Even med schools don’t always have subject prerequisites. It may have changed, but I know that some years ago UCLA’s med school advised undergraduates thinking about applying in the future simply to major in anything they will enjoy and do well in. I assume the theory behind that is that the med school will teach you all the science you need to know, though it’s hard to imagine how undergraduate bio or anatomy courses wouldn’t be helpful.
I’m pretty much picking schools from my region anyways (with goals to stay right where I am), but thanks. That’s good advice.
Spectre, I know David Geffen has a post-bacc certificate program for prospective med students, to cover hard sciences and I think some calc.
Another older law student here. On the whole, I love it. I appreciate everything more as an older student. A big difference I notice between myself and the just out of college students is that most of them are looking down at their laptop computers and desperately hoping not to be called on in lecture, out of fear they won’t know the right answer. One of the nice things about being older is that you stop worrying about what people will think about you, and you answer with confidence; you might even raise your hand and volunteer an answer.
As others have said, there are actually a lot of older students in law school; at least 20 people in my class are over 30. A few are over 40. A woman in the class ahead appears to be nearing retirement age.
The younger students have been very friendly. Although perhaps a little too deferential: when we broke up into groups for class assignments, the people in my groups would be looking at me for what to do next.
What others have said about an engineering degree is true: patent law is the place to be with that degree. In order to represent inventors in their quest to obtain U.S. patents, you must be admitted to practice in front of the U.S. Patent Office. In order to become a patent attorney or patent agent it is necessary to take and pass the Patent Bar Examination. Only those individuals with a science or engineering degree are allowed to sit for the examination.
I’ll second the convention wisdom Richard Parker mentioned: unless you’re aiming for a First Tier law school (good luck), choose one in the state or region in which you intend to practice law.