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I started college when i was 17. Changed major many times due to family issue (Parents want me to be a math professor duh), took classes every summer and will be finishing up college in Dec 2015. The plan was to apply for LS for fall 2016, but after reading through all the post on TLS, it seems like everyone thinks going to LS at a young age is a very bad idea.

My problem is that I been in U.S for 7 years and I am still an international student, and I am majoring in Public policy and poli sci. All the jobs posting I seen for my major requires either a green card or citizenship. My mom, step dad and my little brother are in U.S with their green card and I dont know where my dad is, so if I go back to China I will have no friend, no family and possibly no job because I really dont know what could I do with a American poli sci major in China.

I am struggling with whether going to LS this year or go figure something else. Probably not going to be working anyways if I end up taking couple years off. (Travelling around the world?)

I know 19 is too young for LS, 25 is a great age, but how about 21?

Age 21 is fine for a first year law student so long as the individual is mature relative to the other first year law students.

If you return to China for a year or two, consider teaching English or college consulting--if that reflects your interests & capabilities.

A kid in my class just turned 20 like last week(1L).

Do it. I've met a surprising amount of people 21 or younger so far (also a 1L).

Only 3 weeks in but at Duke its extremely clear who the young straight out of undergrad students are and even the students who just took 1 year off. Out of the people struggling the most, it is definitely the straight out of undergrads who are not dealing with the stress level and work already.

CanadianWolf wrote:Age 21 is fine for a first year law student so long as the individual is mature relative to the other first year law students.

If you return to China for a year or two, consider teaching English or college consulting--if that reflects your interests & capabilities.

Would no WE hurt me during OCI?

FuturePanhandler wrote:A kid in my class just turned 20 like last week(1L).

What school

I'm not sure I fully follow the OP. But if the question is "I am 21 years old and I have two choices. I can either travel the world, or I can go to law school. Which should I choose?" then the answer is clear.

fredfred wrote:Only 3 weeks in but at Duke its extremely clear who the young straight out of undergrad students are and even the students who just took 1 year off. Out of the people struggling the most, it is definitely the straight out of undergrads who are not dealing with the stress level and work already.

You will have no idea who struggled until after grades come out in January.

OP, you'll be fine. K-JD kids do just as well as people with WE.

fredfred wrote:Only 3 weeks in but at Duke its extremely clear who the young straight out of undergrad students are and even the students who just took 1 year off. Out of the people struggling the most, it is definitely the straight out of undergrads who are not dealing with the stress level and work already.

Lol

I know lots of kids who are straight out at my LS, and many of them did perfectly well at OCI in securing jobs. That being said, I'm pretty positive my work experience helped me for OCI in outperforming my grades. If you have poor grades, and no work experience, you're going to have a bad time.

BigZuck wrote:I'm not sure I fully follow the OP. But if the question is "I am 21 years old and I have two choices. I can either travel the world, or I can go to law school. Which should I choose?" then the answer is clear.

Yeah that was the question. Which one should I pick?

Tiny123 wrote:

BigZuck wrote:I'm not sure I fully follow the OP. But if the question is "I am 21 years old and I have two choices. I can either travel the world, or I can go to law school. Which should I choose?" then the answer is clear.

Yeah that was the question. Which one should I pick?

If you have to ask this question, then you'll never understand the correct answer.

Enjoy law school.

BigZuck wrote:

Tiny123 wrote:

BigZuck wrote:I'm not sure I fully follow the OP. But if the question is "I am 21 years old and I have two choices. I can either travel the world, or I can go to law school. Which should I choose?" then the answer is clear.

Yeah that was the question. Which one should I pick?

If you have to ask this question, then you'll never understand the correct answer.

Enjoy law school.

smh.

Tiny123 wrote:

BigZuck wrote:I'm not sure I fully follow the OP. But if the question is "I am 21 years old and I have two choices. I can either travel the world, or I can go to law school. Which should I choose?" then the answer is clear.

Yeah that was the question. Which one should I pick?

Brb going to hospital for facepalming too hard.

Tiny123 wrote:

BigZuck wrote:I'm not sure I fully follow the OP. But if the question is "I am 21 years old and I have two choices. I can either travel the world, or I can go to law school. Which should I choose?" then the answer is clear.

Yeah that was the question. Which one should I pick?

Travel to different law schools

I took two years off, and the only thing I would have done differently is take more time off. Law school will always be there. Work, travel, and do things you've always wanted to do. The WE will only help you at OCI, too.

Tiny123 wrote:

BigZuck wrote:I'm not sure I fully follow the OP. But if the question is "I am 21 years old and I have two choices. I can either travel the world, or I can go to law school. Which should I choose?" then the answer is clear.

Yeah that was the question. Which one should I pick?

Look at it this way: the world will always be there, but the law school you get into might soon be closed by the ABA due to poor employment placement. So, clearly, the correct choice here is law school.

rpupkin wrote:

Tiny123 wrote:

BigZuck wrote:I'm not sure I fully follow the OP. But if the question is "I am 21 years old and I have two choices. I can either travel the world, or I can go to law school. Which should I choose?" then the answer is clear.

Yeah that was the question. Which one should I pick?

Look at it this way: the world will always be there, but the law school you get into might soon be closed by the ABA due to poor employment placement. So, clearly, the correct choice here is law school.

Honestly being an international student will hurt you much more than being young/K-JD when it comes to securing a job.

Mack.Hambleton wrote:

Tiny123 wrote:

BigZuck wrote:I'm not sure I fully follow the OP. But if the question is "I am 21 years old and I have two choices. I can either travel the world, or I can go to law school. Which should I choose?" then the answer is clear.

Yeah that was the question. Which one should I pick?

Travel to different law schools

Lol

chuckbass wrote:Honestly being an international student will hurt you much more than being young/K-JD when it comes to securing a job.

Sad. How much does it help if I have an undergrad degree in CS with ~2 years of tech-related WE? Can I find a legal job with a decent JD degree as an international?

chuckbass wrote:Honestly being an international student will hurt you much more than being young/K-JD when it comes to securing a job.

No it won't

star fox wrote:

chuckbass wrote:Honestly being an international student will hurt you much more than being young/K-JD when it comes to securing a job.

No it won't

I mean I'm just speaking from what I've seen with friends that have struggled. Being international means you need biglaw since those are the only jobs that will pay for you, and having to have a firm do all of that makes it more difficult to get a job.

Yeah, being an international student (especially if ESL) seems like way more to overcome than being K-JD. That doesn't seem controversial to me at all.

What's your thinking there John?