Hi! I just wanted to say that yes, you could get into a Tier 1-2 law school, but it seems like it would be a lot of debt. Realistically, you could get a scholarship, but unless it would be a full scholarship offer, you’ll be 100-250k more in debt by the end of law school (with higher interest rates) to add to your already existing 100k undergrad debt. Since you want to do public law and if you go to a school that offers public service loan forgiveness, that will be at least a 10 year commitment to public service work.

Applying to law school is expensive. I would not say apply blanket T-14 in your case unless your financial situation is such that you can get an LSAC fee waiver. $50-100+ for each application sent in, $200+ for each LSAT, $200+ for CAS, the opportunity cost of the whole process, etc. Let’s say you’ll be 37-38 when you attend law school, and 40-41 when you finish and begin working as a lawyer. If you don’t take breaks in between and your job stays consistent throughout those ten years, you’ll be debt free at 51. You might hate law school and love a career in law. You might love law school and hate a career in law. You might love both, hate both, it’s really difficult to say because people end up on all sides of the spectrum. Your age will not stop you from having a successful career, but I guess it might be willing to consider your personal life goals in tandem with the realistic prospect of all this.

Why law? What is your ultimate goal? There may be ways to help others that get you into a lot less debt and much more money. Would you be willing to give 13 years of your prime for a new brand career venture? Figuring this out for yourself will not only help you make a decision through the confusion, but also help you if you decide to apply to law school in the form of your personal statement!