Is 30 too old for law school? Forum

[miamilaw28]

What do you think? Would firms not hire me because of my age? I'd be 33 when i finish.

[orangeswarm]

No way. A lot of people start law school late. 33 isn't bad at all.

[brjames87]

If its what you want do it!

[egrubs]

If so, I'm screwed.

[Luxor]

Lots of people go to law school at 30 or later. The only issue you might want to think about is the work requirements of lawyers early in their career v. obligations to family you might have in your mid 30s.

[jackalope]

I'll be 35 when I finish, bro. Don't sweat it. Just wash that grey right out of your hair before a job interview.

[Pro Hac Vice]

attorneys that are more senior than you will likely respect you more than the 24 year olds that you will be starting with since you have actual life skills. consider it a plus.

[Tex_Mex13]

...

[Oklahoma Mike]

No. Average age for entry at Northwestern is 26, there are plenty there in their thirties- and they place extremely well. Deldad is at Penn and has a good job set up for this summer after 1L

Not a problem at all. (better not be since I'll turn 30 during 1L)

[Drew82abndiv]

IMO law firms will look highly upon someone more mature with more experience. Plus, 33 is not that old! They can still get 25+ years out of you at the firm if you are worth your weight so no big deal! Like a previous poster said, if it is what you want - go for it...you only live once!

[DelDad]

In my mid thirties, I'm not the oldest person in my class by a full 20 years. I will say my experiences rooming part time with 22 year olds has been....interesting, but other than that, age hasn't been a negative factor at all. I do think it helped somewhat in my interviews for summer jobs, however.

[brokendowncar]

I took the LSAT with an 80 year old. I think 30 will be no big deal.

[nellie06]

They made it through the test without falling asleep?

[brokendowncar]

He didn't fall asleep. It did take him a good 20 minutes to fill out that handwritten portion of the test. Because of his inability to fill out the bubbles in a reasonable amount of time, I had to pee through about half of the test.

[aberman]

My uncle went to law school when he was about fifty, and a good one-fourth of the students I teach (LSAT) are over thirty. I spend two hours teaching them how to take a standardized test, and they spend the last hour teaching me important life lessons--if anything, I think your age is an advantage

[nellie06]

lol at the old man post. Gee wilickers I wasn't prepared for a bubble sheet!

Well if 40 is the new 30, then 30 must be the new 20 right? So 20 is the new 10? That would make a lot of relationships seem very illegal right now haha.

[SecondTimeAround]

I'm 47 and don't feel out of place (though I go to an evening program where there are a good number of older students, though few as old as I am). On the other hand, my "life experience" has been of no clear advantage in understanding the cases or in the classroom. I hear that some of the "biglaw" firms don't like older students, thinking they won't work as hard or take the same abuse as younger people will; but I don't know how true that is -- either the perception of the part of the firms, or what older people will or will not take.

[applyingtoschool]

Absolutely not.

[LabRat]

I hope it isn't a problem as I'll be 40 when graduating.

[biochemist]

I'll be 31 when I start, and and 34 when I finish (going part-time).

[Shag Waits]

Some other advantages: hungover less often than the youngins and not obsessed about getting laid all the time.

[egrubs]

and not obsessed about getting laid all the time.

Speak for yourself.

[brokendowncar]

There is no way it will run your life like it does the average 23 year old. Almost every 23 year old guy I know can't settle down and has to find a new girl every month. Surely once we mature we will settle down?

[jmo7]

Some other advantages: hungover less often than the youngins and not obsessed about getting laid all the time.

he's exactly right. if I spent even 25% as much time studying as I do chasing tail and drinking... no wait, I can't think about that, I have to strategize a way to get laid.

[overtheoxer]

I'll be 35 when I start, so I hope 30 isn't too old!