Son has an offer for Classics but really wants to study Law?

[duckeggblu]

Hi all,

DS is in middle of sitting his A-levels.

He has an offer to study Classics, which is a 4 year course (at Oxford).

Before applying he was uhming and ahing if to apply to Law or Classics. The school managed to convince him to study Classics in the end, as past pupils seem to dislike Law.
His end goal is to become a Lawyer and he is involved in a few Legal extra curriculars/networking events.

He’s come to me tonight to say that he wants to study Law as undergrad instead. He does obviously know that he could do the GDL but in his view it’s 6 years of study vs 4.

He’s planning on finishing his A level exams, having a think and then possibly emailing different Law schools to ask if they accept very late applications. (I don’t suspect many of worth will). He has his eyes on the Bristol Law course as he goes to a school eligible for the contextual offer that he’d meet quite comfortably (In theory!)

The only other option I can think of, is a Gap year, which he doesn’t want. Or, perhaps to email his future Oxford college and ask if he could be considered for Law instead.

Any advice?

BS makes a good point - with qualifications in classics AND law your DS will be better equipped to make a variety of career changes in the future.

It seems farfetched now when he's still at school, but there is research about how many career changes millennials and the generations after them will go through + with a higher retirement age, it's more likely.

I thought that I would want to do my first job forever. Turns out, there's a level of burnout you can reach that has you sniffing around for other opportunities. Also, there's a difference between the theory and the reality of practising law that he should investigate ASAP with volunteering, shadowing, research.

Having Oxbridge on the CV as well as law and classics does mean that lots of non-law options will be open, things he probably isn't even imagining right now

( I suspect the many teachers on MN who find teaching very stressful (there are legions of them) may not agree law is more stressful actually and I certainly enjoy law a lot)

Lots of lawyers in my family and among my friends and the current consensus seems to be that, if you are young today and want to plan for a great future career in law, you should hone your numeracy/economics skills and your language skills as well as your legal training.

Hi Duckegg, if your DS does take up his offer he'll be on the same course as my DD from the sounds of it!

She has an offer for Classics II at Oxford (hopefully) starting this October (A level results dependent )

She's from a state comprehensive and stumbled across the idea of Classics because she was torn between History and languages as a degree.

She started teaching herself Latin in the lull after GCSEs, just for fun initially using a Language app and the internet. Then after she'd decided to apply for Classics she persuaded her school to enter her for the GCSE, bought some textbooks and started studying it semi-seriously.
She did spend 2 weeks at a Jact Latin camp last summer where she learned a lot (and also had the time of her life - turns out Latin camp isn't as geeky as it sounds! )
So she sat the GCSE in May alongside her ALevels and feels it went very well, and it's given her a bit of a running start to learning it from scratch when her degree starts.

She is also interested in Law and is considering it as a possibility afterwards.

Reading back up the thread I'd like to add that I've "met" goodbye numerous times on the Oxbridge threads and have found her nothing but helpful and encouraging - her advice when DD first decided to apply was invaluable and I'll be forever grateful to her and the other mn Oxford experts!

Cheers Lobster :) Appreciated.

DD has just got the thumbs up to do Latin GCSE in the sixth form, teaching herself. The HT has been super encouraging so that's all good.
Thanks for the info re GCSE/ JACT etc.

Thanks to people on this thread for their advice - going to start working at a law firm & look to get qualified!

Crikey. There are some people who could have a fight with themselves here!

I was going to post when this thread was fresh and shiny but got distracted. I’m an Oxford classicist who converted to law after my degree. I qualified nearly 30 years ago and in those days you could really only do the CPE (nowadays the GDL) and Law Society Finals at one of the branches of the College of Law.

Has not reading law held me back? Not at all : I’m a partner in a large regional law firm and have developed some great niche specialisms. One of my litigation partners of a slightly older vintage than even me does have a prejudice against non law graduates. Its not at all borne out by experience IME. Our life sciences team like science graduates, if possible with a doctorate.

I’d recommend that the OP’s son does whatever really inspires him. That’s the advice I’d give anyone. I’m immensely pleased that I didn’t read law : it may have taken eight years from matriculation to qualification, including my articles (as they then were): but Ive had nearly 30 years since then to immerse myself in the law, I don’t think I needed any more.

Of course all the Latin idioms have died out but they can be apt occasionally: and it can be quite satisfying reeling off the odd primus inter pares or nemo dat quod non habet when the moment arises.

I think an application to switch courses will be scrutinised pretty carefully though. And you do need to consider the ethics of applying for one thing, denying another candidate a place and then switching. It’s not entirely cricket to say the least.

These days it only takes one year extra to qualify from a non law degree. The GDL year (or equivalent if it changes). Then hopefully the qualifying year. Luckily 8 years to qualify is no longer necessary!

A lot of city solicitors and barristers work very long hours. It’s not for the person who wants an easy life. However the lovely traineee solicitor at my local firm walks out of the door at 5.30 pm and the whole company keeps very civilised hours. But that’s rural for you!