Early 30s too old to graduate law school? Forum

[barberiolisa]

Alright, I went back to college a little bit later than most and will graduate College at age 28 (this May)....

then If I take the June LSAT....apply to law school next Fall............and assuming graduate on time.....I will be 32 years old


Is 32 years old too old/or older than most to graduate law school?


Which schools tend to have (older than age 25) law graduates .... T14 schools like (Columbia, NYU, Duke) or Tier 1, 2, and 3 graduates?

[rebexness]

[gaud]

All of them.

[iShotFirst]

Im graduating at 30 with a bunch on experience before law school, started bachelors late as well. It has been a bonus in most interviews.

[3|ink]

Im graduating at 30 with a bunch on experience before law school, started bachelors late as well. It has been a bonus in most interviews.

+1

[musicfor18]

I'll be graduating when I'm 36. There are several other "older students" here at GULC, as well. Depending on what you did before law school, it could be an advantage.

[fatduck]

you're not going to get any younger, so...what are you going to do about it?

[DwightSchruteFarms]

I am about to graduate at 24 and it was the worst idea ever to not take a few years off

[MinEMorris]

You will turn 32 whether you go to law school or not. Decide where you'd rather be at 32.

[bizzybone1313]

I am about to graduate at 24 and it was the worst idea ever to not take a few years off

I took time off after undergrad to begin working. It was the biggest mistake I have ever made. I am going to get into politics, so I was just wasting time by doing this. Unless you have a lucrative undergrad degree, you are most likely costing yourself money by not going K-JD or at least one year off and then back to law school. This all assumes you are going to attend a T-13 school.

[keg411]

I'm graduating at 31. It's no big deal. Although law school does have an odd way of making you "age backwards" in certain respects .

[talesofyore]

You will turn 32 whether you go to law school or not. Decide where you'd rather be at 32.

.

[dingbat]

I started law school at 33.
There are plenty of 1Ls around 30, though not many above it

[Icculus]

Graduating at 34. I think that being older has actually helped me and as someone said earlier, you're not getting any younger. A few people in my class were even older and will be pushing late 30s/40 at graduation.

[Icculus]

Check out this thread:

http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 1&t=143047

[toothbrush]

I am about to graduate at 24 and it was the worst idea ever to not take a few years off

I took time off after undergrad to begin working. It was the biggest mistake I have ever made. I am going to get into politics, so I was just wasting time by doing this. Unless you have a lucrative undergrad degree, you are most likely costing yourself money by not going K-JD or at least one year off and then back to law school. This all assumes you are going to attend a T-13 school.

I've never seen anyone on TLS express this sentiment. I wonder if anyone else could elaborate on that (in a pm if necessary)?

[sidhesadie]

I'll be 37 when I graduate.

I'd say at least 1/4 of the people in my class (and similarly in the other class years) are over 30. I'm probably one of the older ones, though there are several people in their 40's and 50's scattered around, but most are in the 30-32 range. I definitely haven't felt weird or unwelcome, though the younger girls do ask me for skin care advice a lot .

I think that the age has been a slight disadvantage with certain jobs, but not at all with others. I don't think that if I were closer to 30 it would be as big of a deal, but I think with my age level being female, they really start to think about the baby situation. I kind of wish I could wear a t shirt that said "my kid is old enough to not need daycare and I'm not having any more". As it is, I just have to find a way to throw that into conversations if it feels like it's an issue.

[Icculus]

I am about to graduate at 24 and it was the worst idea ever to not take a few years off

I took time off after undergrad to begin working. It was the biggest mistake I have ever made. I am going to get into politics, so I was just wasting time by doing this. Unless you have a lucrative undergrad degree, you are most likely costing yourself money by not going K-JD or at least one year off and then back to law school. This all assumes you are going to attend a T-13 school.

As one in law school already, who has gone through OCI, bizzybone is way off here. Experience between UG and lawschool is good to have. Employers like to see it, and every firm I interviewed with mentioned they liken people with work experience because those people are more mature and can get up to speed faster. It also helps put things in perspective, and I think it helps you perform better in school since you have had to meet deadlines, deal with real problems, etc.

Though I would also argue going to law school to become a politician and not because you really want to be a lawyer is a mistake, but we've already had that discussion.

[kryptix]

I am about to graduate at 24 and it was the worst idea ever to not take a few years off

I took time off after undergrad to begin working. It was the biggest mistake I have ever made. I am going to get into politics, so I was just wasting time by doing this. Unless you have a lucrative undergrad degree, you are most likely costing yourself money by not going K-JD or at least one year off and then back to law school. This all assumes you are going to attend a T-13 school.

As one in law school already, who has gone through OCI, bizzybone is way off here. Experience between UG and lawschool is good to have. Employers like to see it, and every firm I interviewed with mentioned they liken people with work experience because those people are more mature and can get up to speed faster. It also helps put things in perspective, and I think it helps you perform better in school since you have had to meet deadlines, deal with real problems, etc.

Though I would also argue going to law school to become a politician and not because you really want to be a lawyer is a mistake, but we've already had that discussion.

Every isn't quite right, I ran into a few interviewers who went K-JD and seemed to try to pick at my work experience (and especially question why I would want to make a career change and question my dedication etc). I didn't feel like those firms would be for me...

[iShotFirst]

I am about to graduate at 24 and it was the worst idea ever to not take a few years off

I took time off after undergrad to begin working. It was the biggest mistake I have ever made. I am going to get into politics, so I was just wasting time by doing this. Unless you have a lucrative undergrad degree, you are most likely costing yourself money by not going K-JD or at least one year off and then back to law school. This all assumes you are going to attend a T-13 school.

As one in law school already, who has gone through OCI, bizzybone is way off here. Experience between UG and lawschool is good to have. Employers like to see it, and every firm I interviewed with mentioned they liken people with work experience because those people are more mature and can get up to speed faster. It also helps put things in perspective, and I think it helps you perform better in school since you have had to meet deadlines, deal with real problems, etc.

Though I would also argue going to law school to become a politician and not because you really want to be a lawyer is a mistake, but we've already had that discussion.

Every isn't quite right, I ran into a few interviewers who went K-JD and seemed to try to pick at my work experience (and especially question why I would want to make a career change and question my dedication etc). I didn't feel like those firms would be for me...

That's the rub of the work experience. I also had a few interviews where the interviewer tried to turn around my work experience against me. For example, I had one interviewer ask how I would be able to follow the directions of a boss who was younger than me. I answered that since I have worked before I understand better than K-JD working in a team, following the lead of a boss, etc. They asked a few more questions like that, it was really annoying.

But by and large potential employers have treated it as a plus.

[A. Nony Mouse]

Getting asked how you'll work with people younger than you/with less experience than you is incredibly common if you don't go K-JD. Also having to defend your choice to leave (whatever it was you were doing) for law school. I don't even really think of those as turning your work experience against you - they're just kind of standard interview questions if you have something on your resume to talk about besides school. I think having the experience is still seen as a plus,* even if they want to make sure you're not Greg Berry.

*But then I am oooooooooold so I want to think that.

[sidhesadie]

I also found that they ask really, I think, ridiculous questions about work experience sometimes, like they don't want to accept you may have done something relevant.

For example, I used to be a real estate broker. Obviously, client communication and negotiation are significantly involved in that. But I had an interview a little while ago where they must have asked me 5 different ways to explain how any of my experience could possibly be relevant to client intake or negotiating. Really?

Obviously, that place was not going to be a good fit, but I just thought it was odd.

[Icculus]

I am about to graduate at 24 and it was the worst idea ever to not take a few years off

I took time off after undergrad to begin working. It was the biggest mistake I have ever made. I am going to get into politics, so I was just wasting time by doing this. Unless you have a lucrative undergrad degree, you are most likely costing yourself money by not going K-JD or at least one year off and then back to law school. This all assumes you are going to attend a T-13 school.

As one in law school already, who has gone through OCI, bizzybone is way off here. Experience between UG and lawschool is good to have. Employers like to see it, and every firm I interviewed with mentioned they liken people with work experience because those people are more mature and can get up to speed faster. It also helps put things in perspective, and I think it helps you perform better in school since you have had to meet deadlines, deal with real problems, etc.

Though I would also argue going to law school to become a politician and not because you really want to be a lawyer is a mistake, but we've already had that discussion.

Every isn't quite right, I ran into a few interviewers who went K-JD and seemed to try to pick at my work experience (and especially question why I would want to make a career change and question my dedication etc). I didn't feel like those firms would be for me...

I got all those questions, but I also had answers to all those questions. I found once I explained my decision every interviewer saw my work as a plus. They jut want to make sure you have a good reason since that would indicate a certain level of maturity. I also found that almost every interviewer I met with asked my how my past experience would help me going forward. Again, since I thought of this ahead of time I found positive reactions to my answers. Then again I'm at NU so almost everyone has worked, though I was still a bit older than most.

[utlaw2007]

You'll be fine. I began law school when I was 33 and graduated when I was 36. Being more experienced, assuming you have more experience, will make you wiser. And being wiser will help you make better legal career choices with what's most important to you in mind.