You might wonder how I got from being an international student from Vietnam to being a law student while having a young daughter. All that I would say is yes, it is possible. The path is windy and steep, however, it is possible for immigrant moms.
In this blog, I will share:
- My educational path to law school
- My personal traits and skills that are beneficial for me to become a law student
- External factors that play a crucial role in supporting my journey
My Educational Path
I started out in my rural local elementary school. It was basic but I was taught English in Grade 2 alongside with Vietnamese. I was studious, and with the support of my mom, I was in the top 5 of my elementary class. It’s crucial that my English skills were developed early on, and I showed particular interest and advancement in English even though I was also quite interested in science and math.
For my secondary school, I moved to a bigger school much further away from my house in a more affluent neighbourhood where my English skills were much honed. The knowledge and skills I obtained helped me land in a top high school in Hanoi which specializes in foreign languages. I then got accepted to a top university in Vietnam (Foreign Trade University) and went to Canada to study shortly after. My English skills were quite advanced at this point but I lacked opportunities to practice speaking and listening.
In Canada, I started out with English courses which took 6 months prior to my Business Administration diploma majoring in Marketing at a local polytechnic institution. I graduated with a diploma, worked at the students’ association for two years, then landed a job at another SA at the university where I worked for 7 years(!). During this time, I obtained my permanent residency in Canada and started studying part-time to get my full university degree in Management. I completed the degree in 2.5 years working full-time and studying evenings and weekends.
Upon finishing my degree, I practised the entrance exam for law school diligently (called the Law School Admission Test or the LSAT). I took the LSAT 3 times. I was accepted into law school after a bit over one year after, and started law school 2 years ago.
Personal qualities, in my opinion, are beneficial for me to be a law student?
I contribute many of my personal qualities to leading me here and setting up my success; some are nature and some are nurtured. I believe I was born to be a very curious person; when something happens, I wonder why:
- When I was made fun of for what I did or what I said
- When I failed or succeeded
- When I was criticized
So when the opportunity came up for higher education, this curiosity drove me to explore law school, something out of my reach. I wondered if I could get in, I wondered if being a lawyer would fit me. Without trying, I would never have known, So my curiosity pushed me to put my name in the hat.
I also consider myself as someone who has grit. I work hard on my goals; if I fail, I try again. The first round I applied to law school, I failed. I tried again; I studied for the LSAT harder. After all of those efforts, I was accepted to law school in my second round of applications.
- If you don’t know what grit means, I love this book Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance by Angela Duckworth. Give it a read!
Beside those, I love reading and writing. Studying law requires strong writing and reading comprehension, both skills I am honing during and outside of law school. I recently realized that not many people enjoy reading and writing as I do; and as my heart is between the pages, I consider this to be a major contribution to me picking law school.
Other traditional skills that I might not mention here which might also be important such as time management or good organization. However, the ones I mention above, in my opinion, trump over the others.
External factors that play a crucial role in supporting my journey
First, I attribute my ability to advance my education to the support of my parents and my family. Without their support, I would not have been able to attend a great high school, go study abroad, and end up here. I am thankful for their trust and their unconditional love for such a big dream that I harboured.
Second, I was lucky. I felt that the timing was right for when I applied to law school. I obtained my university degree not long before as a university degree is not required but very important to have. During my second round of applications, the number of applicants and the LSAT score average had dropped a little bit, and the school I applied to has a holistic application assessment. I would say all the stars lined up!
Did having a Canadian husband help? My husband did help me improve my English, but ultimately, it was a lot of effort on my end, especially with the LSAT practice. I was practising 3-4 hours each day for months before the exam to train my brain for such a demanding and time-constraint exam.
- Learn more about the LSAT with free LSAT Prep here: https://www.khanacademy.org/test-prep/lsat-prep
There you have it! Starting law school later in life is possible; many of my cohort students are mature students. However, there is a particular path you need to follow to meet all the requirements for admission. If you wonder whether law is a good career for you, I suggest that you read and watch videos from other law students, read books, or talk to a law student or a lawyer!
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