r/prelaw

Should I pursue a Law degree at 20 or choose Social Work because I’m scared I won’t get a training contract? Or should I go back to Nursing?
Hi everyone,
I’m 20 years old and I’m really struggling to decide what to do with my future, so I’d appreciate advice from people who have studied law, are currently studying it, or work in the legal profession.
I studied Adult Nursing at university for two years, but I’ve now been terminated from my course following an academic misconduct issue. I could potentially ask the university to allow me to repeat second year and complete my degree, but there is no guarantee they’ll give me another opportunity. I’d also have to take a year out while I wait for a decision.
The truth is that I don’t want to be a nurse. Nursing and particularly the placements have taken a serious toll on my mental health to the point I was losing feeling in my legs and having falls so I had to have a placement plan for it ,my iron became low and I was diagnosed with depression due to how bad it was . I dread going on placement and have struggled with how unhappy I am on the course. I originally planned to finish nursing and pursue law afterwards, but now I’m questioning whether I should put myself through another year or two of something I genuinely dislike.
My three options are:
1. Try to return to Nursing.
I could ask the university to let me repeat second year, complete third year and graduate. My family thinks this would be the safest option because I’d have a degree and a profession to fall back on. However, there’s no guarantee I’ll be allowed to return, and even if I am, I’d be committing to more years of a course that has made me unhappy. I would only be doing it as a backup while hoping to pursue law afterwards.
2. Start a Law degree at Nottingham Trent University this October.
I have an offer to study Law at NTU, so I could start pursuing the career I’ve wanted for a long time.
At A-level, I studied English Literature, Sociology and Politics. I’ve also completed work experience and programmes with HMRC, Bright Network and EY, which I genuinely enjoyed. These experiences have strengthened my interest in law, particularly the commercial side of the profession.
My main fear is whether I’ll be able to achieve a First or a strong 2:1 and eventually secure a training contract. I’ve repeatedly been told that law is extremely competitive and that without a First, I’m unlikely to get anywhere. I’m worried about investing three years into a degree and then struggling to get a job in the profession.
3. Study Social Work at NTU and pursue law afterwards.
My family has suggested Social Work because they believe it would be easier than Law. The idea would be to complete the degree, gain legal experience, apply for vacation schemes where possible and eventually secure a training contract.
I’ve also spoken to lawyers who have suggested that some firms value candidates with non-law degrees because they bring different perspectives. This has made me wonder whether studying Social Work first could be a sensible alternative.
However, I’m concerned that I’d be making the same mistake again: choosing a degree I don’t particularly want because I’m scared of pursuing the one I actually do want.
My family keeps telling me to be realistic about law and how difficult it is to secure a training contract. I understand that it’s competitive, but I don’t know whether I’m letting fear make this decision for me.
For those who have been through this process:
How difficult is it to get a First or a 2:1 in a Law degree?
How competitive are vacation schemes and training contracts, realistically?
Is a First genuinely necessary, or can you still be successful with a 2:1?
Would studying Social Work first give me any real advantage over doing a Law degree?
Do commercial law firms genuinely prefer non-law graduates in some cases?
Given my circumstances, would you start Law now, pursue Social Work, or try to finish Nursing first?
I’m only 20, and I know I have time to change direction. I just don’t want to make another decision based on other people’s expectations and end up unhappy again.
I’d really appreciate honest advice, especially from people who have experienced the recruitment process themselves. Thank you.

Hi, I got out of high school last year and went to straight to university studying law and arts in australia. I have completed my first year and am awaiting grades from the last exams i did. The past exams made me really stressed to the point i was crying every night (panic attacks. hyperventilating, not sleeping) and regretted choosing law. This was a wake up call for me, it made me wonder if I actually wanted to do law for the rest of my life and I recognised that I havnt liked it throughout the entire year. I have not enjoyed the readings or the cases or learning the law overall, I have some friends at the university but they are “uni friends” rather than actually friends and they have said that they enjoy it sometimes. I have not enjoyed it AT ALL. I’m scared to keep doing this if I can’t handle the pressure and if it will lead to destroying my mental health and sense of worth. I do not know what to do because I barely know my own interests or what I like (other than unproductive things like video games and movies) and i can’t figure that out within 4 months (when I need to go back) and if I go back next year I’m trapped in law due to the student debt. PLEASE tell me ur experiences and what you think I should do.

I am currently a UCF freshman going into my second semester as a freshman. I am majoring in political science and on the Prelaw track. Im unable to meet with my college advisor for a couple weeks, so I could use some help.

I am planning on taking:

PHI 2101, Formal Logic I
POS 3703, Scope and Methods of Political Science
SPC 3301 Interpersonal Communication
SPN 1121C, Elementary Spanish Language & Civilization II

These are the classes Ive already taken:
.
Completed (Summer 2026)
EUH 2000, Western Civilization I: A, 3 credits (UCF)
AMH 2010, U.S. History 1492-1877: A, 3 (transfer)
AMH 2020, U.S. History 1877-Present: A, 3 (transfer)
ENC 1101, Composition I: A, 3 (transfer)
ENC 1102, Composition II: B, 3 (transfer)
POS 2041, American National Government: A, 3 (transfer)
SLS 1101, Principles of Academic Success: A, 3 (transfer)
SPC 1608, Fundamentals of Oral Communication: A, 3 (transfer)
BSC 1005, Biological Principles: S, 3 (AP)
BSC 1005L, Biological Principles Lab: S, 1 (AP)
MAC 1114C, College Trigonometry: S, 3 (AP)
MAC 1140C, Pre-Calculus Algebra: S, 3 (AP)
In progress (Fall 2026)
EVR 1001, Intro to Environmental Science: 3
PHI 2010, Introduction to Philosophy: 3
SPN 1120C, Elementary Spanish Language & Civilization I: 4
STA 2014, Principles of Statistics: 3
Totals: 34 credits completed or transferred, plus 13 in progress, for 47 credits.

I’m moving to upstate New York and I’ve officially decided to switch my major to political science because I want to pursue law school.

I’m 22, and honestly, part of me feels like I started late. At the same time, I know I’m still young and have plenty of time to figure things out. I originally went into a completely different major/career path because it was something my mom really pushed me toward after high school. I tried to make it work, but I eventually realized that it just isn’t the career I want.

I’ve decided I don’t want to finish a degree just for the sake of having the degree when I already know I don’t want to work in that field. I’d rather put that energy into something I actually see myself doing.

So now I’m switching to political science, with the goal of going to law school. I’m considering minoring in legal studies, although I’m not completely sure about the minor yet.

I know that if I want to get into a really good law school, I’ll need to take my grades seriously and eventually do well on the LSAT. I’m actually really excited about the classes I’ll be taking because I feel like the material is much more suited to me and something I can genuinely work hard at.

I already have some college credits completed from my previous school/major, so I’m not starting completely from zero. I’m still figuring out exactly which credits will transfer and what my new degree plan will look like.

I’m also moving to New York to live with my grandparents, and my family is fully supporting me through this. My grandma has even been looking into law school information with me, which means a lot because I finally feel like I’m pursuing something that I chose for myself.

For people who are currently majoring in political science, pre-law, or a related field — or people who have already graduated and gone to law school:

What advice would you give someone in my position?

What should I be looking forward to in a political science major if my ultimate goal is law school? Are there specific classes, extracurriculars, internships, clubs, research opportunities, or skills that you wish you had focused on more during undergrad?

And for anyone who switched majors or career paths around my age: did you feel like you were behind, and how did things turn out?

I’m not expecting political science to automatically get me into law school. I know I’ll have to build a strong academic record, prepare seriously for the LSAT, and make myself a competitive applicant. I’m just looking for advice from people who have actually gone through the process.

I’d especially love to hear from people who didn’t come from wealthy families or have everything figured out at 18. I’m trying to build this path from where I am now, and I’d really appreciate hearing what worked for other people.

Im in a private gymnasium in kosovo and I would like to know how hard law schools are before I tell my parents to sign me up and commit to like 10 years, lol.