<p>I am an upcoming junior in high school this year. Since I was in middle school I have focused my studies towards the science field. Around the middle of my freshman year I started researching colleges and found 2 schools that were a perfect fit for me for what I wanted to do in life (astrobiology) and I was almost certain I could get into both of them. </p>
<p>Just recently I have found a new passion that had been a dream of mine since I was a really little kid, and now I feel that is my purpose in life, I want to become a criminal defense attorney. The problem is, I’ve already been accepted into a 1/2 day program that I’ll go to my junior and senior year. It is heavily focused towards science and math and I will end up graduating with an associates degree. I’m still very interested in chemistry so it would be fun to still go to this program, I’m just not sure if it’s practical. </p>
<p>I’ve always been a math/science geek, I hate English classes but I am a great writer and have won many awards for different poems/essays and things all the way up to the state level, and I’ve never really been a history buff except for with certain aspects of history like ancient Egypt and World War II, just like random stuff lol, but I do love learning about government and civics and different aspects of our legal system. I’ve always been told I could talk my way out of anything, and love to research and debate different issues, especially when a majority of people are bashing a minority wrongly. This is why I would love to become a defense attorney, to defend those being wrongly accused of a crime while all the people hearing of the case presume that person as guilty. </p>
<p>As far as the college search process goes, with this decision I’ve gone from knowing and planning to execute my plan to a T to not even knowing how to begin my search. I know next to nothing about even what undergraduate degrees/classes I should take or go after. I don’t know what schools I should look into applying to, and it’s really freaking me out! Does anyone have any advice as to how to start this or maybe have an idea of what my path of study should be now or what schools I should look into?</p>
<p>There are no specific prerequisites for law school. You can major in anything you want. I’ve known a number of law students who were undergraduate science majors.</p>
<p>For now, just think about colleges and majors. If you’re still interested in law school in a few years, that option will be there. If anything, a science major might make you stand out in a sea of political science students!</p>
<p>And make sure you have safeties on your list and can afford the costs.</p>
<p>Thank you both for the advice. Do you think a double major in political science and chemistry is doable? Assuming all my credits transfer I’ll already have 2 years under my belt right out of high school, so I’d be willing to spend another 3 years in undergraduate studies if need be. That way if I decide I don’t want to do law, I’ll have the chemistry to fall back on and it’s something that I’m seriously interested in also.</p>
<p>If you have two years of credits that will get your general education requirements out of the way, then it may well be doable. Take a look at the major requirements. At some colleges political science is one of the easier majors to add as a second major because it doesn’t require as many in-major courses.</p>
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<p>Law School involves a LOT of reading and remembering.</p>
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<p>Realize that many/most of your clients will in fact be guilty and you will be trying to get them found not guilty anyway. That will be your job. You are kind of looking at the Law through a romantic gauze, so I wouldn’t push Science out the door just yet.</p>
<p>Something else to keep in mind, chances are you won’t be working the high profile cases. Instead you’d probably end up defending drunk drivers and persons accused of domestic violence. </p>
<p>Being a lawyer isn’t as snazzy as television would lead you to believe.</p>
<p>Do stick with your program that will get you an Associate’s Degree. It won’t be wasting any of your time since you’ll still be in high school. That’s a great perk to have on your college apps and a great opportunity in life! </p>
<p>I too am thinking about law school (I’m a rising college sophomore), but I’m aiming for prosecuting. Here is some advice that I received from lawyers/judges in my county:</p>
<p>1.) Don’t do it.
2.) If you’re gonna do it, really want it.
3.) Don’t major in criminal justice
4.) Major in whatever you like and what you’re strong in because the odds predict that you’ll either change your mind about law school or end up unemployed. </p>
<p>I know this advice is disheartening, but it’s been preached to me many times. Basically from what I’ve gathered, law schools just want to see you focused on a track. To quote one of the lawyers I’ve talked to, “you learn the law in law school, so don’t worry about it in college.” </p>
<p>If you like astro and chemistry, then go for it! I like writing and French, so that’s what I’m going for. Build up the skills you need to be a successful, productive adult, and follow your passions. If those passions still lead to law school by the time you’re a junior in college, then go for that, too. </p>
<p>Best of luck!!</p>
<p>Your job will not involve innocent people who are wrongly accused. For that you’ll intern then volunteer at the Innocence Project. However your daily work will involve defending drug offenders (3/4 time) and various lowlifes. You may also, like many people, work within corporations and log long hours doing tedious work for 10 hours a day.
That’s just the reality.
The post above (#8) is very true. Don’t major in criminal justice. Major in something you’re good at and preferable involves a lot of reading/writing. Science + philosophy or political science minor would be very useful. If in college you feel that you’re tired of science, you’ll still have your Associate degree (even with an associate in CS you can find a job, although with an AA in chemistry, that’s unlikely). Finally, there are plenty of science legal issues so that could be an interesting “in” for you.</p>
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<li><p>There are no specific major or course requirements for going to law school. So you can still major in science or anything else to go to law school.</p></li>
<li><p>Reading, writing, and logical thinking skills are important on the LSAT and in law. The first two are well known, which may be why so many pre-law students major in English. But the logical thinking skills are often ignored by the same English majors (but note that math and philosophy majors top the LSAT score rankings).</p></li>
<li><p>Criminal defense involves providing legal defense for those accused of various crimes. Reality is that many of them actually are guilty of what they are accused of (and/or other things as well). You will be handling them as well as those who are truly innocent.</p></li>
<li><p>The law job market is not particularly good these days.</p></li>
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<p>@all: I understand that law is not as glamorous as television makes it out to be. I have a family friend in CA who has worked as a legal nurse consultant but knows a ton more CA law than she used and has taught me a lot about what she knows. She also said that everybody hates lawyers, particularly defense attorneys, and that at first I will probably be working as a public defender and most I defend will probably be guilty, and I will work up the ranks from there. </p>
<p>My ultimate goal is to some day open my own firm, so that I can pick and choose who I want to represent. Even if I have to defend a lot of guilty clients at first, someone has to do it as it’s everyone’s constitutional right to be tried in court, and for the people who truly are not guilty, being able to defend them to me, even if it’s just a couple people, will be worth all the hard work. </p>
<p>I totally understand all the work that goes into law and how it isn’t always a wonderful job, but I truly am passionate about it and feel that it’s the field I should go into.</p>
<p>Oh, and I wouldn’t major in criminal justice, I only thought that you could get that degree if you went to a vocational school, at least that’s how it is around where I live, I never even thought about it. I think I’m going to go for chem/poli sci or philosophy. </p>
<p>@snarlatron- I hate sitting in English classes, personally I think watching paint dry is more interesting, but I’m really good at them. I’m both a critical thinker and I have almost a photographic memory, so I won’t have trouble with that. I can also write fairly well as I mentioned in the OP and I like reading also as long as it’s something I’m interested (and as glamorous as reading law may be (sarcasm) I wouldn’t mind doing it for my job.)</p>
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<p>Is that a realistic expectation? Or, to keep the bills paid, will you have to take all people who come to you for legal representation?</p>
<p>Is it realistic? Probably not. Is it possible? Yes, that’s all I need it to be. I can dream can’t I?</p>
<p>In the meantime, keep up with science and math. Understanding complex topics helps in some law work and there are always new law being made as technology expands. H once had to learn ins and outs of certain food manufacturing process to defend a client so science background can only help. Since law requires no specific UG background you could just minor in political science if that gets you through UG quicker. Take a look through LSAT study guide to see what areas you are weakest in and take classes that will help that.</p>
<p>As far as being a lawyer, it’s not that people “hate” them, it’s that the market is over-saturated. You don’t have to necessarily go to top law school to get a job, but you do need to be at the very top of wherever you do go.</p>
<p>Are you planning on practicing law in CA? If so, that’s a great advantage you have with already learning some stuff, and you’d probably want to go to a law school in CA, which wouldn’t be too bad since UC Berkley and UCLA are great schools anyway 
(assuming UCLA also has a law school. Not too familiar with CA, but I know UCLA is a big, popular school. Lol) </p>
<p>Also, yeah, I don’t think criminal justice is a common degree amongst 4 year schools. My school just now started offering it, and I think mainly prospective policemen major in it.</p>
<p>If we say ‘yes dear, that’s nice’ it will be like patting a kid on the head when he tells you he wants to grow up to be a fireman. You are a little old for that. It isn’t possible to do that and pay off your loans or earn a living, it is just a juvenile fantasy to think so. </p>
<p>Don’t gear your entire college career to relying on law school. You may change your mind and it is likely a smart thing to do. Before committing to law school you will want to do some real analysis to your prospects because careers in the field are in real trouble right now.</p>
<p>It is so early to commit to a career, it is understandable if you no longer want to do the program you were accepted to. A regular HS career and exploration the first year or two of college might give you more time to consider your options and to mature a bit. It sounds like you will do well no matter the path you choose.</p>
<p>Check out the law school threads here…</p>
<p>Go to your local court house and sit in on some trials and court days. They are open to the public. You will get a better idea of what you are interested in.<br>
If you plan on law school, keep your undergrad debt as low as possible.
Don’t do anything to prolong undergrad…eg double major.<br>
You may not be able to make enough as a PD to pay your loans.</p>
<p>I think it’s important to balance being realistic and also not crushing someone’s dreams. Anything can happen, good or bad. </p>
<p>OP, I second looking on the law school forum. There’s ton of useful information there. </p>
<p>IF law does work out for you, do make sure you don’t waste your time learning CA regulations if you don’t intend on practicing there, or vice versa. Also, if you think you’re going to do this, do make sure to keep your loans and debt down now since law school is expensive. This can actually be true for any kind of grad school plans, and it’s generally good advice to try and stay as much out of debt as possible. </p>
<p>If this DOESN’T work out, make sure you can make a career out of your major. Don’t just bank on law school by just focusing on poly sci. Since you said you’re interested in chemistry, follow that. Take some philosophy classes because you WANT to, not because you think you should for law school. </p>
<p>You’re young yet, so don’t plan too far ahead. Law school doesn’t have any set path except for a high GPA and LSAT score, so just take it one step at a time, the first being to do your best in classes that are of interest/use to you. That’s really all you can do right now. </p>
<p>Good luck with everything.</p>
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<p>You can dream, but you need to have realistic alternative plans in case unlikely dreams do not come true.</p>