How I got into Law School at 20 Years Old
How it Started
For me to get to that point I needed to do plenty of things in a short period of time, but I also had an incredible support system guiding me the entire way. That adventure started as far back as middle school for me when I had a history teacher who wanted to challenge me. I was very interested in the classroom subject, I often asked questions both in class and after school, just wanting to learn more. He was brilliant and very engaged with his students and because of him I was formally referred to take the gifted exam. I do not remember much about it, other than being asked a series of timed questions in different areas, but I do remember my parents being called into the school for a formal meeting with my induction into the gifted program. Getting into that program changed my life plentifully and I thank that educator for even giving me the recommendation to take the examination.
Joining the program meant that I now took all my classes with the rest of the gifted students and the designated gifted teachers. This is where I was able to collaborate with incredibly brilliant students who already had visions for their future careers and college ideas from as early as the 8th grade. I would listen to my new colleagues talk about the different universities they would like to attend one day, careers they were interested in, and this is where I first learned of what would eventually become my alma mater: School For Advanced Studies.
High School
School For Advanced Studies was a full-time dual enrollment and Advanced Placement high school, meaning all of our classes were essentially college classes. The high school only offered grades 11 and 12, but the curriculum ran straight through the summer in between those grades so it felt a bit longer. Many of my gifted classmates had siblings who attended SAS so I would reach out to them to ask about admission and how challenging it would be to get in. It was intimidating to learn of the SAS curriculum, but it was also exciting to hear the statistics of how many of their students went off to competitive universities, how many scholarships their classes would win, and the overall college readiness experience that seemed invaluable.
I had to complete an entire checklist to qualify for admission into SAS, but I dedicated myself entirely to doing everything that needed to get done. I was beyond focused especially since SAS was going to give me an advantage by helping me obtain my associates degree while in high school. This might not sound like much but coming from a home where my parents went to college in the 90’s, my dad was a police officer for over 30 years in law enforcement and my mom was a kidney transplant recipient who had to leave her social worker position. My parents were not in a position to pay the exacerbated tuition rates of today’s age. Having two years of college done and paid for was a huge advantage for myself and my family.
Once I finally made it to SAS I was thrilled to be part of something so unique. My classmates came from all walks of life, representing different communities and cultures, all here trying to do the same thing: build a better future for ourselves and our families. I never felt as though I ever competed with anyone, we were all there to help one another despite the understanding we were applying to many of the same top competitive universities. The high school educators as well as administrators treated us like college students, so we acted like them. We did not tell anyone we were in high school, we did not wear uniforms, and mostly everyone would spend most of their spare time studying for the SAT/ACT’s or drafting college essays.
The teachers would always have time for us to consult them after class for help with not only class related work, but also college advice or tips so we could position ourselves for the best chances to get into our dream schools. For many of my friends they did in fact get into their dream ivy league universities, but I did not. At first that haunted me, especially since I had such high hopes of getting in, I spent countless hours working on my exams, essays, even going to the extent of asking colleagues to help tutor me. Even as I attended the University of Florida, I felt disappointed in myself I could not do better.
Yet I am forever grateful to SAS for giving me the platform to dream so big, giving me the chance to graduate with my associates degree in high school, giving me some of the greatest people I call friends, and helping me truly prepare for the challenges that laid ahead. However, there is one unpleasant memory I have from my alma mater. I had a meeting with my counselor where I explained my vision to attend the University of Florida, where I would use my credits to graduate early (within 2 years) and get into law school right away, unfortunately, my dreams were met with great reservation and pause. My high school counselor told me my idea could not work. I was told I would be too young and law schools would not want me and that I should let that idea go. Needless to say, I did not listen.
University
Since I obtained my associates in high school I was able to be classified as a junior by credits when I made it to the University of Florida. With all of my credits, I decided to meet with an advisor right away to help me map out the classes I would need to take as many credits as possible so I could finish within my two-year timeline. I had to not only plan out every course and credit for graduation, but also begin preparing for law school applications. I went from taking the SAT a year ago to now preparing to study for the LSAT at 18 years old. The entire process was stressful, but my dreams and goals were bigger than anything we had left, especially being that close.
I spent my undergraduate career studying for the LSAT, participating in clubs like the pre-legal honor society, writing as an associate editor for a campus magazine, and at one point interned for a political campaign. I did all of that to help bolster my academic credentials and of course network with other students who were applying to law schools or already did so I could learn as much as possible. Those two years flew by, but they were incredibly busy. I would be busy until late in the evenings, I seldom went out to socialize, and cannot say I had a traditional university experience. None of that mattered, however. I had a much bigger drive and determination that kept me going and that was my mom.
When I applied for a double major in economics, the political science director at the time asked me what my plans were with my degrees. I explained my plan of going to law school as soon as I graduated and again my vision was met with even greater reservations than my previous counselor. I was told my dream was too small minded and that I was making a mistake. Again, I was told no law school would want me. And, until this very day, I remember just a few days before turning 20 years old I opened my computer to find a letter of acceptance to law school. The very first thing I did was call my mom, my heart was racing and nerves were all over the place, when she finally answered I wasted no time to tell her “mom we got into law school.” I could still hear the glee from her voice. That moment was years in the making. We did not have any lawyers in the family, my parents were not in tune with technology, and we did not have any guidance on this journey. My parents were descendants of immigrants who came to the US with nothing and worked harder than anyone else to give their kids everything they never had. They made this possible.
Just do it
In five years, I had four graduations. I was the youngest law student in my entire class at twenty years old and all of that was possible because of my parents. I set myself to get that done and I did. From an early age I was taught not to take anything from anyone, keep my head down, stay humble, and believe in what I want. Despite all the advice to the contrary, I got it done. I did inevitably finish at 23 years old. We did not get to attend the graduation due to covid, but my mom did get to see me wear my robes regardless and we celebrated at home, where this journey all began.
If you take anything from this experience, I hope you realize you absolutely can achieve your dreams. You don’t need anyone else’s opinion or approval, you just need to come up with a plan and do it. It will be stressful and challenging, but the reward will be worth all the struggle. I promise.
