Props to Non-Trads

[DDBY]

It's nice to know that if this doesn't work out, it won't be the end of the world.  I still have a successfil career. It will work out, however, because all I need is the J.D. to be better off in 3 years than I am now.  Debt load doesn't concern me because I'll pay it eventually, and in my own time.  I'll make the top of the class because I don't feel I have to be in the top of the class if that makes sense.

I'm 31 (32 in Nov.), and a Veteran (Airborne).  Finished my BBA in 1998.  I'm ready for the next adventure...

[Thistle]

done with finals.  officially a 2L.  congrats to matthies, officially a 3L 


if i can do this at 47, you all can certainly do it.

[Nancy Reagan]

Went to an admitted students day yesterday...met a rising 2L who went straight from UG to law school.  After 15 minutes of talking to her, I was ready to punch her traditional ass.  She was all bumbly about things such as "how cool it is make fun the Undergrads"...and "how this fall I'll learn a cool new vocabulary with works like Undergrad, 1L, and Civ Pro"...and "how Prof so-and-so is the hottest professor on faculty and I should definitely take his class" and "how cool the SBA bowling tournament is and I have to do it."  Then her and another traditional rising 2L answered some other questions about class rank.  That drifted into a conversation about how the top 5 of their class were married, and it wasn't fair.  After all, the married students have a spouse to do their chores for them.  The single students have to go home and do laundry instead of studying.  Mind you, they were saying this in front of me and my husband.  Nice.  Also, she admitted to crying during the "stressful" mock classes of orientation.  Well, if I didn't cry during combat, I think I can handle law school orientation.  Now go back and play with your barbies.

Go Club Non-Trad!

LOL!!!!

Fellow non-trads... unite!

[Nancy Reagan]

Boss, you crack me up!  My hat is off to anyone who has been in combat.  Law school will be a breeze for you!

I have taken the late route to everything in life, so it actually seems pretty normal for me to go to law school at the age of 36.  I finally finished my undergrad in 2005. Prior to that I had created my own business and stayed with it for 10 years.

As an older student in college, I appreciated being there, handled stress much better, and left a private school without debt. (Sadly, there will be much debt from law school.)

I'm so glad that there are many other non-trads here!  I felt SO ancient in college.

[«ě»]

Hmm, I still count as a non-trad although I did it the "other way around" right? Work right out of high school, then back to college recently? :p *wants to be one of the mature ones*

[tacchino]

Boss, I want to say, your post cracked me up!   The "traditional" students I am with are not quite as bad, but...one of the biggest pains in my butt has been the knee jerk reaction from some of the younger crowd, that whenever a behavioral issue comes up in terms of student conduct or attorney conduct in a law firm, the voices screaming "the First Amendment means I can do whatever I want!" is surprisingly loud at my first tier school.  I find it amazing that I knew before I even finished con law that that attitude is a load of bull...the First Amendment does not mean an individual can do whatever the heck he or she wants at his or her school or place of employment, particularly when the employer or school is a private institution.  And what about employer restrictions, such as in the military, in terms of criticism of the government?  The traditional students in many cases are utterly clueless, and I wonder what these brilliant individuals will do when they hit their law firms...are they going to take on hopeless First Amendment cases, because they are so sure "we can do whatever we want!!".
Sorry for the rant.  I should mention that the traditional students in my section are generally pretty good natured and sharp, but the naivete can get to me sometimes, as I am literally twice their age.
Another word of caution for non-trads; you might want to take professor recommendations from traditional students with a grain of salt.  I have found too many in the younger generation who tend to favor professors who behave like "pals" with the students, and that this sways student recommendations far too much, in my opinion.  I don't want my professor to pretend to be my friend; I want competency in lectures and in handling questions regardless of their chummy personalities. 

[simonsays]

i disagree in part.  life is easier with a spouse. with children the difficulty increases exponentially.  you can always coordinate or in the worst case neglect your spouse for limited periods of time.  If they're reasonable will understand and work with you.  there's no real justification for neglecting children during their formative years.

[«ě»]

Sure there is if the said children want food, clothes and a college fund set up for them. Children are nowhere near as sacred as today's parents like to make them. There's no historical precedence for the worshiping of children we're seeing these days.

[mmhome]

I, too, am also quite alarmed by the naivete of some of my classmates.  But, what I find most alarming is that the girls have seemed to regressed in their attitudes about motherhood and working.  So many are saying they will not work once they have babies - and I gently remind them they should wait to make that decision until that time comes.  After all, it might be more practical for the dad to stay at home or, even to hire a nanny.  You would think I was suggeting infanticide with the reactions I get.  Then they go on and on about how they don't understand why they didn't get an internship at BIGLAW with their fantastic resumes and grades and I tell them it might have something to do with the first question out of their mouth being about the maternity policy.  It is a bit scary...I fought like crazy for repect for women in the workplace when I was in the trenches in the late 70's/early 80's.  Now, so many of my female classmates want to just blow off their expensive educations and become full time mothers.  They treat law school like a very expensive match-making endeavor.  Now, this is not all the females, just some, but an amount that alarms me.  On a lighter note - if you really want to impress your classmates - go on a bar crawl with them and drink real shots like tequila instead of the wimpy things they call shots.  That will teach the children how to really drink and give you a whole new source of respect.

[jarhead]

Went to an admitted students day yesterday...met a rising 2L who went straight from UG to law school.  After 15 minutes of talking to her, I was ready to punch her traditional ass.  She was all bumbly about things such as "how cool it is make fun the Undergrads"...and "how this fall I'll learn a cool new vocabulary with works like Undergrad, 1L, and Civ Pro"...and "how Prof so-and-so is the hottest professor on faculty and I should definitely take his class" and "how cool the SBA bowling tournament is and I have to do it."  Then her and another traditional rising 2L answered some other questions about class rank.  That drifted into a conversation about how the top 5 of their class were married, and it wasn't fair.  After all, the married students have a spouse to do their chores for them.  The single students have to go home and do laundry instead of studying.  Mind you, they were saying this in front of me and my husband.  Nice.  Also, she admitted to crying during the "stressful" mock classes of orientation.  Well, if I didn't cry during combat, I think I can handle law school orientation.  Now go back and play with your barbies.

Go Club Non-Trad!