Failing classes.

[contel3]

I'm currently in my mid twenties and just failed my last year of law school.

 

I have the option to repeat my year (which I plan on doing), but I'm not sure if I'll be able to pass...even if I do it will be with pretty average grades and longer than average study time : my co-students basically told me I can wipe a certain part of my body with that kind of diploma. Some even told me it would be less of a time waste to find a full-time job, make some money and just screw my education.

 

I am not particularly fond of the field either. I think most of it is quite dry, and I can't really envision doing this for the rest of my life. There are a few courses I am very passionate about, but the vast majority just bores me to death. Most things I really like are fields where there are limited job options so I don't know if I can do it, especially with my bad diploma.

 

I feel like a failure and I like I wasted years of my life. The point of doing law school was to find a stable job I liked. Now I feel that even if I do finish, I'll be back to square one. And that nobody will want to hire me/I'll only find a really boring/bad job.

 

This may sound funny to some of you, but I also feel so old and nowhere where I expected I'd be at this age.

 

I don't really know what I expect from posting this on here, but I guess I just feel quite lost and need some input.

[d0nnivain]

Law is a tough enough field when you are passionate about the subject. If you are lukewarm, it will chew you up & spit you out.

 

There is an old saying though: A students become professors, B students become judges & C students make money so don't despair.

 

Get whatever tutors you need & retake the year so you get the diploma. Done correctly, the mindset of a lawyer will teach you to think & reason. Those skills can help you immensely in other fields. You don't have to practice -- you can go into investment banking, you can sell specific related products to lawyers (malpractice insurance; Lexis / Westlaw subscriptions; BarBari classes etc).

 

Do talk to your professors & the placement department. For your last year consider getting a job while you are in school so you have some income. Try to get a clerkship after next year so you can network.

[clia]

I'm currently in my mid twenties and just failed my last year of law school.

 

Why did you fail? Did you not put the time in, or did you not understand the material, or ...? I'm curious because by third year most people are typically taking the classes that really interest them, along with some "bar" type courses, so your last year should've been an enjoyable one for you as far as the material.

 

Do you have student loans and will you have to take out more to repeat your last year? Given that you already have two years in, I'm hesitant to tell you not to finish, but you don't sound particularly interested in even being a lawyer, so it is worth considering whether you should just move on and find something else rather than spending more money. There is also the bar exam to consider, which you will have to pass. What is your undergraduate degree in, and what are the job options there?

 

I am not particularly fond of the field either. I think most of it is quite dry, and I can't really envision doing this for the rest of my life. There are a few courses I am very passionate about, but the vast majority just bores me to death. Most things I really like are fields where there are limited job options so I don't know if I can do it, especially with my bad diploma.

 

Other than finding a stable job, did you have any plan when you chose law school as far as what type of law you wanted to go into (subject matter, transactional vs. litigation, other types of jobs that aren't necessarily being a lawyer but require or prefer a law degree, etc.?)

 

Have you talked to the career services group at your school? Have you done any externships or internships?

 

I feel like a failure and I like I wasted years of my life. The point of doing law school was to find a stable job I liked. Now I feel that even if I do finish, I'll be back to square one. And that nobody will want to hire me/I'll only find a really boring/bad job.

 

You aren't a failure. The reality is that you will find a job somewhere, regardless of whether you finish school or not. But, you need to figure out what you want to do. I can't sugar coat it, though -- you will certainly face a hard road if you continue with law since your transcript isn't the greatest and it's such a competitive field already.

[contel3]

I'm curious because by third year most people are typically taking the classes that really interest them, along with some "bar" type courses, so your last year should've been an enjoyable one for you as far as the material.

 

Do you have student loans and will you have to take out more to repeat your last year?

 

I don't live in the States so student loans are not an issue. I won't have to spend a lot more money for the coming year.

 

I didn't get to choose any class. We get to choose some things during the second year, but not the third. There were subjects where I just didn't put in enough effort, but others I should have passed, considering the amount of time I spent on it.

 

Edit: I'll answer the rest of your questions as soon as I find the time.

Edited September 1, 2017 by contel3

[carnelian]

Right away, it looks that you are not really wanting to be a lawyer because if it bores you that much then actual law work may be more boring and you will hate it. Ask around whether the law work you want to do is as rewarding as you expect and want. If the job prospects and money are limited in this area, then maybe law is not for you. I will not encourage you to finish a degree that you hesitate and dislike the courses. But you are not a failure! You are too young. So you wasted some money but it was not a total waste. Maybe you willfind a career that excites or interests you more and apply the law knowledge to that.

I got a degree in library science when the courses bored me extremely but I found that the work itself much more interesting--but I wasn't happy because the money was low.

[preraph]

If you think you can get through the last year by repeating it, even if you don't want to be an attorney, there are other peripheral things you can do. If you can somehow tag on a second degree, even better. For example, an expert of just about any kind who also happens to have a law degree can be an asset to different corporations without totally immersing in legal work. For example if you wanted to work in the medical administrative field, you could take some courses for that and together with your legal knowledge, probably get a good job in medical admin. Or with your knowledge, you could run a nonprofit of your choosing in any field.

 

Until you get out into the work force you may not know which direction to go.

 

You certainly aren't the only person who didn't make it through the last year of law school. I think it's more the norm than the anomaly.

[TheFinalWord]

I'm currently in my mid twenties and just failed my last year of law school.

 

I have the option to repeat my year (which I plan on doing), but I'm not sure if I'll be able to pass...even if I do it will be with pretty average grades and longer than average study time : my co-students basically told me I can wipe a certain part of my body with that kind of diploma. Some even told me it would be less of a time waste to find a full-time job, make some money and just screw my education.

 

I am not particularly fond of the field either. I think most of it is quite dry, and I can't really envision doing this for the rest of my life. There are a few courses I am very passionate about, but the vast majority just bores me to death. Most things I really like are fields where there are limited job options so I don't know if I can do it, especially with my bad diploma.

 

I feel like a failure and I like I wasted years of my life. The point of doing law school was to find a stable job I liked. Now I feel that even if I do finish, I'll be back to square one. And that nobody will want to hire me/I'll only find a really boring/bad job.

 

This may sound funny to some of you, but I also feel so old and nowhere where I expected I'd be at this age.

 

I don't really know what I expect from posting this on here, but I guess I just feel quite lost and need some input.

 

There is a lot you can do with a law degree, besides practice law.

 

If you have already finished two years, I think you should at least try to finish at this point (most law degrees are three years right?). If not, you will always second guess about what might have been. If you need some time off take it, but I think you can pass, you just need to get force yourself to finish.

[lbjanieb]

Don't beat yourself up! Seriously, what would life be if we excelled at everything we did? We learn and grow from our mistakes, too. Just that you got into law school is something not everyone can do. I know several people who had to try several times before getting into a profession they now love and were seemingly made for. I also have an attorney friend who did graduate but then didn't know what to do because, as you said, so much of it was dry. He started off doing estate planning but then found his own niche and his business has taken off. But even if you decide you want to give up law school altogether, there's no shame in that. You are young and obviously have the brain power. Just give yourself some grace.