Ideal age for law school?? Forum

[voltron]

I will be 22 upon entry, a bit old for my liking, but eh, at least I'll have my youthful vigor relative to the other used rags in 1L.

LOL! Other used rags. Are you refering to the girls? It seems like girls have it a bit different experience.

[voltron]

DELETE

Badlandz, are you from sotuh Dakota the Bad Land area, near wounded knee?

[Dick Whitman]

Young people wear baggy jeans? Your age is showing...that was the style maybe 8 years ago.

Judging from the unemployed bums I pass on the street on occasion, tight jeans and tight, printed t-shirts with ironic words/phrases are the style. My closet, on the other hand, is losing a slow, violent coup to Brooks Brothers.

[okeydokey]

Ideal age is whatever it is when you can get into a good school.

[pleasetryagain]

.

[steindle]

I will be 26 in Fall of '09. I'm not even vaguely put off by age. Do people here not have friends of various ages? I've maintained friendships with people from 20 to about 35 since I graduated from undergrad; I didn't realize that cross-generational relationships were such novelties.

I'm glad that I've had four years to work, achieve, and experience "real life" before coming strongly to the conclusion that I would like to study law. I rushed into (and through) undergrad with relatively little thought and that's why I changed my major 3 times and ended up with a B+ average that has put me at a disadvantage that will last throughout this app cycle. I'm glad that I didn't make the same mistake twice -- had I gone directly into grad school from UG (which was a possibility), I would probably be an unemployed film editor with $80k of debt right now.

As for pop culture knowledge -- this is something I haven't possessed since I was a senior in high school, so being out of the loop about whatever horrible music is currently popular will not be much of a change. I know that I sound like an elitist here, but honestly, if the primary content of a conversation revolves around last night's American Idol and Lil' Wayne, I'd rather just not have the conversation. The fact that someone is 21 or 22 doesn't make them incapable of discussing contentious issues.

[silver11]

will you have the funds to start a business right out of school?

I think the more pressing question is: "Does it involve hot dogs?"

Dammit beat me to the punch

[Paichka]

The ideal age is when you're 100 percent committed to doing it up right.

TITCR.

I'll be 27 when I start. Practically a grandma. :p

[milymo]

Young people wear baggy jeans? Your age is showing...that was the style maybe 8 years ago.

Judging from the unemployed bums I pass on the street on occasion, tight jeans and tight, printed t-shirts with ironic words/phrases are the style. My closet, on the other hand, is losing a slow, violent coup to Brooks Brothers.

I LOL'd at this.

[Lizface killah]

The biggest divide I felt when talking to the 22-27 year old 0Ls at my happy hour was their topics of conversation. Almost everything revolved around their family and things they did in undergrad. I understand that that's just where they are in life now, but it makes talking a little more difficult.

It's funny; 28 doesn't seem like a big chronological difference, but 1-6 years in your 20s can, I suppose, be light years apart. It probably doesn't help that I've been out of my parents house for 10 years and married for 8. I need to find the married/engaged older folks. They seem to have a different sphere of reference.

You know it's bad when you end up discussing politics and social issues like abortion because it's more comfortable than trying to understand the music/sports/family topics the younger ones are bringing up.

I am so out of touch.

Age is an attitude. At my law firm I've had "younger" conversations with people pushing 70 than people in their early thirties. Granted that crowd sounds pretty horrible to judge you so quickly, you might not want to look for friend there. Just be yourself and bear in mind that they're from a slightly different generation and they're at a different place in their lives and that once classes start you will all have a lot more common ground. If all else fails, talk about the Colbert Report.

[dueprocess14]

I will be 26 in Fall of '09. I'm not even vaguely put off by age. Do people here not have friends of various ages? I've maintained friendships with people from 20 to about 35 since I graduated from undergrad; I didn't realize that cross-generational relationships were such novelties.

I'm glad that I've had four years to work, achieve, and experience "real life" before coming strongly to the conclusion that I would like to study law. I rushed into (and through) undergrad with relatively little thought and that's why I changed my major 3 times and ended up with a B+ average that has put me at a disadvantage that will last throughout this app cycle. I'm glad that I didn't make the same mistake twice -- had I gone directly into grad school from UG (which was a possibility), I would probably be an unemployed film editor with $80k of debt right now.

As for pop culture knowledge -- this is something I haven't possessed since I was a senior in high school, so being out of the loop about whatever horrible music is currently popular will not be much of a change. I know that I sound like an elitist here, but honestly, if the primary content of a conversation revolves around last night's American Idol and Lil' Wayne, I'd rather just not have the conversation. The fact that someone is 21 or 22 doesn't make them incapable of discussing contentious issues.

Was just talking to a couple of friends at SLS yesterday about this. They said it has more to do with "what stage of life" you are in. In other words, the married folk and those in serious long-term relationships tend to stick together more, and the single people and those more interested in going out, etc. stick together. They both said (and they're both 24 - a 1L and a 3L) that they had 30-year-old single friends and even a couple with young kids who are totally willing to get them a babysitter and go out clubbing with the younger folk(!!!), but then also knew a lot of 22-year-olds who were more into their serious relationship and not as social, etc. Like most things, I think it's a birds of a feather thing more than age alone.

[bobina]

I will be 22 upon entry, a bit old for my liking, but eh, at least I'll have my youthful vigor relative to the other used rags in 1L.

LOL! Other used rags. Are you refering to the girls? It seems like girls have it a bit different experience.

now, now, I'm not sexist. Pretty much everyone with crows feet and a pot belly. Even when I was a senior in undergrad many of the males looked 30+. When I was in high school many of the girls already looked like middle-aged mothers whose sole job was to pop out the youngins. I can't wait for high school reunion.

Oldest in your class? What the hell...How old are you? I can't believe I have been conversing with a senior citizen via PMs.

[bobina]

I will be 22 upon entry, a bit old for my liking, but eh, at least I'll have my youthful vigor relative to the other used rags in 1L.

me too.. turn 23 Nov of 1L. I feel like I should be graduated and in law school already. Between a lack of direction and self-sabotage.. that didnt work out.

I know, I should have gone straight to law school but instead took a year off. I used to be the youngest kid in my classes, and now I'm going to be like the rest of 'em old farts.

[scaredstiff165]

.

[tecumseh]

On a more serious note, do you guys its generally still better to enter LS earlier? I'm debating on whether I should go to LS next year or defer my admissions for a year...

When (and if) I enter LS next fall, I will be 25 which means I will be 28 after graduation. I kinda of believe in the whole your brain start turning into mush after 23 or so theory (at least I can't do algebra in my head the way I used to), so do you think LS will be harder to do well in after a certain age. It uses a lot of memorization and quick recall doesn't it esp on exams, which declines with age?

Also what about after LS?
Do you think law firms care about your age (well not overtly per anti-discrimmination) when interviewing you? Wouldn't they rather hire a young single go-getter who's willing (and more able) to work his/her butt off and who still is in the prime than someone older who's looking to settle down and start a family?

Similarly what about academia? If you look a major discoveries in the hard sciences and engineering, most of them are done by researchers when they were under 30 due to the intense brainpower involved. Of course, law academics is slightly different but do you think an advanced start age would also make a difference in your abilities in that arena?

[Leeroy Jenkins]

Also what about after LS?
Do you think law firms care about your age (well not overtly per anti-discrimmination) when interviewing you? Wouldn't they rather hire a young single go-getter who's willing (and more able) to work his/her butt off and who still is in the prime than someone older who's looking to settle down and start a family?

I think law firms definitely care, and it's could be for a number of reasons, ranging from the fact that most young people have no work-life balance, and in addition, young people are more easily trained because they aren't so set in their ways.

I also read that employers in general will hire younger people because they can pay them less, and if things work out, they will get more years out of the young people.

[marburger06]

I will be 21 as well. 3 year grad going straight to law school. My only concern is that I plan on attending Admitted Students Days, during which I will still be 20. No bar-hopping with other prospetives for me

[muddywaters]

ill be 27, but i think anything around 24 or 25 is great. i really feel like there is lots to learn from entering the real world for a couple of years after college.

[milymo]

I'll be 37 (!!), but I'm not too worried about fitting in. I just finished my last semester of undergrad after starting back in 2005, so I'm not totally out of touch with the hip crowd. I kindof enjoy talking to those whippersnappers sometimes.

What I do worry about a little is what my job prospects will be like as a 40-year-old law graduate. But my present situation is untenable for the long haul, so I've gotta do something.

[Fup]

I will be 21 as well. 3 year grad going straight to law school. My only concern is that I plan on attending Admitted Students Days, during which I will still be 20. No bar-hopping with other prospetives for me

Me too. I'll have to spend the night in my hotel room feeling sorry for myself.

[Leeroy Jenkins]

Me too. I'll have to spend the night in my hotel room feeling sorry for myself.

You don't have to go to a hotel room to do that.

[Fup]

Well, won't I be staying in a hotel room for the admitted students day? Or do they provide room and board?

[Son of Cicero]

ill be 27, but i think anything around 24 or 25 is great. i really feel like there is lots to learn from entering the real world for a couple of years after college.

I used to be skeptical about the supposed benefits of starting a few years after college, but now I'm not so sure. I'm 22 at a school where the average age is 24, and I feel a little disadvantaged at times because my lack of practical experience has left me with a relatively limited framework for evaluating anything that doesn't have a strong measure of lifeless theory mixed in.