<p>I joined policy debate this year, but I think I need to quit. I have recently been thinking about graduating a year early (in the spring of 2014), and I want to focus on nothing more than keeping my gpa up (especially after my hellish semester in the fall) and prepping for the LSAT so I can have a shot at a top law school. I don’t think that I will be able to make the commitment necessary to compete in debate and I won’t have the drive and that would not be fair to anyone. So quitting seems like the best option. The problem is that I don’t know how to tell my coach. I don’t won’t to disappoint him after he made such an effort to teach me about debate. I also think he could write a decent letter of recommendation to law schools for me (that is NOT the reason why I participated in debate this year). I might jeopardize his respect for me and the best rec. letter I could get. He told me at the very beginning of the year that I need to devote lots of time and energy to debate, and I told him that I was willing to do so. Now it feels that I am just walking away and breaking my commitment. My coach is certainly not cold-hearted and has bigger things on his mind than an average novice, but how could I tell him that I need to quit?</p>
<p>I think you just need to tell your coach that school working is piling up and you don’t think you can devote as much time and energy needed to be successful in debate.</p>
<p>However, think hard about your decision because debate is a great activity to have on a law school application! And would be greatly helpful even in law school and in your career.</p>
<p>Just tell the coach, that as much as you enjoy debate, academics need to come first…and that unfortunately the commitment to debate is interfering with your academics.</p>