Day 1: So Far So Good

No, I'm not really going to chronicle every single day after class, but this one is a milestone. I had my first law school class, after two days of orientation, and it was fantastic. We had a great class conversation, the professor is amazing (37 years of teaching - if I don't learn Contracts from him, I have no chance!!), and I have made a fair few friends already that I know I'm going to be close with as friends and colleagues for many years.

However, it's not all rainbows and puppies. This is, after all, a blog about the specific conditions of evening law school. For clarity's sake, I'll break out the most important things to note about being an evening student that I have noticed thus far in outline form. As a law student, you are going to have to get used to outlines - fast!!

1) It's exhausting
Three days of going to campus after work is already leaving me a little sleep deprived. Plus, I'm getting up an hour earlier than usual in order to review that evening's materials, which doesn't help my circadian rhythm at all. Get used to it.

2) You are not alone
Your friends and family will be amazed by what you are trying to accomplish - working full-time while getting a law degree at night. That glory dissolves at the front door of the law building. Understand that you are in a class full of people in your same boat - they're not impressed. In fact, they are usually professionals who have children, mortgages, advanced degrees (MA, MD, PhD, EdD, PsyD, etc.), and they understand the importance of being prepared - and even being ahead of the game. Over the past summer, I have been studying Contracts and Torts through podcasts, audiobooks, the work I did for Law Preview, etc., in order to get what I thought was a "leg up." Turns out, I wasn't the only one - so be prepared for equally anal people in night school. My opinion - the competition is tougher because you are all there with the same level of dedication that students straight out of college simply just don't have yet.

3) The food sucks
I was sort of expecting this one, having gotten my A.A. , B.A, and M.A. in night school. The cafeterias are either never open or non existent - you will rely on vending machines for the majority of your sustenance.

4) Offices will be closed
My school in particular prides itself on its evening program, and how respectful and receptive they are to the evening students' needs. I have already discovered that this isn't 100% true. Certain offices will be closed before you arrive on campus. This is true of all schools everywhere, and, I'm sorry to have to report, it is true of law schools. Get used to transacting via email or leaving work early a few days to get there during office hours. Even if the offices are open late a night or two a week, by and large the support staff will be a bit surly and resentful that YOU are making them stay late. (I have not had that experience at Rutgers - but I went through it many times as an undergrad. Just giving you a head's up!).

That's all I can caution you about for the time being. It really is extremely exciting, and a real adrenaline rush to be debating legal issues in a room full of future attorneys. I hope you enjoy it as much as I am. Now, go get some sleep!

Time to Pay the Piper

I have finally completed my financial aid process today, and I have to say that it was the easiest, painless process I have ever encountered. I filled out my FAFSA online back in February, so the school had my paperwork all on file. Rutgers is a direct lender, so in order to apply for my federal loan, I didn't have to file any loan application. I simply had to sign the Master Promissory Note, which I did electronically. I then pulled up my term bill online, and confirmed that I would be attending - all right from the Rutgers financial aid webpage.

I am now of the mind that ease of the financial aid/payment process should be one of the guiding criteria for the ever-obnoxious US News & World Report comparison of 100 best grad schools. Rutgers would then be in the top 3. I was in full-fledged panic worrying over when to submit my paperwork: what would I do if something got lost; what if my loans didn't cover my expenses; what if the loan didn't make it to the school in time? I had some terrible experiences as an undergrad at NYU (being audited=not fun), so I was worried about there being a glitch the day before classes that would prevent me from attending.

This isn't really directed as advice for PTN students - I'm just relieved to have one less thing on my plate, and be one step closer to law school!