C student @ T3 ... what do I do?

[gratif]

Luckily my full scholarship is contingent on a 2.0.  I'm thinking I should take 6 summer credits.  Paired with my winter class I would only have to take 12.5 credits a semester from here on out.

I fear my grades are always going to suck but I escaped undergrad with no debt by working lots of hours and I'd like to try to pull it off here too.


Should I be giving my time away?

[vaplaugh]

What are your plans for after graduation?  Do you think you will just hang a shingle?  If so, you should definitely volunteer at a small firm (or two) to learn the ropes and develop a network of individuals that might refer you clients.  Better yet, some of the small firms will pay.

[Peaches]

I think you're doing it backwards...

You work really hard at school, get good grades, and then get a summer job paying $3,000 a week to minimize debt, which helps you get experience to get a job making $100k+ out of school.

You're apparently working really with a part-time job, getting crappy grades, taking classes during the summer, and preparing yourself for a crappy job where it will be even harder to pay off your debt.

Smart move.  Ditch the "debt-free law school" delusion and focus on the "law school as investment" aspect.

[Skallagrim]

Ditto for Peaches.

Debt-free undergrad might make sense because the work is easy, grades really don't matter and no one cares about anything other than that you got your degree.

Debt-free JD is stupid. If you graduate with nothing more than mediocre grades and three years of working at Starbucks, you're hosed.

[mmhome]

Check out your study abroad options.  This can be an easy way to get some A's to bring up your gpa a bit. 

[NeverTrustKlingons]

For the sake of being a downer, let me say I'm top 10% at a T3 with no 1L Summer Job Prospects yet... get the @#!* out.

[3Loser]

For the sake of being a downer, let me say I'm top 10% at a T3 with no 1L Summer Job Prospects yet... get the f**ck out.

I hope you're joking. As a 1L from a T3 (I am assuming you mean tier 3 and not Top 3) with no summer gig, you have no chance of landing a BIGLAW job, if that is to what you are referring. You will be lucky to get BIGLAW being top 10% at a tier 3 school. It's not meant to be offensive, just truthful.

[NeverTrustKlingons]

I know ;-)  To rephrase:  I'm top 10% at a third-tier school with no summer legal offers yet (paid or otherwise).  I wasn't referring to big firm jobs.

[gratif]

2.08 GPA. 

I'll be keeping my full scholarship, but I can't/won't finish at the top of the class.  Someone has to finish bottom.  If there are any non-1L-wannabe-law-review posters with some pragmatic advice that'd be great. 

My "big idea" was to take the summer courses so I would be able to work DURING 2L and 3L.  I have no idea what kind of work, what it entails, or if it would pay.


As for study abroad, I'm not going over there.  I'd have to pay for classes.

[1LMan]

The T3 that is top 10% will have a shot at a 2L summer gig at a big firm in his local market, but as a 1L its just not going to happen.

However, you have to maintain that top 10% for the year or you will be screwed.  It's a harsh reality that only the top students from T3 schools end up in Biglaw, for better or worse....  The system kinda sucks, but it is what it is.  Keep up those grades!