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Part Time Evening Law school???

bcallahan95bcallahan95 Alum Member
edited December 2018 in General 64 karma

Hi all!

I just got an awesome job offer that would require me to submit my applications as a part time evening law student rather than full time. ....but I'm not sure if that's doable for someone who is not a superhuman student, but always an honor student with great study habits.

Give it to me straight - is it possible without major life stress/issues? If so, how'd you (or someone you know) do it?

Thank ya!

EDIT: I am financially independent and am weighing paying with loans for all of law school and living expenses if I go full time OR being more financially stable with a career building job and a salary while going to school in the evening. The way I view it, either way I'll be at 100% - in your personal experience, are you glad you worked and went part time?

Comments

  • MissChanandlerMissChanandler Alum Member Sage
    edited November 2018 3256 karma

    Wouldn't part time school be less stressful? I'm a little confused about what you're asking

  • Lawster9Lawster9 Alum Member
    393 karma

    @MissChanandler I think they are saying that working a job while being a part time law student might be too stressful.

  • Leah M BLeah M B Alum Member
    8392 karma

    I think it's a personal thing and you'll have to decide for yourself what works. You could always try it for a year and if it can't be done, quit the job and go full time. I've considered the part time track too, but knowing myself and that I have a history of depression that gets worse with stress, and a physical health issue that causes fatigue, I think it would be a bad mixture to try to do too much at once. I could see myself spiraling pretty quickly. But, others do it all the time.

    One of my local law schools that has a part time option has contact information for alumni right on the website, so people considering that track can reach out and ask about their experiences. I think I'd try that - tell a school or two that you are considering their part time program and would like a student's perspective on it, either current or alumni. I bet they'll have someone you can connect with.

    One thing to consider is that I have heard that it's more difficult doing part time law school because you have less of an ability to network in the legal community, which helps in your job search. I've heard some say that the part time option is best for those that have a post-law school job already lined up (like your current employer will give you a job once you complete school, etc). So, you may want to ask alumni about how easy/difficult the job search was for them.

  • Leah M BLeah M B Alum Member
    edited November 2018 8392 karma

    @MissChanandler said:
    Wouldn't part time school be less stressful? I'm a little confused about what you're asking

    Yes for school, but not on top of working 40+ hours per week. Full time job + law school in the evenings means basically no free time whatsoever (for 4+ years), more so than only attending law school full time.

  • SupernoviceSupernovice Alum Member
    323 karma

    Rhetorical question: Do you think you'd be the first person to attempt this?

    Come on. You can certainly pull this off. There are single parents with full-time jobs who struggled in school that buckle down and get this done.

    Discipline is freedom.

  • 1000001910000019 Alum Member
    3279 karma

    @Supernovice said:
    Rhetorical question: Do you think you'd be the first person to attempt this?

    Come on. You can certainly pull this off.

    A twentysomething year-old with a new job and law school sounds like a recipe for disaster to me

  • LSAT_WreckerLSAT_Wrecker Member
    4850 karma

    I'm sure it can be done, because people do it. However, you have to answer the question of what you want your law school experience to be. 10-20 years from now, will you still be happy if you prioritized the job over law school?

    Either way, seems like you have a first world problem. Good luck!

  • tams2018tams2018 Member
    727 karma

    @Supernovice said:
    Rhetorical question: Do you think you'd be the first person to attempt this?

    Come on. You can certainly pull this off. There are single parents with full-time jobs who struggled in school that buckle down and get this done.

    Discipline is freedom.

    This.

    Time management will be your challenge. If you have great study habits like you claim, then it shouldn't be too hard to adapt.

  • AudaciousRedAudaciousRed Alum Member
    2689 karma

    @bcallahan95 said:
    Hi all!

    I just got an awesome job offer that would require me to submit my applications as a part time evening law student rather than full time. ....but I'm not sure if that's doable for someone who is not a superhuman student, but always an honor student with great study habits.

    Okay.. so.. it sounds like it's possible...

    Give it to me straight - is it possible without major life stress/issues? If so, how'd you (or someone you know) do it?

    Is it possible without major life stress/issues? No. Law school in itself will be a major stress/life issue. Now add on a job. The answer is a huge no.

  • MissChanandlerMissChanandler Alum Member Sage
    3256 karma

    I work with several people who are in a part time law program, and a big part of the reason they are able to do it is because of downtime at their desk that they use to study, and because our employer is generous with sick/vacation/personal days. I think that how stressful it will be is going to depend a lot on your specific job

  • AChris1210AChris1210 Alum Member
    107 karma

    I'm applying to a part-time evening program while working full time, and raising a family... and I think it's going to be busy, yet doable. I will have to commute to class 2-3 nights per week but my work schedule is flexible and I can also study at my desk like I do now for the LSAT.

    I completed graduate school this way, and while I think law school will be more demanding, if I did it once, I can do it again. :smile:

  • kleinstdkleinstd Alum Member
    68 karma

    i would defer for a year and then do part time so you have time to adjust to your work schedule and environment

  • bcallahan95bcallahan95 Alum Member
    64 karma

    Thank you everyone for answering --

    I wasn't saying I didn't have any other factors playing into my decision to do part time, everyone has other personal stuff that makes their life complicated aside from school and work. I was just asking how people's experiences were with working a full time job and going to school part time in the evenings, aside from the obvious stress and hard work associated with both.

  • Slambur09Slambur09 Free Trial Member
    10 karma

    for me it’s the only option since I am almost maxed out of my fafsa loans and I need good health whille I’m in school-full time job is the only option for that. But to answer your question, I think it’s doable as long as you manage your time effectively and are ok with sacrificing your social life a bit.

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