Ideal age for law school?? Forum

[bobo11111111111]

I don't know if I've seen this question asked on this board. But what do people think the ideal age is for law school. Would you recommend getting a few years of work expeirence, a few LSAT tries, and money under your belt?? Or just hit it right after undergrad. FWIW, I'm going with the former.

[the rza]

you don't generally want to give the lsat "a few tries"

[commoner]

Law schools post their age ranges, most people are like 22-27, but there are many who are older, and some who are younger. The most interesting are older people (in their 50's and 60's) who have the courage to attend grad school late in life then go into practice as attorneys.

[nativedelta]

I went to a happy hour for 1Ls at my law school yesterday. Although by the end of the night, I was having a great time with all the day students, when I arrived from work dressed in my usual office attire, I was met with these looks from the 22-27 year old crowd like I had just come from a garden club meeting with their mothers.

Four different times, I got the, "Um, are you a ...night student?"

"No, I'm a day student."

"Oh, really? Well hi; I'm __________"

I'm only 28 for the love of god! I don't look old. My friend commented that even though I don't look old, I have "an air of maturity." Whatever. Apparently anyone over 27 is the dreaded "older night student" for that particular crowd of students. It was only 15 people--I have another 285 to meet.

Just depressing. Maybe I need some old blue jeans and a pithy t-shirt bordering on rude to look more my age.

[bartleby]

I dig older women.

[Robert398]

Just depressing. Maybe I need some old blue jeans and a pithy t-shirt bordering on rude to look more my age.

LOL

[Merrill]

Maybe I need some old blue jeans and a pithy t-shirt bordering on rude to look more my age.

Haha, I think you just wrote my shopping list for 1L clothes.

[overcastagain]

...

[Clever username]

I'll be 28 by the time I enter law school next fall. I guess that's my ideal age.

[bklawgirl11]

I'll be 21 when I start, so I guess I'm below the average age. Any others that young straight out of college starting law school this fall?

[underdawg]

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

[hotdogs]

im currently 19 and iwll be starteing this yr

prob a bit young, but im planning to start my own business when im 24 so i gotta get a moveon

why am i doing law if im gonna start a biz you ask? beceus the business i will start will involve a lot of law so it helps to be acquainted with it

[Clever username]

im currently 19 and iwll be starteing this yr

prob a bit young, but im planning to start my own business when im 24 so i gotta get a moveon

why am i doing law if im gonna start a biz you ask? beceus the business i will start will involve a lot of law so it helps to be acquainted with it

I certainly hope this business of yours doesn't require proper use of the English language. Or at least has a spellcheck.

As for the content of your post, I simply don't believe you.

[kevsocko]

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

[nvoight911]

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?"

[hwmyones]

I'm 21, won't turn 22 until December of my 1L year. I plan on starting a business by the time I'm 24 as well. And it involves putting hotdogs out of business...

[bartletforamerica]

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?"

I lol'd at this...

[Alexandria]

I think 25 is perfect for starting 1L. Not that *you* should wait until then... everyone's lives and choices are different. I started at 29, and while I'm having a great experience, I do wish I were going to be starting my law career a little younger. I think at 25, you've matured and gotten some experience and perspective under your belt.

That said, for those 28-year-old posters... probably/hopefully age won't be an issue for you. My law school friends run the gamut of ages, and it really is no big deal. Now, it's true that outside of school I don't tend to hang out with the particular group of straight-out-of-undergrads who go out most nights of the week (though I still have individual friends who might fit that description). But then again, neither do many people who are closer to their age, so I feel like it's a personality thing rather than an age thing.

[waytofailself]

Many students who go straight from undergrad don't have a lot of real world experiences, so it's not surprising that they would, in their own way, shun someone who looks older. I'm sure I'll get the same thing, and I'm 25 and have been working for three years.

I think it's good to go out and meet the real world for a bit, but if you're ready for law school now there's no harm in going now either.

[RLP]

Heh, I'll be 49 by the time I start.

I wonder if anybody will even talk to me, though I don't look a day over 40.

The ideal age is when you're 100 percent committed to doing it up right. IMHO, most people would get the most out of LS if they took at least one year off after UG and worked or volunteered doing something in a non-academic setting.

[SteelersandGators]

I'll be 21 when I start, straight out of undergrad. I don't really feel like taking a year off and getting kicked off my parent's insurance, plus losing a year's salary (hopefully of the 160K variety) in order to "discover myself".

But really, every situation is unique to the individual. Go whenever you feel most comfortable. There's no right or wrong way to do it.

[nativedelta]

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.

[Player30]

nativedelta, wow, I'm surprised they thought you were that different. I'm a little worried now, being a little older than you. I'm single too, and a lot of the people my age are probably married.

[Go Bears]

nativedelta - When you say they talk about their family, I assume you mean they talk about their parents as still being a huge part of their everyday lives, correct? Because I talk about family, too - my wife, two dogs and unborn child.

What you're getting at is that their concept of "family" is different than yours at that point.

It's definitely going to be weird. I'll be 32. But I don't think I could have really gone back a second sooner - I really had to let this first career play out, or else always regret it. In hindsight, there are some things I should have done differently, but oh well.

I'm around college kids a lot in my job, so at least I have some understanding of what they are like now - which also means realizing how different I am than them. It happens fast. I still feel like the kid who liked to throw TVs and shower doors off the fraternity house balcony while blaring AC/DC in the background.

This is going to be so freaking weird. I'll be friendly and probably have friends, but I definitely won't be the going-out type. The whole point of this is to do college right this time around.

[kn6542]

why am i doing law if im gonna start a biz you ask?

We didn't.