Asian Parent: "Law School? Why Didn't You Make It Into Med School?"

[KirbytheWhite]

Yep, I'm a product of the Asian parent system, I applied to both medical and law schools. That's a lotta application fees right there....

[princesssnadia]

calgrad- that was like my story. Biology major, they initially wanted me to be a doctor (big surprise) I hated bio, knew my gpa wasn't high enough for med school (not as if I wanted to go there) decided to be a dentist (which they felt was a secondr ate doctor). Decided during organic chemistry that I hated science and bio and wanted to go to law school. Parents flipped out (this was my senior yr) tried to persuade me to take a yr. off after graduating to solely study for the mcat I told them no I would study for the lsat, and I didnt't want to be a doctor. Then they said they would settle for a dentist, I said I hated science. They said they would settle for a phd in bio, repeated I HATE SCIENCE, said they would settle for a masters... anyway until this day my dad is still trying to get me to go to med school, dental school, optometry school, pharmacy school, or anything else health professions related. He's slowly accepting law school, but the other day he said.. why don't you take the lsat again get a 170 and go to a really good school! I was like omg if it were only that easy... NO! He thinks i'm going to be like those guys on tv with those cheesy commercials, I don't know why they are unaware that there is alot of money to be made in law (cuz you know that's all they care about)

[thechoson]

My parents never wanted me to go to med school.

They're pretty amped i am going to law school, even if it is a TTT

[ormachea]

For hispanics it has to be a practical major.

So, until I told my dad I was going to law school for sure after undergrad, he demanded I be an engineer--all hispanics are supposed to get engineering degrees. As soon as he realized I meant what I said about ls, he realized it didn't matter what I studied in undergrad.

[bobo21]

For hispanics it has to be a practical major.

So, until I told my dad I was going to law school for sure after undergrad, he demanded I be an engineer--all hispanics are supposed to get engineering degrees. As soon as he realized I meant what I said about ls, he realized it didn't matter what I studied in undergrad.

My hispanic parents:  You have a good job.  Why would you want to leave it to go back to school?  Work hard and you will have all you need...

[Groovyju]

i guess i dealt with the whole thing early on when I started undergrad as an English major.  The reactions ranged from "oh..you didn't get into to the premed program"? to "English? Don't you already know how to speak English??"
Since my minor was secondary education, my extended family is thrilled that i decided to go to law school instead of becoming a (god forbid) teacher.  Also, I think it's somewhat consoling to my parents when all of my friends who started out premed or some other science field have switched their majors a million times and are not graduating on time anyway. 

[NYKnicks]

I joined the other 250 million Chinese in this world who are engineers.

My parents are pretty cool with me going to law school though.

This conversation was from a year ago between me and my dad.

Me: I'm thinking about engineering graduate school...but I don't like to much...and jobs are annoying to find.
Dad: Eh...
Me: Or I could also go to law school...been thinking about that for a bit.
Dad: Now we're talking...

[mjb]

I feel sorry for people who are raised in that type of environment. Life must be very joyless.

[XYZZY]

well i am going to law school because I'm a med school flunky. (well sorta.. As in o-chem/analchem, etc... Bs in biology cause my memorization skills stink)  but my parents served me right by forcing the EE degree, since it opens many doors.

[murkydreamer]

I made it clear early on to my parents that I had no desire to be a doctor  .  My parents were actually pretty easygoing about my academic/career choices, although my uncle (who helped pay for my undergrad) couldn't understand how going to a liberal arts college and studying "non-useful" stuff was going to help me in the future.  His 2 kids took the med school/engineering route.  I kept on trying to explain my choices to him, but since I ended up with a job shortly after graduation I guess he couldn't complain much.