Quitting your job to study for the LSAT full time?

[Isaiah4110]

I am registered for the September LSAT but have not been hitting my target score. So I am considering of quitting my job to study full time until the November test date. I have worked at my current company for the past three years. My working hours are 7am-4pm. I try to squeeze in an hour of study in the morning before the coworker I share an office with comes in. I also try to study after work from 7-10pm. But my productivity is low because I am just so drained from work/sitting in the office. There are so many times where I wish I can study in the morning when my mind is still fresh and to be able to study consistently throughout the week. I have to work overtime if one of my projects picks up.

I am also in my late 20s and would really like to apply this cycle. Part of me feels that I have put in enough time for this job, which I don’t think I can get any more out of it. But part of me also gets queasy from the thought of quitting, mainly for financial reasons, even though I can live off of my savings until the November test. I was also thinking that if I do decide to quit, I will use the two weeks notice period as a break from the test since I have been experiencing some burn out. My current study regime is mostly about drilling on my weaknesses and taking timed and untimed PTs on the weekends as opposed to working on the fundamentals.

Any thoughts from this community would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!

[James Finch]

Hi Isaiah,

This is a pretty tough question to answer, especially because even if you apply and are accepted this cycle, without working you won't have any money coming in until loans are disbursed next August. It sounds like you'll have to get another job either way, so I would personally not quit were I in your shoes. It also puts a tremendous pressure on you to score well on the November test, regardless of whether you feel prepared for it or not. And even after two months of study, you may not.

That said, a lot depends on if your employer would be understanding of your desire to go to law school or not--if they are, you could ask for a leave of absence or reduced hours. If not, then I would maybe consider quitting and studying for the November LSAT if you have another job lined up afterwards.

Hope this helps!

[T.B.Justin]

Does your employer offer flexibility?

Can you work from home some days out of the week?

What is going on at work from now until Nov. 17th? Any projects? Can you fulfill your job duties not going to the office everyday?