High School
When I was in high school, I became fascinated with understanding how the government functioned. Consequently, most of my studies were directed toward developing greater knowledge about the government and the US Constitution. However, I did not want to become a politician. So, I was looking at other fields that would help me continue to have a career in government while staying out of the government. Admittedly, I did not perform extensive research about other types of jobs fitting this criterion. My first thought was to go to law school and become a lawyer, and the idea stuck.
Starting college
I remember sitting down with an academic advisor before starting my first semester of college. As I sat there listening, I was trying to think of a major that would combine my goal with my interest. Political Science was a major that seemed most appropriate to combine political learning and law school preparation. Looking back, I wonder if it was the best major for me because if law school doesn’t work out, there is no fallback plan.
I started my first year of school excited but completely lost. I did zero preparation for law school other than making sure I had good grades and focused on getting through school quickly. From my experience, I wish I took more time to become familiar with professors in my major by attending more professor office hours.
Looking for my first internship
And so my first year of school sped past me. Afterward, I spent the summer working out of state. Fortunately, I become so tired of the job that I put in all my efforts to prepare to search for an internship the moment I came home. My thought was to use the internship to gain some legal experience and confirm my desire to enter the legal field. I compiled my resume together, looked up several law firms, and became very anxious to return to school.
Soon after returning to the state, I searched out those law offices and asked if they would be willing to provide me with some legal experience. Gratefully, I received two interviews and was offered a position as an intern.
I have since learned that looking for internships on your own is much more difficult than going through school. For future reference, look up courses through your college and they will be able to place you in internships much easier. Nevertheless, the experience working as an intern gave me the legal education I wanted to confirm that law school was for me. The experiences of working with the attorneys were enriching and the lessons I learned were extremely valuable. However, the field of law I was practicing at the internship was pretty bland (personal injury is not for me). If possible, I wanted to focus on the Constitution instead.
Learning more about the law
My reason for focusing on Constitutional law was first inspired by the fascination with the government I developed in high school. However, my understanding of the Constitution grew greatly during two courses in my undergrad, POLI 420 and POLI 421. Both of these courses related to Constitutional law, focusing on the structure and framework, and Constitutional rights and immunities. As my knowledge of the Constitution expanded so did my ability to interpret Supreme Court rulings.
My love for the US Constitution has continued to grow deeper. As I developed a podcast about politics and Constitutional interpretation, my understanding of the complexity and simplicity of the Constitution shaped my desire to defend the document and the rights enshrined by it.
The Game Plan
In other words, my desire to attend law school was shaped since high school and influenced heavily by certain events.
- High School – Understanding Government (Developing a purpose)
- Internship – Refining the interest
- College – Constitutional law (Narrowing my focus)
Constitutional law is the field of law I will direct my focus toward while in law school. If all else fails, sports law sounds fun.
To learn more about if law school is right for you, click here.
