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Non-Traditional Students / Re: Why are you "Non Traditional"
« on: March 29, 2005, 01:05:06 AM »
I'm not entirely sure if I qualify as a non-traditional student by standard definition. Perhaps I'm an "unrecorded" student, but I figured I'd post here anyways and say a word or two.
As notes to those who did post, I'm really impressed. The motivation and dedication to make the decision to go back to school is pretty amazing and I applaud all of you for making the proverbial "leap of faith." Judging from the stories here, there's a lot of personal experience that will later determine success in the legal field.
Anyways, a little about me, so you can get an idea of why I'm a bit "non-traditional." It doesn't really make sense, considering I participated in most of high school like any other student. In my Sophomore year however, the state gave me the chance to take my Junior and Senior years in a college of choice at the state's expense. Having been somewhat tired of high school at that point, I accepted. I started High school a year early, so my freshman year of college began when I was 15. Not knowing how to drive, my parents had to, thus causing things to be rather awkward. My standard excuse when people asked was that my "car was in the shop". Under no circumstances would I admit to not having a license.
Summers were spend working full time and taking college courses which wasn't the most exciting combination, but it allowed me to finish completely in the 2 year time bracket. I transferred into my "real" undergrad school at 17 (somehow managing to bypass taking the SAT/ACT) right about the time when I started developing a distinct interest in law/politics. The program choice was a toss-up between Political Science and Legal Studies, but I chose the latter.
Fast-forward to today and you have a just-turned-19, graduate-in-a-month student who has this crazy idea about getting into law school. I took the LSAT in December (first "official" standardized test) and quickly learned that, though I'm strong in reading/writing/comprehension it doesn't make up for the rest of the test.
And I guess that's perhaps how I'm "not exactly traditional." Reading through these posts pretty much confirmed that. My worries were that the age factor might hurt my chances at law school, which was mostly confirmed. You tend to get a lot of snide comments from faculty and other law students including, "Try for it when you have a "2" in front of your age", "Come back when you're an adult" or the ever popular, "How about some real-world experience first?" And then there's the poor, deluded individuals who actually think you're smart. I'm not sure whom I pity more.
That's basically my two cents for better or worse. There's not a happy ending (or an ending at all yet!) since I'm still hanging in law school limbo, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed. I'd definitely encourage those who get commetns about being out of the "normal" bracket to keep up with things anyways. Scoring lower on the LSAT was a disappointment, the flurry of rejection letters were a disappointment, and the comments and attitudes I encounter are similarily so. Definitely, definitely, definitely don't quit though. I'm working towards eventually being involved with technology law, and I think I can accomplish it. Mabye not this year, or the next, but it will happen. I'm not quite ready to surrender to the stats yet.
Good Luck and best of wishes to you all.
As notes to those who did post, I'm really impressed. The motivation and dedication to make the decision to go back to school is pretty amazing and I applaud all of you for making the proverbial "leap of faith." Judging from the stories here, there's a lot of personal experience that will later determine success in the legal field.
Anyways, a little about me, so you can get an idea of why I'm a bit "non-traditional." It doesn't really make sense, considering I participated in most of high school like any other student. In my Sophomore year however, the state gave me the chance to take my Junior and Senior years in a college of choice at the state's expense. Having been somewhat tired of high school at that point, I accepted. I started High school a year early, so my freshman year of college began when I was 15. Not knowing how to drive, my parents had to, thus causing things to be rather awkward. My standard excuse when people asked was that my "car was in the shop". Under no circumstances would I admit to not having a license.
Summers were spend working full time and taking college courses which wasn't the most exciting combination, but it allowed me to finish completely in the 2 year time bracket. I transferred into my "real" undergrad school at 17 (somehow managing to bypass taking the SAT/ACT) right about the time when I started developing a distinct interest in law/politics. The program choice was a toss-up between Political Science and Legal Studies, but I chose the latter. Fast-forward to today and you have a just-turned-19, graduate-in-a-month student who has this crazy idea about getting into law school. I took the LSAT in December (first "official" standardized test) and quickly learned that, though I'm strong in reading/writing/comprehension it doesn't make up for the rest of the test.
And I guess that's perhaps how I'm "not exactly traditional." Reading through these posts pretty much confirmed that. My worries were that the age factor might hurt my chances at law school, which was mostly confirmed. You tend to get a lot of snide comments from faculty and other law students including, "Try for it when you have a "2" in front of your age", "Come back when you're an adult" or the ever popular, "How about some real-world experience first?" And then there's the poor, deluded individuals who actually think you're smart. I'm not sure whom I pity more.
That's basically my two cents for better or worse. There's not a happy ending (or an ending at all yet!) since I'm still hanging in law school limbo, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed. I'd definitely encourage those who get commetns about being out of the "normal" bracket to keep up with things anyways. Scoring lower on the LSAT was a disappointment, the flurry of rejection letters were a disappointment, and the comments and attitudes I encounter are similarily so. Definitely, definitely, definitely don't quit though. I'm working towards eventually being involved with technology law, and I think I can accomplish it. Mabye not this year, or the next, but it will happen. I'm not quite ready to surrender to the stats yet.
Good Luck and best of wishes to you all.