To start another degree & not work for 4 years

[mononoaware1907]

Right.... I don't even know how to start this but I'll try to make it as short as possible

I have a degree in a quite irrelevant field (though I do speak 4 languages fluently), that I've graduated from in 2015. Since then I worked in banking in the UK, then returned to my home country in 2016 and continued working in banking. Banking doesn't make me happy, it's poorly paid here, and quite boring tbf. I am 25 and the degree would be 4 years (this is relevant)

I have discussed both with my parents and my partner and they suggested I should start another degree (full time study) in Law since they know this interests me and I could have a well paid and interesting career after completing my degree. (i would start this year)

Re money: I have quite a lot in savings and full support from my parents and partner.

My question is: is it too late for me, at 25, to go full time at uni, quit my boring job, and turn my life around? Would I be weird studying alongside 18 years olds? For the record, no children yet.

Please give me your opinions? WWYD?

Thanks!

If you really want law, why would you do another degree? Just do a conversion.

I also think pippylous suggestion is a good one.

As others have said you can do a law conversion, and a vocational year and you could possibly get funding for this.
If you are interested in doing this in the UK I'm surprised you haven't discovered this already. I suppose I wonder if it's the four years going back to uni that appeals rather than the law itself.
Law is extremely competitive and the hours are long if you want your well paid career.
You'll be approaching 30 as you qualify. I know quite a few people who've done it this way round, firms quite like someone with a different perspective. But I'm not sure you have done quite enough research about what you'll need to do and what you're getting into. Perhaps try a vacation placement with a big firm to see if you like it, before you make this huge decision.

I'm not sure which country in you're in, but in the UK a law degree + law college is no guarantee of a job, even with excellent academics. I know people I was at law college with 20+ years ago who never managed to get a job in the field, and where I work now there are people with top notch law degrees who have been working as paralegals for years hoping to get a foot in the door. Which isn't to say don't do it, but you should be aware of the risks before making a decision to go back to studying, and don't see it as an automatic ticket to a high paid job. On the other hand, I would not see age as an issue at all, and it could even be an advantage in terms of getting a job (i.e. wider experience).

I am 24 and currently undertaking a PT Business Degree alongside FT employment. I have a degree that I lost interest in, Half my class I would say are over 35/40.

Never too late!

That’s exactly what I did OP - went back to uni at 25 to study law. Now in private practice.

It is NOT too late. For one thing law has a high percentage of mature students and students doing second degrees, so you won’t be the only one there who isn’t 18. For another, you have probably 35 working years ahead of you - it’s worth taking the time now to make sure that work is something you enjoy!

If you can afford it, then do it :)

Wow! I certainly didn't expect so many wonderful replies!

To answer some of the questions: Yes, I would study law in my home country and hope to work here after I graduate!

Thanks for all the support! I guess I am a bit worried being supported by my parents and partner for 4 years and feeling like crap for not producing anything. They're more than happy to support me, actually they all came up with the idea!

Most of my family are lawyers, including the recent graduates. They would tell you that the market is flooded with law graduates who cannot get jobs as solicitors and barristers.

One has a first from Oxford, did a conversion course at Manchester, and took a low-paid para-legal type job in a solicitors office just to get "in" to the market. Eventually got a job only to hate being a solicitor. Now works with a charity.

I would do a lot more research, if I were you, and not assume that a law degree leads to better paid and satisfying work, or that there is much call for law degrees. You might find that it's just like Banking.

I'm in 40s and have recently studied 2 degrees, second one leading to vocational career. Loads of older people were also studying. Fine to be out of work if you can manage.

Assuming this is all in U.K. - as you already have a degree then you aren’t entitled to any student support - if you have savings then great. But it’s likely the fees will be higher than the typical 9k too, more on par with international student fees - these vary considerably depending on the uni and the course, say 16-30k a year. The reason for this is that the 9k is subsidised and you already having a degree means you aren’t eligeable for that subsidy.

This might still be fine but just flagging.

An alternative is to study law full time at the Open University. The fees are much lower - total degree cost more like 7k. It’s flexible, online which is perfect for some people and awful for others.

(I have 15 years working in universities).

If you want to be a lawyer and already have a degree I think you could do a conversion course rather than a four year law degree course.
But as others have said, there are too many law graduates chasing too few jobs.

You want to study law in a different country and then work here when you graduate?
Whether that will be possible depends very much where you are from, ie which system of law you are proposing to study. To my mind it makes much more sense to qualify here if you are proposing to work here.
While it's not out of the question particularly in international firms I do wonder if you've really thought it through.

Just to add to what's already been said, I know several people with law degrees who work in relatively low-paid jobs.

I don't think a law degree will put you in the position you seem to think.

Especially if it's one obtained under a different legal system. That doesn't really make any sense as a plan.

Your age is not an issue in the slightest, but your expectations seem very far away from reality.

1. There's no reason you can't work part-time while studying full-time. Most people do it, including Law students.

1. Law is an oversubscribed degree with dire job prospects in most countries.

I started in Law. I have never regretted changing degrees, and have seen former classmates of mine struggle to even get a look in as conveyancers, let alone anything better.

25 is very young and if you have full support there’s really no reason not to do this. I will graduate from my degree at 31 and then hopefully start a postgrad qualification. I’m hoping to be fully qualified by 35. There’s a woman on my degree programme who is in her 60s. Life is too short to spend it stuck in a job you hate if you have other options available. Just go for it.

@Banana8080 & @mariniere No, I want to study here and stay here