Overcoming Prejudice Against "Night School" Law Students

Dear Lawcrossing,

I work full-time, and go to law school in the evening. I've heard that there is a decided prejudice against "law students of the night," and I wonder if this is true.


KH, Washington

DEAR MH,

LawCrossing has heard many queries like yours, MH, but you're the first to thoughtfully provide her with the "law students of the night" gag. Although you didn't say it in so many words, you actually have two questions. After all, you're not so much
concerned with whether or not this prejudice exists; that would require a very short reply. "Yes, it does," or "No, it doesn't. Thanks for writing." What's more important is, if it does exist, what do you do about it? The Job Goddess has already tipped her hand on the existence of this prejudice by expanding your question this way, but the good news is that you can easily turn a potential problem to your advantage.

As to the existence of an evening student prejudice, LawCrossing checked around to see if it's true that employers view evening students as sneetches who lack stars on their bellies (if you don't recognize the reference, check back through your Dr. Seuss library). Much as LawCrossing dislikes admitting it, there are, in fact, employers who view evening students as career-ically challenged-primarily employers who aren't educated about evening programs. (Gee, funny how prejudice works that way.) Amy Berenson, Career Services Director at the UCLA Law School, has done extensive research on evening programs. She says, "The problem for evening students involves more ignorance than prejudice. Some employers don't know about night school, and since it's different than what they themselves did, they tend to view it suspiciously." The misperceptions seem to involve two primary areas. First, that evening programs are easier to get into than day programs, and so the quality of students is lower. The other is that the evening professors are of lower quality than day professors, and therefore the quality of education that night students get is lower.

In a nutshell, MH, employers who look askance at evening programs seem to envision a law degree that you got by responding to a matchbook that reads, "You too can be a lawyer!"

So, yes, MH, some employers will look askance at your program. But that doesn't make you legal employment roadkill. To mix metaphors in a horrible way, MH, now that the cat is out of the bag, let's look at the multiple ways you can skin it. the Directorsuggests one method, which involves focusing your job search on kindred spirits. "Call or visit your career services office, and identify evening student alumni." Make these people the first ones you contact; if you solicit their advice, you know you'll find a sympathetic ear and useful resource, because they themselves have been there and done that.

Furthermore, any employer who has hired evening students in the past, from any law school, won't suffer under the false image you fear. As Mary Beth Daisy, Assistant Director of Career Services at Rutgers University/Camden School of Law, points out, "Employers who've hired evening students know their advantages. They don't have to adjust to a work environment, they know how to balance responsibilities, they have a whole variety of skills because of what they've been through."

Another method for overcoming the night school prejudice involves attacking the misperception head-on, and selling the advantages you have over full-time day students. First, don't be shy about disabusing people-in a nice way-of any wrongheaded notions about your program, both as to the quality of the students and the quality of the professors. As the Directorpoints out, "The admissions standard for evening programs is no different than day programs. In fact, the qualifications students need to get into night programs are sometimes higher than for the day division. And the night curriculum is just as vigorous as it is during the day, and the classes are taught by the same faculty." You can always soften these points by stating them in terms of a general misperception, instead of pointing the finger at the employer you're talking to. You can say something like, "You know, a lot of people don't realize that it's actually more difficult (or just as difficult, whichever applies) to get into the evening division than the day division...." In short, you've got to convince them that the difference between night and day isn't night and day!

On top of setting the record straight, you'll want to sell everything you've got that a day division student typically wouldn't have. As the Directorpoints out, "You've had to juggle responsibilities, and you should sell that! You've got the discipline, commitment, and skills from your full-time work environment that full-time students lack. Look at the personal qualities you have as a result of taking on all of your responsibilities. It's not about someone who can't get into the day program!"
LawCrossing is certain that either of these approaches will work for you, MH. After all, as LawCrossing frequently points out, there simply is no flaw, real or perceived, that can prevent you from snagging your dream job. The key is how you present yourself, the words you use to sell what you've got. As LawCrossing has seen borne out over and over again, if you use confident language in describing what you bring to the table, employers will adopt your attitude and have confidence in you as well.