Why are you "Non Traditional"

[AtlAggie]

Howdy all...

Well, I suppose I'm non-traditional enough to chime in here.

29 years old, which makes me on the young side of the age range of this thread, but college kids have grown increasingly young to me for a few years now, which is rather alarming. I've been wondering what it will be like going to school with people mostly just out of college with no "real world" experience.  Should be interesting. Although I believe the school I'm 99% positive I'm attending, Georgia State, has a larger non-traditional population than many other law schools, which is somewhat comforting.

I live with my partner of 8 years and have worked in the publishing business for the last 7, currently as a graphic artist, but have done editing, writing, and proofreading during my time at my company.  I kind of just drifted into the field out of college, not knowing what else I wanted to do and having bills to pay....not an uncommon fate for people with English degrees who don't want to teach nor go on to grad school. 

It's taken me the last 7 years to finally stumble upon my very well hidden reserves of professional ambition.  But my job is dead-end, and I've finally realized I don't want to be stuck in it for the rest of my life.  Time to make a drastic change.  So I'm really excited about entering law school (and getting the chance to use my poor neglected brain cells again!)  I'm interested in several areas of the law, including civil rights law (with a focus on gay issues), immigration law, and aribtration/mediation. 

Anyhow, I've really enjoyed reading everyone else's posts, and I especially admire those of you who are leaving well-established, good-paying careers to pursue your law school dreams. With a job like mine, it's a no-brainer, but I imagine it's a more difficult decision to make when you are actually giving up a successful career.

[glimmerglasspeg]

age...ancient...really ancient...have trouble with names...that will help with case law! 

settled my divorce two weeks ago...hated the pain...loved the intelligent sparring...am not doing this to change how divorce is handled, except to well, ok, suggest that it requires more respect, the parties require more respect, and the practice should live up to that...

have been in love with the law since college (ok, decades...)

had worked in insurance and investigated and negotiated cases for years...and a short bit as a paralegal...it taught me that to be a decent atty, you'd have to live in your office...

when I met my husband, he said he'd support my wanting to go to law school...well, after 17 years of marriage jumping to his dance, I guess he will now...

I own a small real estate firm...it's nice to talk about pretty houses, but not very stimulating...again, the legal messes are what I enjoy!

I cannot remember a time when anything to do with law didn't turn my head...

now that my son will only be around just two more years, I figure my example in school will be better than my nagging him, and in 3 years I can go and live in a law office!

[alkiremays]

I consider myself non-traditional because my unique motivation: I am going to LS hopefully to meet an ideal husband.

I am 31, single, never married, grew up in another country. Been in this country for 7.5 yrs. Never had freedom to choose a major based on MY OWN will before I came to US. So here I am, trying to excercise my right

I have two M.S. EE degree and almost 6 years of WE. Considering to go for PH.D but not sure whether I would be happy working in a narrow field and in front of computer doing design all day long. Since I love different technologies, I love to see the big picture and I love to deal with people, I thought the Patent law might give me a more satisfying career. Just started to prep LSAT, aiming for June test. I have GPA of 3.67(BS), 3.75(1st.MS), 3.94(2nd.MS)-a top 10 Eng school. First two scores are convered from a 100 score system.

Still need to do some research to convince myself this is the right decision. Not sure though, whether my international background would be hindering the application.

Just to clarify - THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS AN IDEAL HUSBAND - you really need this to sink in 

35 - 2 kids under 4 - 13 years in same industry.  Been a dream since I was 16.  Personality non-traditional!

[maka nani]

I'm not as non-traditional as the rest of the bunch because I'm only 26 but the idea of going to school next year with 22 year olds still kind of freaks me out. Especially "really smart" 22 year olds. Just reading a lot of crap on LSD by these kids who are "super excited" about being a 1L at whatever T14 school they've decided to go to makes me really very nauseous. I hope there are more non-traditional students wherever I end up. I like to talk to people who have actually lived life and not just read about it or seen it on reality shows.

here here!

Anyway, I'll be 27 when I begin in 2006.  I think I am a little non traditional because I've worked full time since 2000 and am slowly finishing up my B.A.  The me that attended UG in 1997 and the me that is finishing in 2006 is so completely different...I can't imagine going to LS straight out of UG without working a day in my life.  That is crazy to me!  A lot of people don't know what it is like to live paycheck to paycheck.  I hope to attend a school that has a diverse student body including working adults. 

 

[BoscoBreaux]

33 years old, married, house, Government job, security--how boring is that?

The fact is I wanted to go to law school when I was graduated from college, and I was accepted to a law school close to my home, but for some reason, I felt I wasn't ready. Well, a year later, I met a girl from New York City, moved there, took just about any job I could get so we could live together, and bounced from one job to the next until I got a job at the Federal Court there.  While the job was purely administrative, I did get to talk with many lawyers, judges, and at least I knew what it was really like to work in the profession. My job is rather secure, but its maddeningly boring and requires less than half of a brain cell per hour of work.  But it pays immensely well , so leaving it does take some soul searching. My wife is now making pretty good money, and  is going to start a part-time business on the side to help pay for school, or at least the living expenses. I have the most supportive wife in the world!  So, I figure now is the time. Fortunately, I have been offered a half-scholarship to a local school, so that's an option.  There is a better school 15 miles away, with state tuition, and I'm holding my breath.

[gusrip98]

Now, aside from being white and male I'm sure I qualify as a URM.  Afterall, how many French majors join the military?!?   

My old platoon leader was a German major.....lol. 


Why am I a non-trad?  27 divorced, single father of a 9 year old.  Looking forward to law school where the age difference isn't as great.  Getting married again this summer, so regardless of the night scene (the few nights of the year where I could actually go out) I will probably spend it all with my family.

So far I am pretty much decided on Stetson.  At least I will be the youngest guy in St. Petersburg.  The median age there is pretty high. 

[Made4law]

Since I've been trolling everyone else's bio's, here mine.  I've dreamed of  becoming a lawyer since I was about 8y/o.  I am 32 y/o male, married, w/ twin boys age 12, been part-timing my way through college since the mid 1990's finally got my B.S. in 2004, 7yrs WE in law enforcement, 4yrs in military, .  Not happy with my LSAT but so, what It has gotten me accepted to a school that if no one else accepts me I'll be glad to attend.  Law School is an arm and a leg, however life has a strange way of working out.  Law school is going to give me a chance to move to a new region, which my family is excited about and is much less expensive. I am lucky to have bought into a very undervalued housing market 6-7 yrs ago and now the value of my house has more than doubled, so I'll be able to afford a move, not have to work for a couple of years, buy another house, and not totally be enslaved by debt after LS.  I am one of those persons who is looking forward to attending LS with a bunch of 22 y/o because I know, with age comes wisdom and things that may distract them will have very little affect on me.  I will be living my dream and know in advance how not to sweat the small stuff.  If they want the 80 hr a week jobs processing airplane leases for 125k/yr, I say good for them. I'll take the most interesting work I can find that takes care of my family and I, bring home 70-100k and be happy to try and make a difference.

[HippieLawChick]

Here's a very long story:

I am viewed as "non-traditional" probably b/c of my age.(33)  Also non-traditional for odd life experience.  Here is the deal...not all of it ended up in my personal statement...

First person in my family (the whole thing) to even go to college>parents had no $ and told me to go to lousy public university>worked multitude of crappy jobs to pay for school>tired>lousy grades>nice boyfriend started drinking suddenly one night when I was 20 and beat the &%^$ out of me>jumped out of moving car to escape when he refused to take me to hospital (broke most of my face, none of my spirit)>crazy now ex-boyfriend stalked me for years (I thought the one beating was enough, don't you?)>couldn't take pressure of trying to work while switching jobs/apartments to avoid crazy man>dropped out of school.

Fast forward 3 years...

Got AAS (Paralegal studies) 3.75 GPA and lots of honors>Started thinking school wasn't that hard once I was able to get some loans to pay for it>got paralegal job>that firm closed>crazy stalker kills an old lady and goes to prison for life (if only the DA had listened to me 7 years earlier!)>good news is that I don't have to run from stalker anymore>talked an attorney in same field to give me job w/his start up firm>encouraged me to go back and get BA>great grades, but not enough to make up for bad ones before>great job, lots of responsibility>firm grows by 600% in revenue & staff/prestige during my tenure as essentially manager of business part>took LSAT, got 163. 

I want to be a lawyer b/c I truly felt like the DA mishandled my case when I was so horribly abused years ago.  Since I tried to fight him off and blackened his eye, she told me that he would press charges against me if I did against him (though my injuries took months to recover from), so I dropped it and didn't testify.  Had the system not been so flawed at the time (and had I had some type of advocate), my abuser could have gotten more jail time then and not ruined several years of my life and later murdered someone. 

Interesting stuff, huh?

[geni]

HippieLawChick,

Wow, that is quite a story!  You have gone through a terrible ordeal... I'm happy for your sake that he is now behind bars. 

You should be very proud of your accomplishments!  Good luck!

-Geni

[HippieLawChick]

Thanks for the support! Just gotta keep on truckin' toward the future!

Good luck to both of you too!