Another "received grades, need advice" thread Forum

[MrSam]

I'm sure you're all sick of reading these, but here we go:

Background: 1L at a lower T14. First semester grades came out, 3.0 GPA (probably bottom 1/3 of class). Didn't perform as well as I had hoped, but probably received the grades I deserve. Will be speaking with professors to see what I did wrong.
Not sure if this matters, but I do have friends and family who work in the legal field. All attorneys. Some in Biglaw, some at small firms, and 1 working at the office that I am most interested in.

Career goals: Not interested in Biglaw. Not in the slightest. Will I ever be? Maybe, but, probably not. More interested in either becoming a prosecutor for a county back home (competitive since they pay well, relative to similar positions at other offices), or doing something related to health law. Have also considered JAG.

Debt: Here's where I screwed up. I'm walking out with 6 figures of debt. Yes, I know, should've attended a lower-ranked school with a generous scholarship. Probably looking at $200k, including living expenses.

Any general advice on how to proceed would be appreciated!

P.S. Yes, I still want to become an attorney. And yes, I could drop out, go for my Masters, and make a somewhat comfortable living in a field that I'm not too interested in.

[gaddockteeg]

definitely don't drop out. if you want to be a prosecutor, be a prosecutor. Go on PAYE and you should be fine.

[jacketyellow]

You're fine. You're at a T14. If you want biglaw, you can get it. If you want to go for JAG, do it. I got accepted to both JAG AND biglaw with a 3.0 from a T20.

Don't drop out.

[herecomesthesun]

I had a 3.0 after first semester at a lower T14. It sucked. Had to work my ass off second semester and third semester. Your GPA will go up, and it's certainly not a barrier to getting the job you want. You will most likely not end law school with a 3.0.

[MrSam]

Thanks everyone, for the words of encouragement!
Just spoke with my family member, who works in the prosecutor's office mentioned in my initial post. He assured me that I should be fine. No guarantee that i'll get the job after law school, but apparently this 1L first semester 3.0 shouldn't hinder my chances by much.