Wondering if becoming a part time law student is right for you?
Today I provide you with the pros and cons of attending a part time law school program.
Hi, this is Professor Beau Baez.
Having taught part time law students, let me provide you with the advantages and disadvantages
of entering a part time program.
Part time law students usually go to school in the evening and complete their JD
in four years, rather than the three years it takes full time law students.
But some students stretch it out to five or even six, depending on the law school’s
graduation policies.
In addition to evening options, some law schools have weekend only programs and hybrid programs,
allowing you to complete some of the classes completely online.
Currently, about ten percent of all law students graduate from part time programs.
Inward, outward, upward!
Inward transformations, that help make outward changes, to propel you upwards!
Let’s discuss the advantages of a part time law school program.
Earn Money.
For most part time students, they attend part time because they have a good job
that they're unwilling to give up.
Some in this group are second career students, making over six figures in their current jobs.
Others have families, and they want the security of a paycheck to cover living expenses.
And some are just unwilling to borrow money, finding they can cover living expenses and
tuition by working.
Flexibility.
Most law schools that offer part time programs offer night classes, providing students with
the flexibility they need to attend.
While most students work a day job, there are other reasons students need flexibility.
For example, some part time students are parents who need to take care of their children during
the day and wait for their spouse to come home to care for their children.
Also, because these are four year programs, some without any outside commitments choose
this route hoping to earn higher grades—more time to study.
Classroom Discussion.
The typical full-time student began school at age 5 and has never known anything other
than the classroom.
They often are called K to JD.
Part-time students, on the other hand, bring their work experience into the classroom,
which brings a different perspective to the classroom discussion.
Admissions.
Often, law schools have lower criteria for part time evening students.
For example, while you might not be competitive for Georgetown’s full-time day program,
you might be able to get into their part time evening program.
In other words, you might be able to get into a higher ranked law school
going to a part time program.
Alright, now for the disadvantages.
Well Being.
Almost every part time law student works during the day, and still needs to spend 40 hours
a week to attend classes and study.
When I taught evening classes, students took two classes a night over three days—
6 pm to 9:30 pm.
The students were tired, having put in a full day at work.
And during the last thirty minutes, some actually fell asleep in class.
Because of job demands, that means spending the weekends studying and neglecting your
family and friends for four years.
Some relationships don’t survive that kind of strain.
Exams.
Oddly, even though classroom discussion tends to be better with the part time students,
they don’t do as well on their exams.
That's because they don’t have the same amount of time to dedicate to their exams.
One semester I got to teach three sections of Torts: twice during the day and once in the evening.
If grades were based on classroom discussion, that evening section would have had the highest grades.
But, when I gave the students the same exam, the evening students did significantly worse.
Now, because of the law school had a grading policy that equalized grades section by section,
the evening section did just fine.
So keep in mind, most law schools have a mandatory curve and that is enforced for each class.
I suppose this could be an advantage for anyone that enters the part time program but does
not have any outside obligations, meaning they can spend their time studying and
really move to the top of the class.
Graduation.
As a part time program it will take you longer to graduate.
If becoming a lawyer right away is important, then you delay that by at least one year.
Law School Opportunities.
Most of the opportunities in law school go to the full time day students.
This includes law review, moot court, special lunch speakers, and the like.
And even if you can get into something like law review, you may find it difficult to attend
meetings as they are unlikely going to have them in the evening
for one or two part time students.
Summer Jobs.
One of the ways that law students find permanent jobs after graduation
is by securing summer jobs.
But part time students often take courses over the summer, and are unwilling to give
up their day job for a temporary summer job.
Prestige.
There is a perception--is it a perception-- by some that part time students are somehow
less competent than full time students.
That's just not true. The perception is there though.
This may limit your ability to get a clerkship or other legal employment.
One of the most famous part-time law students was the future U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson,
who spent one semester in Georgetown’s part-time program in 1939 before dropping out to pursue
a political career.
Faculty.
Many law schools staff the evening classes with adjuncts as it is difficult to get the
full time faculty to teach at night.
While I never liked teaching at night, I always loved teaching the students.
They made the classroom discussion interesting, more than compensating for the long day.
Law School Options.
About 70 law schools, a third of them, offer part time programs.
And only one T14, Georgetown, offers a part time option.
This means you will have fewer options as to where you can attend.
You now have to decide what makes sense for you.
By the way, even if you start in the part time program you might be able to move into
the full-time program later.
Also, I’ve seen full time students, who can’t handle the academic strain, move into
the part time program.
If you have more questions on part-time programs put them in the comment section below.
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