. While legal reasoning is the fundamental skill every lawyer must possess, the actual day to day practice involves much more than this.

I think anyone questioning their undergraduate degree, master's or professional program should seek out as many externship and internship opportunities, and meetings with working professionals, to make a fair determination of whether or not this career might suit them. I think before starting any program, you should be able to qualify why you are there, and to have done some homework talking to or shadowing professionals in that field.

To say that anyone who does not get a Top 5 MBA or Law degree will not make a high salary or obtain a good job is in the eye of the beholder. There are plenty of people making high salaries from lower ranked law schools and business schools. The "brand name" of your program gets your foot in the door, but people from the non-elite schools who are "hungry" will make it work through local opportunities and networking like mad. There are also a good number of people who go into law for reasons other than salary or prestige.

There are members in every industry who are unemployed or making lower salaries than people from elite schools employed in the same industry. And there are members of those industries from elite schools who are unemployed or dissatisfied with their jobs. And there are members of both groups who are content with their lives and salaries. If they are happy, who are we to impose our standards of what happiness ought to be?

If we made the gross generalization that "only the top 5 schools are worth it," you would have far fewer working professionals across every industry, as well as reduced quality of life and fewer innovations in law, medicine, technology and education.

Not everyone can go to Yale law. Not everyone should. But if someone has a genuine interest in law, and can get into a lesser ranked school, he is not doomed to a life of unhappiness and poverty.

If you are unhappy in your educational program or career choice, do some research before you do anything drastic. And by research: hit the street. Talk to professionals, observe them in their natural setting. Do a practice run of the work these professionals do. Sometimes the educational program you hate may be a necessary evil to the long-term happiness you seek.

It's not always going to be easy, fun or a good time. But if the long-term benefits outweigh the short-term misery, stick it out. Look at the big picture, the alternatives and make the choice that is right for you.