Whether you’re considering changing careers late in life or finally pursuing your dream of a legal career, attending law school at 40 might be an overwhelming prospect.
Between navigating the application process, returning to college and classrooms, and often standing out among other students, law school at 40 can even seem impossible to some. However, you shouldn’t let any of your apprehensions or fear get in the way of pursuing your goals.
Our article gives you an idea of what law school at 40 is like along with important advice that you will need to know as a non-traditional student attending law school later in life.
Table of Contents
Is Law School Possible at 40?
Many individuals who have considered law school previously or have started thinking about law school later in life may be wondering if law school is even possible at 40. After all, most people this age have already established careers, and might worry about the idea of going back to the classroom surrounded by younger students.
However, all of these fears, while valid, shouldn’t hold you back from attending law school whenever you want.
There are no restrictions or rules surrounding how old or young you have to be to attend law school. In fact, you will often find there you aren’t the only individual attending law school later in life. Many law schools also provide separate programming and information for individuals who are pursuing their law degree later in life.
Law school at 40 is entirely possible and will likely be an enjoyable experience for any individual that is interested in pursuing it.
Reasons for Attending Law School Later in Life
There are many reasons why someone might end up attending law school later in life. We list some of the most popular reasons for this decision below:
- You may be seeking a career change
- You want to build on your skills and advance your career, such as a paralegal pursuing a law degree
- You are pursuing your dream career you did have time for before
- You want to expand your knowledge horizons
Of course, deciding to attend law school at 40 is a very personal decision and our list is not comprehensive. Whatever your reasons for deciding to attend law school later in life are valid and you shouldn’t let anyone tell you otherwise.
Things You Need to Know as a Non-traditional Student
At 40, you most likely have graduated from an undergraduate college years ago, you have an established career, or you may have already obtained other advanced degrees before you decide to attend law school.
Law students that fall outside the typical age range for graduate students (typically the early to mid-20s age range) are considered non-traditional students, and there are both pros and cons to being a non-traditional student.
Below, we list some important things that you will need to know as a non-traditional law student preparing for law school applications or your first year of law school.
Don’t Let Yourself Be Intimidated
The process of applying to law school, getting accepted, and showing up for your first classes can be incredibly intimidating, especially if you have been out of school for a while. It may seem easier said than done, but one of the best things you can do as an older, non-traditional law student is to not let yourself be intimidated.
You are new to the world and culture of law school just like every other student in your class. Just because they may be younger and more familiar with college routines doesn’t mean that they aren’t feeling the same anxiety and fear you are.
If you do find yourself overwhelmed by your new school routine or you are having trouble adjusting to law school classes, don’t hesitate to reach out and seek support from school resources like advisors or your loved ones.
Seek Scholarship Opportunities
As a non-traditional student, you will often find that you have an advantage when it comes to certain scholarships.
Law schools are always trying to increase the diversity of their incoming classes, and this often pertains to more than just racial diversity. Older students are considered valuable in the classroom and their unique experiences bring a new set of viewpoints that help to keep law school classrooms a dynamic place of discussion.
Conduct research on your selected law school’s financial aid and admissions website for scholarship opportunities that pertain to your situation or reach out to a staff member to inquire about scholarship opportunities for non-traditional students.
Request Professional Letters of Recommendation
Many individuals who are applying to law school at 40 may not be able to contact their professors from college in order to request the letters of recommendation that are required by the majority of law school applications. This is often a point of anxiety for many older law school students, but in many cases, it is perfectly acceptable to provide professional letters of recommendation instead.
These letters can come from coworkers, bosses, and other important professionals that you’ve interacted with throughout your career and are an essential part of your law school applications.
Use Your Experiences to Your Advantage
Law school admissions committees almost always require personal statements and essays detailing why you are pursuing law school. As an older individual, you will have a unique outlook on life and more varied experiences than many of your younger law school peers.
You can use your experiences to your advantage to craft personal statements and other essays that demonstrate your diversity to law school admissions committees and demonstrate how valuable you could be as a student in your chosen law school.
Preparing Yourself for Law School
Preparing yourself for law school is an arduous process, and if you are just getting back into the game of studying and preparing for the LSATs, then you might need to find an LSAT tutor. With the help of a tutor, you can ease yourself back into the world of test-taking and gain guidance as you work toward the LSAT score that will help you gain admission into the law school of your dreams.
Combine dedicated LSAT preparation with well-thought-out personal statements, scholarship applications designed for your demographic, and the confidence that you are pursuing your law school dream no matter where you are in life, and you will be sure to ace law school at 40.