Part Time Law School Vs. Fulltime Law School Advice

Full time law school is going to take up 60-70 hours of your week between classes and studying. My husband graduated from law school a year before our kids were born, and I can not imagine him doing it with kids in the house. But if you're committed, you can accomplish anything, right?

That said... please please please make sure that you have the finances to cover law school. It's expensive! You don't want to go into debt to learn a new skill if there isn't a well paying job waiting for you... and the vast majority of new lawyers nowadays don't make nearly as much as people think.

Personally, I'd do the full time because it sounds like if you do night school, you'll never see your kids.

I went to law school full time over 10 years ago (class of 99). At the time I was fresh out of college, unmarried and had no kids. My hubs will be graduating this year. He opted for full time too.

Law school takes a lot of time and energy no matter how you juggle it. He toyed with part time v. full time too. the big deciding factor for us was that he was unemployed and didn't have good prospects for finding a good paying job in this market. Was it really worth it for him to be earning minumum wage as a stockboy at CVS to "offset" his tuition costs, to go part time.

The flip side is, as a mature student, you might prefer the company of the older students, second career set that you get in the night program rather than the eager beavers in full time who are fresh out of undergrad.

You don't attend class all day, instead is 12-15 hours a week. You will spend a lot of time doing reading, briefing, research and writing. On average it is estimated that you will spend about 4+ hours doing work per credit hour of class time. So all told, it will take you roughly 60-75 hours a week if you go full time. Keep that in mind when weighing dance class, homework, sports practice, and a nanny.

Good luck to you and yours,
F. B.

Check out Texas Tech and University of Texas Austin. They may have courses that will fit your needs for schooling.

How committed are you to your schooling? I ask because you do have children and husband. Studying is going to take up a great deal of your time and you all will have to be on the same page. You will have to pace yourself so that you don't burn out and not complete the goal. Can you afford an nanny now? Because once you start you may not have the time to be running around the countryside for activities. I am not trying to throw water on your dream just trying to be realistic.

The best thing you can do is interview the schools and see how they fit into what you are trying to do.

I recall when I worked at the Unviersity of Arizona Law School that the students were always busy with projects, research and writing, and studying for tests. There was not much down time.

Good luck to you.

The other S.

my husband who graduated 2 years ago said and i quote:

"she's going to go and she'll be competing with kids who have nothing to do but study all day and so she will end up in the middle of the pack competing for jobs that don't exist and graduate 4 years later 200k in debt with nothing to show for it
i mean the ultimate "reward" for law school (that only 10% of grads even end up with, unless she's going to harvard) is a thankless corporate drone job where you work 80 hours a week and never see your family"

I'm not sure where you live but I would definitely check into job opportunities in your area like others suggested to make sure you would be able to find a job and what the pay would be. I didn't do law school but I did do Master's and most of my Doctorate's so I can only assume law school would be equally and/or more demanding. It is TOUGH, very demanding and LOTS LOTS LOTS of reading, researching, writing, etc. Anyways, I was lucky in my programs because you could switch from PT to FT and take "breaks" if needed (which I didn't, but nice to know just in case). So perhaps there are more programs/schools/online options that you could look into? It will be the second hardest thing you ever do (the first being raising kids!) but if you can find a job that you love and make enough $ to pay back loans if you have to take them out, it may be worth it - if that's the kind of career you want. Just really weigh the outcome and if it be worth it. Either way you choose you will be spending a lot more time away from the kids and dh. Is that something you won't regret without a doubt? Then, as a lawyer, you would have a demanding career too that will take up lots of time. I know sometimes (myself included) we think we want something but when we really look into it, it may just be something we need realize isn't as important as we thought it was. I did everything up until my dissertation and realized I didn't want it bad enough to finish. I had my first son by then and I can do what I want to do with my Master's. I was doing the doctorate thing for all the wrong reasons - took me a LONG time to be happy with that decision but I do not regret it one bit now. I am all for people getting degrees and doing what they want, but just really weigh it carefully and if the pros outweigh the cons and if you are okay with the real cost (not money) of getting the degree. And if your family will support you COMPLETELY and not resent you either as I have seen that happen. If you have a husband who won't mind watching the kids all night, every night (whether you're at class or studying because it will be one or the other) and you're both in agreement, weighed the options, then go for it. If there's even a little doubt, I would really consider it. If you pray, ask HIm what He thinks and wants for your family as well. He will guide you to the right path if you want Him to. Good luck, I wish you the best with whatever you decide!!

I have an alternate suggestion - have you considered online school? I know two lawyers who did law school online. Both passed the bar exam on their first try.

So, could you do online for the first year or so and then transfer to a law school for the balance? That way you can work at your own pace to begin with and you will know what you can and can't handle as far as physically going to school.