Leaving job for Law school during COVID-19 & I'm PANICKING! Anyone else struggling with this?

madaging

As if the regular uncertainty of law school isn't enough, I'm leaving a steady job to head off to Law school in Fall during this COVID-19 pandemic!
The idea of leaving behind my steady income and instead taking on student loans during this time when I'm lucky to still have a job is causing me to panic!! Basically the added aspects of uncertainty due to the pandemic and thus the poor job market/economy are wearing me thin.

I'm trying to decide if I should stay my job another year and defer law school, hoping that the pandemic will blow over by Fall 2021(which is not guaranteed). Or if I go forward to law school despite it all since I've already been accepted and have a solid scholarship etc.

Is anyone else struggling with this decision? I am open to any advice or anecdotes about what others in similar positions have deiced to do. I'm trying to see this from all angles before I make some big decision based on my nerves and fears.

Thank you in advanced!

kemu8460

Hi there! I am sorry to hear it is a tough decision for you. I am in a similar boat and actually decided to postpone for a year. However, to be honest, I was already weighing the option of doing so, since I did not get into my top school and I was fine letting go of my existing offers. This gives me a chance to reapply and I get to stay at my job which I currently enjoy for the most part.

One thing to consider — if the decision to take loans/leave your job is something that will weigh very heavily on you in an uncertain time like we are in, it might have an adverse impact on your performance in law school and your overall experience. That is personally what sealed the deal for me. I wanted to be 100% confident that I was making the right choice, and I know the "what if going to school was a bad choice" thoughts would be too much for me right now.

I was nervous that I was letting the stress scare me out of going, however for me this is the largest financial decision I have ever made so waiting an extra year (even if it turns out to be an "over reaction" on my part) was the right move for me.

However, I also considered that there really is no "wrong" choice as long as you are comfortable with what you decide. In theory, both the choice to stay at your job and the choice to go to law school will give you the opportunity to improve and grow, just in different ways!

Hope that helps give some perspective on how I decided!

studyingandrestudying

Maybe add 3-4 years to your age and ask if you like the outcomes with either path.