Sunday, June 03, 2007

No Science Degree... Argh.

It's very nice when everything is going your way, but when reality crashes down around you, things begin to seem a bit more dark.

I have been thinking strongly about the feedback I have been receiving over and over from law firms. They say I have no science degree, and they are right.

In college, I was a philosophy major. I am not quite sure why I did that -- perhaps I just wanted to graduate, and I didn't think that it mattered what I majored in, as long as I had the desire to succeed. I did take a science concentration, but that was to fulfill the pre-med requirements. Law school and patent law were the furthest thing from my mind -- I didn't even know they existed when I was in college.

Anyway, I've been kicking myself all day for not having the foresight to realize that a chemistry degree would have been the wise thing to do. I can't stop thinking about all those semesters I wasted on what?!? Descartes? Plato? Kant? I remember why I did the philosophy degree -- I wanted to be well rounded.

So the result? I'm having the hardest time getting employed as a patent attorney. I actually want to cry about this. This is really bothering me to the point that I spent all morning researching whether I should go back to school for a summer and a year to get my undergraduate chemistry degree. My wife and friends though say it is not feasible because I have responsibilities to attend to. I agree with them.

I'm going to write a letter to the Lubavicher Rebbe. I need help and a blessing.

5 comments:

Ahuva said...

It's not feasible for you to go back full time with a wife and baby. But-- what about going part time? Find a job and then take a class or two each semester. There's nothing wrong with starting out in another area of law and then switching over.

Also-- that philosophy degree will help you once you have the job. I use bits from my philosophy undergrad degree every day and I'm a programmer.

Best of luck.
-Ahuva

AS said...

Buddy, no offense but with technology today you get do it online part time. You'll finish quick.

Anonymous said...

I don't know why you thought you could be a patent atty when you have no science degree.
Look into patent litigation, however. Most of them are not registered with the USPTO.

Kiley said...

How have things been going, ZOe? ANy luck?

Best,
K.

Zoe Strickman said...

Well, to answer all of your questions, I *am* registered as an attorney with the USPTO. This is a big deal, and in itself, it should be testimony that I have enough of a science background to practice patent law.

As for whether I actually have a science major -- this is a technical problem (no pun intended) whereas in the olden days, my parents used to say "college was a piece of paper" indicating its uselessness. Unfortunately, I took their teachings too seriously.

Going back to school is an option I am seriously considering. However, at this point, with a wife and a child, I think the smarter idea is to take a job as a patent attorney in any form I can find it, and then to build experience and from there get a real job as a patent attorney.