Hubby and I have been discussing our options (we have a LOT of time on our hands lately) and we decided for me to go and get my Associates Degree. I'm going for political science so I can then go on to Law School. I am thinking of either Consumer Law or Family law, who knows thats still a ways away. Hubby had an interview today that looks very promising, the guy wanted to hire him on the spot, but HIS boss needs to ok it. We should know by the end of next week. It's a union job, I'm not sure how I feel about that, BUT he gets benefits the day he starts and he will be making what him and I used to make combined before. Back to me I am very nervous, I went to college when I was 18 and dropped out after only 3 classes, culinary arts not my cup of tea. Political science doesn't sound all that appealing to me, but being a lawyer has always been on my mind. I have been trying to get on the board ALL day to tell everyone I broke out in hives LOL!!!! I start October 28th, wish me luck!!!!
I wish you all the best of luck. I plan on going back to school sometime in the next year, I just have to wait until I've lived in Ca for a year. I'm going for Medical Office Management. Last time I went to college was when I was 19. I too will be nervous, but again, wish you lots of luck.
wowOwowwwwwwwww KHM, That is exciting news, congratulations! When I returned to school at 30-something ;-) I thought I'd be the granny-looking student in the front row, squinting to see the blackboard you know! Come to find out, it was about evenly matched, the yippers and the grannies. I appreciated the education and truly enjoyed the learning the second time around -- I hope it's the same for you. Here's to life-long learning! Sassy
Congrats on deciding to go back to school! Just a small piece of advice, you don't need to study political science to go to law school (check with any law school to confirm this and why it's so). I have friends from my college days that are in, or have graduated, from law school having received undergrad degrees in things like engineering (patent law), math, and music/drama (entertainment law). But if you like poli. sci. by all means go for it.
Kel - sounds like the right things are happening and that's because you all are planning the next step - solidly in advance. Congratulations - I can hardly wait to read your first late night post complaining about having to read a book for the next class LOL! aarrffffff - dogman
You and me both. (going back and nervous) I start this Tuesday and am sweating it out. Best of luck to you.... -0m
Don't be nervous about going back to school. I did it after being out of school for, I hate to say it, 21 years. Piece of cake. Good luck.
Hey You are in great company. I am 34 with an an Associates Degree from about 10 years ago and I am actually on my way to my "Intro to Political Science" class in about a half an hour. I am finishing my degree to get teacher certification in the state of PA. It will be a looooog time before I see a classroom. I have a five year old starting K and we are thinking about having another. I am actually attending classes this Semester but last I took everything online. It's a brave new world!!! Good luck. Diane143
Sassy, I feel like a granny in my Political science class. Most are right out of high school . I really have to get use to this. It is like a blast from the past. I am actually sitting next to a guy who wears rock t-shirts and they don't say Van Halen.
Hey, You should feel great about your husband having a union job!!! Think about, there has to be some sort of check and balance between corporations and ee's. I don't agree with some of the politics either but I do think that unions are great! congratulations on going back to school.... I am in grad school after being away from school for 13 years! If you can repair your credit, school should be a snap after all, how many of them can quote the FCRA! (LOL)
Congrats! School is fun! And you don't need to major in polisci especially since a law school would look at your bachelor's degree not your AA degree anyway. Also, there is no major that prepares you for law school. Any major that requires a lot of research and writing papers will prepare you for law school.
Consider these possibilites: Pre law, business, or English (if the program emphasizes writing). I had a friend who went to law school after majoring in Egyptology (the study of ancient Egypt). Pick a program that you feel that you will excel in. I noticed that it is once again tough to get into law school so you will have to keep your grades up. Florida State recently sent me something that said they only accept one out of every ten applicants to law school. Are you in Florida by any chance? I think they now have ten law schools, including the private ones.
I was a nontraditional student too- finished college when I was 30. I cant agree with everyone enough. Major in what you love, do well and you'll get into law school. I wish you lived in Chicago, Illinois. Northwestern and Loyola both have evening programs for non-traditional students here. I got accepted to Northwestern on the basis of my first 4 classes (not on the basis of my old transcript)- if you did well in those classes you were accepted. I went to school in the evening and worked a full time job during the day. My classes were filled with older students who were committed to their education. Imagine that - going to school with people who want to be there. It was the best experience of my life. I graduated with honors and even gave the graduation speech at my schools graduation. And you know what the best part of it was? College at NU is really, really expensive but I got a full time job at the college and used my education benefits to pay for school - it only cost me $100 a class to go to school. Im laughing all the way to the bank-NO STUDENT LOANS (I couldn't get them at the time because my student loan was in default. Since then Ive payed it off and repaired that portion of my credit report). Thats what you call - GOING THROUGH THE BACK DOOR. Im just looking for a back door graduate program. Ill look for you when I get there.
Just try to go to a public law school. In my area, we have two law school's local and the public one does not have an evening program, the private one does. It cost over 650 dollars for ONE credit hour. The public school is less than half of that. I'm beginning to wonder if completeing this program would be fiscally reasonable or responsible for that matter. 60K+ in loans is NOT what I want. Good luck in whatever you choose. If you truly enjoy what you're doing, you'll go far with it!!!!
I didn't even add my undergrad crap. I really don't mind the amount in undergrad it was worth the expense of the education and a fair trade. Law school on the other hand is the ultimate joke. I pay almost 2K for each course, the book(s) for each class are 100-220 bucks and what is the trade-off? Everyone thinks lawyers make all this cash, some do, but the vast majority wallow in gov't jobs, non-profit, and the like. I want to work in the Prosecutor's office. I can't do that because I would take a 50% pay cut to go work there as an attorney and then have to pay500 a month in student loans. Now that I'm writing, I'm just getting upset b/c I really don't know what I'm doing at that school. I think it's just some persoanl thing to tell myself I can do it, it's really not that hard. Plus, I work with all attorneys and I see that if some of these rocket scientists can pass law school, so can I. I knew I should have went to B school instead!!!! DAMN!!!
I spoke with the Professor yesterday and he said no degree is REQUIRED to get into law school, but that Law Schools do weigh more heavily towards people who have an associates degree or higher. I appreciate everyone's comments. I am a big math fanatic. I didn't ask the professor, but I wonder if getting Associates in Accounting and then going on to law school would be ok? I live in NH, I'm a 40 minute commute to Harvard (dreaming here), there is also Franklin Pierce school of Law about 10 minutes from me. My classes are $606 a piece. I did the FAFSA and it said my EFC was $2504, does that mean that's all *I* have to contribute? (obviously it's an estimate, but just trying to figure this all out). I went to my unemployment office today to see if I would be able to continue benefits while attending school, they said only if I went for a "certificate". Basically anything qualifies but a degree, go figure. So looks like I lose my benefits, which aren't anything to write home about. Any more comments and suggestions are greatly appreciated, it gives me lots of perspectives which I think is good.
Be careful with that advice. If the law school is not approved by the ABA, then you will not be able to sit for the bar. I have never came across a law school that does not require a BS/BA to get in. Taking the bar is different, in some states, you don't even have to go to law school to take it, as long as you can pass it and others, if you are a paralegal for a number of years, you can sit for the bar. I want to say WI is the state you don't even have to go to school but as long as you can pass the bar. Don't quote me on that but it was just going around my school. I think for ABA approval, you a required to have graduated from an a "real" university.
