What is the best thing to do this summer?

[Ali]

I am a p/t lL hoping to transfer to f/t in the fall.
I'm torn. Is working the best way to spend the summer? I will take a couple of courses. Should I try to go abroad to study? (a possibility) Should I look for an internship?

Any insights or experiences will be appreciated.

thanks

[Skallagrim]

You need to do something legal related, be it work or volunteering or interning or being a research assistant for a professor. You need legal experience on your resume and you need stuff to talk about in interviews.

Also if you are planning on doing public interest then your experience should be in public interest, preferably in whatever type of public interest you are ultimately hoping to do after you graduate. PI people want to see commitment to PI causes.

You will be shooting yourself in the foot if you just take classes and play video games all summer.

[DaubertsDaughter]

All I can tell you is my own personal impressions.  Most people at my school (top 25) tend to discount study abroad programs as a valid option for summer (for the regular school year too, for that matter).  But I'm interested in some form of international career working with Latin American business developments.  I've spent time in Mexico and some Central American countries, but I've never been to South America.  Obviously, I'd love to get a paid summer position as a 1L, but if I don't, I'd rather spend the summer at a study abroad in Argentina or Chile than working for free in Legal Aid.  I'll have to take loans either way. 

All that to say that you should do whatever you feel like gives you the greatest range of opportunities.  Spending the summer abroad just so you can get a few course credits while you chill on the beach is probably not the best use of your time or money.  But if you'll be able to articulate to a future employer how your time abroad enhanced your marketability, then I think you'll be fine. 

Of course, I haven't done it yet, so this is just my philosophy behind why I might do it.  I don't have any experience with how it actually plays out in later interviews. 

[Jumboshrimps]

Study abroad. Then get a legal job during the school year during the next semester. Every small to medium size firm needs people during the school year because so many slacker law students think they can't work while going to school. Take advantage of this situation.

Or, get a judicial internship. Also a cool gig.