Hi i am a sophomore in high school and i wanted to ask people's opinions on what i should choose as a career. A chemist or lawyer. Both really interest me because i've always liked to argue and i like math and i am pretty good at it. Chemistry seems really interesting and so does being a lawyer. What are your opinions?
-
Life Advice & Visual Arts
Posting Rules Bluelight Rules 🌌 Share Your Dreams! 🌌 📸 15 Years of Photo Contests 📸 -
LAVA Moderator: Mysterier
Lawyer or chemist
- Thread starter CymbalKid
- Start date
adder
Bluelighter
- Joined
- Mar 28, 2006
- Messages
- 2,852
I've got a degree in chemistry and it's really hard to find a job here (Poland) that would let me live with due respect as I really worked hard to get a degree, it's not easy to study chemistry, it's a very difficult and demanding. The salary is like the minimum salary, i.e. ~1 500 PLN ≈ 284 £ ≈ 446 $ . Sure, it's Poland but I know of no job with a salary worth of 284 pounds a month in the UK.
I also was in the UK and I couldn't get a job there as a chemist either. It's kind of a weird situation as when I started studying chemistry, there was supposed to be a shortage of chemists.
Being a lawyer seems boring to me but if you've got contacts, you won't be poor and it seems all this world is about is money. That's why I started studying again and chose IT because this is going to be up-to-date any time. Though I'm at the age when I should rather think about settling somewhere, meeting a woman of my dreams, getting a job etc.
Anyway, I don't really like what I study right now. I'm serious. I'm just interested in programming, web design, and computer graphics but again I had to choose "systems and networks" as my speciality because it's going to be more payable. I've got a lot of lectures that can bore me to death. Electronics, metrology, power engineering, some crazy physics shit I don't like at all. But I still love chemistry despite all this time and if I only could, I mean, if I saw some hope in it, I would prefer to work in a laboratory than be an administrator of some network.
You want my opinion? You can have both. But first get a degree in the one that you know you will have job after leaving the university. Then if you still have time and motivation, you can continue with the other field of study.
I kind of lost time because I was interested in something. It should be prohibited to be interested in anything in a world like this.
I also was in the UK and I couldn't get a job there as a chemist either. It's kind of a weird situation as when I started studying chemistry, there was supposed to be a shortage of chemists.
Being a lawyer seems boring to me but if you've got contacts, you won't be poor and it seems all this world is about is money. That's why I started studying again and chose IT because this is going to be up-to-date any time. Though I'm at the age when I should rather think about settling somewhere, meeting a woman of my dreams, getting a job etc.
Anyway, I don't really like what I study right now. I'm serious. I'm just interested in programming, web design, and computer graphics but again I had to choose "systems and networks" as my speciality because it's going to be more payable. I've got a lot of lectures that can bore me to death. Electronics, metrology, power engineering, some crazy physics shit I don't like at all. But I still love chemistry despite all this time and if I only could, I mean, if I saw some hope in it, I would prefer to work in a laboratory than be an administrator of some network.
You want my opinion? You can have both. But first get a degree in the one that you know you will have job after leaving the university. Then if you still have time and motivation, you can continue with the other field of study.
I kind of lost time because I was interested in something. It should be prohibited to be interested in anything in a world like this.
I want to be a research chemist and i'm not too sure about which type of lawyer i want to be.
I've got a degree in chemistry and it's really hard to find a job here (Poland) that would let me live with due respect as I really worked hard to get a degree, it's not easy to study chemistry, it's a very difficult and demanding. The salary is like the minimum salary, i.e. ~1 500 PLN ≈ 284 £ ≈ 446 $ . Sure, it's Poland but I know of no job with a salary worth of 284 pounds a month in the UK.
I also was in the UK and I couldn't get a job there as a chemist either. It's kind of a weird situation as when I started studying chemistry, there was supposed to be a shortage of chemists.
Being a lawyer seems boring to me but if you've got contacts, you won't be poor and it seems all this world is about is money. That's why I started studying again and chose IT because this is going to be up-to-date any time. Though I'm at the age when I should rather think about settling somewhere, meeting a woman of my dreams, getting a job etc.
Anyway, I don't really like what I study right now. I'm serious. I'm just interested in programming, web design, and computer graphics but again I had to choose "systems and networks" as my speciality because it's going to be more payable. I've got a lot of lectures that can bore me to death. Electronics, metrology, power engineering, some crazy physics shit I don't like at all. But I still love chemistry despite all this time and if I only could, I mean, if I saw some hope in it, I would prefer to work in a laboratory than be an administrator of some network.
You want my opinion? You can have both. But first get a degree in the one that you know you will have job after leaving the university. Then if you still have time and motivation, you can continue with the other field of study.
I kind of lost time because I was interested in something. It should be prohibited to be interested in anything in a world like this.
Alright, thanks hehe that helps a lot
Jerry Atrick
Bluelight Crew
- Joined
- Oct 25, 2009
- Messages
- 4,488
I just said this in another thread but I'll repeat it here: You're still young, take your time.
To be a research chemist you will prolly need a PhD in Chemistry.
To be a lawyer you will need a law degree.
Personally, I think a law degree would be easier to obtain. But choosing a career simply because one degree is easier than the other is a recipe for bad news. As a sophomore in high school you should have to opportunity to take at least Chemistry 1 and 2. If you are good at and enjoy the chemistry, think about doing it in college.
Most lawyers get their Bachelor's degree in history or political science and then go on to law school. That being said, you don't HAVE to major in history or political science to get into law school. Hell, you could get a BS in Chemistry, score well on the LSAT, and still go to law school if you wanted.
To be a research chemist you will prolly need a PhD in Chemistry.
To be a lawyer you will need a law degree.
Personally, I think a law degree would be easier to obtain. But choosing a career simply because one degree is easier than the other is a recipe for bad news. As a sophomore in high school you should have to opportunity to take at least Chemistry 1 and 2. If you are good at and enjoy the chemistry, think about doing it in college.
Most lawyers get their Bachelor's degree in history or political science and then go on to law school. That being said, you don't HAVE to major in history or political science to get into law school. Hell, you could get a BS in Chemistry, score well on the LSAT, and still go to law school if you wanted.
Yeah I know what you mean. Those are just the two careers that really interest me. I'll just wait and see which one i'd like better. Thanks.
Psychonauticunt
Bluelighter
- Joined
- Jun 1, 2010
- Messages
- 1,310
I'm currently doing my bachelors in (international and EU) law.
So far I've found it to be surprisingly interesting, way more so than I would have thought. A lot of the things I learn also immediately have real-life applications or help me understand something - not a week goes by when I don't come home all excited about something discussed in a lecture.
One thing you will probably want to consider, though, is that a lawyer typically undergoes extensive training in a single legal system, and your opportunities of practicing outside of that are limited - you'll probably need additional training if you want to relocate.
Anyway, as a sophomore in high school, I recommend you not to choose yet, and to keep your options open. I was 21 when I decided I wanted to go to law school. Before that I had some vague ideas, but what I wanted to be at 18 when I graduated from high school is drastically different to what I ended up doing - I was looking at something like history or linguistics.
So far I've found it to be surprisingly interesting, way more so than I would have thought. A lot of the things I learn also immediately have real-life applications or help me understand something - not a week goes by when I don't come home all excited about something discussed in a lecture.
One thing you will probably want to consider, though, is that a lawyer typically undergoes extensive training in a single legal system, and your opportunities of practicing outside of that are limited - you'll probably need additional training if you want to relocate.
Anyway, as a sophomore in high school, I recommend you not to choose yet, and to keep your options open. I was 21 when I decided I wanted to go to law school. Before that I had some vague ideas, but what I wanted to be at 18 when I graduated from high school is drastically different to what I ended up doing - I was looking at something like history or linguistics.
Personally speaking, if you're going down the law route, I would take a degree in history and then do a conversion course when you finish. There are few finer disciplines which teach you how to use evidence and construct arguments than history.
More generally, and this is just from my own experience - 10 years at Uni, BA, MA and just completing a PhD - I would always study a subject because you enjoy it, rather than with that career goal in mind. Your time as an undergraduate is so precious. You have the opportunity to achieve so much with your life, academic or otherwise. Life will wait for you for a while so study something you enjoy with a gentle eye on the future.
Just my two pence / cents
More generally, and this is just from my own experience - 10 years at Uni, BA, MA and just completing a PhD - I would always study a subject because you enjoy it, rather than with that career goal in mind. Your time as an undergraduate is so precious. You have the opportunity to achieve so much with your life, academic or otherwise. Life will wait for you for a while so study something you enjoy with a gentle eye on the future.
Just my two pence / cents
double ewe
Bluelighter
- Joined
- Mar 13, 2008
- Messages
- 2,144
just study a little bit of several subjects (math, chem, and i'd guess poli sci or history for law) in your first year or two of college. you'll likely have to anyways for your degree requirements. pay attention not just to how much you like the subject, but also how well you do, and what kind of future prospects you could see for yourself (job, income, location, etc) if you pursued that course. you don't really need to decide/specialize before that point anyway, so it's a good idea to really spend the time to make the best decision you can.
K-Dazed
Bluelighter
- Joined
- Jan 18, 2010
- Messages
- 629
I have the same views as other posters here. When I first graduated I was sure I was going to get into history or linguistics, two things which interested me a lot in highschool. I also enjoyed Law and Chemistry, like you, but I found I had to put too much effort into Chemistry for the enjoyment I was getting out of it, and I didn't know what type of Law I enjoyed. A few years have passed now, and though I still love history and linguistics, I've realized law is the profession for me. However, certain aspects of law are pretty messed up, so I'd try and find an area that really appeals to you and your morals, if you do choose law. Personally, I prefer entertainment law, specifically contract law. Good luck!
uisgdlyast
Bluelighter
- Joined
- Sep 26, 2002
- Messages
- 383
Speaking from someone who tried the research route... do law unless you end up loving science and working all the time. First of all people think just because you major in science you're going to make a ton of money, this is not true, you major in science because you love it (or want to be a doctor, in which case you do make money).
Now with law however (in the US), you can do your undergrad in chemistry and do the prerequisites for law school, that way you can also see if you really want to go the research route. You can also do patent law, which means you get your PhD in some science and then go to law school, these people make crazy amounts of money but you're essential getting two advanced degrees (8+ years of school AFTER college) and will probably have a limited geographic area to live in (wherever there is a patent office, DC for example).
As others say, you're too young to really know, I doubt you've taken serious chemistry classes yet, you may not like it once you get into the heart of it.
Also, people say not to base your career solely on money and I partially agree. Trust me, it sucks working your ass off through college, getting into graduate school only to have to leave because you end up becoming an addict or something when you could have majored in business and get a high paying job (and go to class 4 days a week compared to 5 and party your ass off instead of study hard ass material).
Research is demanding, if you want to be successful in it expect to work 10+ hours a day Mon-Fri, 10+ hours over the weekend, not including time spent studying for classes or being a teaching assistant during graduate school, and no one gets a PhD in 4 years anymore in science.
I was divided between computers and bio/chemistry/pharmacy, figured I could do computers as a hobby but then I realized research takes all your time up. It would have been more lucrative to go into computers and make science a hobby. Lawyers are busy people but you can always keep chemistry as an interest/hobby once you're making six figures.
Also, don't think research is as exciting as the stuff you read, you hear of all these cool discoveries and advancements but one of those articles is probably the collective work of multiple graduate students theses over a decade of work, it takes forever to research stuff. Also don't think you'll cure cancer or get a nobel prize, a lot of that is based on luck, something like 1 in 100,000 compounds made actually make it to clinical trials.
Don't let the tv show The Big Bang Theory fool you, those guys were all way to young when they supposedly got university positions and they would not have that kind of free time. The successful researchers/professors I knew were in lab from 8am-7pm M-F, came in on the weekends, and would be writing grant proposals instead of watching Star Trek.
I don't mean to sound discouraging, but science is really one of those things you have to devote your entire life to if you want to be successful.
Now with law however (in the US), you can do your undergrad in chemistry and do the prerequisites for law school, that way you can also see if you really want to go the research route. You can also do patent law, which means you get your PhD in some science and then go to law school, these people make crazy amounts of money but you're essential getting two advanced degrees (8+ years of school AFTER college) and will probably have a limited geographic area to live in (wherever there is a patent office, DC for example).
As others say, you're too young to really know, I doubt you've taken serious chemistry classes yet, you may not like it once you get into the heart of it.
Also, people say not to base your career solely on money and I partially agree. Trust me, it sucks working your ass off through college, getting into graduate school only to have to leave because you end up becoming an addict or something when you could have majored in business and get a high paying job (and go to class 4 days a week compared to 5 and party your ass off instead of study hard ass material).
Research is demanding, if you want to be successful in it expect to work 10+ hours a day Mon-Fri, 10+ hours over the weekend, not including time spent studying for classes or being a teaching assistant during graduate school, and no one gets a PhD in 4 years anymore in science.
I was divided between computers and bio/chemistry/pharmacy, figured I could do computers as a hobby but then I realized research takes all your time up. It would have been more lucrative to go into computers and make science a hobby. Lawyers are busy people but you can always keep chemistry as an interest/hobby once you're making six figures.
Also, don't think research is as exciting as the stuff you read, you hear of all these cool discoveries and advancements but one of those articles is probably the collective work of multiple graduate students theses over a decade of work, it takes forever to research stuff. Also don't think you'll cure cancer or get a nobel prize, a lot of that is based on luck, something like 1 in 100,000 compounds made actually make it to clinical trials.
Don't let the tv show The Big Bang Theory fool you, those guys were all way to young when they supposedly got university positions and they would not have that kind of free time. The successful researchers/professors I knew were in lab from 8am-7pm M-F, came in on the weekends, and would be writing grant proposals instead of watching Star Trek.
I don't mean to sound discouraging, but science is really one of those things you have to devote your entire life to if you want to be successful.
Psychonauticunt
Bluelighter
- Joined
- Jun 1, 2010
- Messages
- 1,310
That's the impression I've got as well. The wacky kids' movie stereotype of a scientist who seems genius in his discipline and crazy or awkward in all other walks of life is relatively accurate - the subject of your research has to be your absolute passion, the kind of stuff where you spend nights formulating hypotheses, and even the most mundane findings make you cream your pants. It's not a job you do to pay the bills.
Roger&Me
Bluelighter
- Joined
- Dec 8, 2004
- Messages
- 23,529
Some day I'm going to write a book about my life called "So you want to be a chemist? ...you sad, sad idiot". :D
But in all seriousness, if you really want to get into chemistry, I strongly advise you to steer clear of any field centered around synthesis, unless you're a real hard ass. Especially organic synthesis at a decent sized scale: you'll work 12+ hour days on your feet, lugging heavy solvent cans, running big chromatography columns under pressure that hurt your hands, breathing a bunch of solvents all the time no matter how hard you try not to, its fucking dangerous (eg, potentially explosive reactions of diazonium salts etc, which are common in the lab I work in), and its just not worth it unless you really love working in a lab. It's not enough to just love chemistry in an abstract academic sense, to be a successful synthetic chemist you've got to love the day-to-day grind of working in a lab or you'll burn out so hard
But in all seriousness, if you really want to get into chemistry, I strongly advise you to steer clear of any field centered around synthesis, unless you're a real hard ass. Especially organic synthesis at a decent sized scale: you'll work 12+ hour days on your feet, lugging heavy solvent cans, running big chromatography columns under pressure that hurt your hands, breathing a bunch of solvents all the time no matter how hard you try not to, its fucking dangerous (eg, potentially explosive reactions of diazonium salts etc, which are common in the lab I work in), and its just not worth it unless you really love working in a lab. It's not enough to just love chemistry in an abstract academic sense, to be a successful synthetic chemist you've got to love the day-to-day grind of working in a lab or you'll burn out so hard
Disraeli_Beers
Bluelighter
- Joined
- Jul 16, 2012
- Messages
- 515
Depends what you're into. I'm a junior in electrical engineering because Iove math, physics and electrical systems. However I also love to prove points and research subjects. Im a sociable person as well so I'm seriously considering law school after my engineering degree is complete.
morpher001
Bluelighter
- Joined
- Jan 1, 2006
- Messages
- 1,067
Law is a creative field, you get to analyse and interpret, just like scientific work.
Unless you have some inescapable passion for pure science, I'd avoid chemistry, as in practice the work they do is typically drudgery. In toxic environments.
Do law unless you aspire to an academic career.
Unless you have some inescapable passion for pure science, I'd avoid chemistry, as in practice the work they do is typically drudgery. In toxic environments.
Do law unless you aspire to an academic career.
Epsilon Alpha
Bluelighter
- Joined
- Jun 14, 2011
- Messages
- 904
Go for law, chemistry degree related jobs have been outsourced to China and India at a astounding rate. I have a few friends who had to move over to Hong Kong to get any use out of their degrees, and that was basically teaching Asian chemistry students how to run HPLC columns.
Unfortunately unless you have a single minded passion for a subject and don't mind being just above the poverty line for 15ish years then a Ph.D or any similar hard science degree like biology is a bad idea. I'm set to graduate with a pharmacology degree this year, and the job market for any sort of research based position is just abysmal. So, right now I'm prepping my applications for medical and law schools.
Seriously, the GFC was the deathblow to research in the Western world. We'll need to wait 30 years for all the displaced Ph.D's to retire or pass away before the market for new degrees becomes even slightly lucrative over here.
Unfortunately unless you have a single minded passion for a subject and don't mind being just above the poverty line for 15ish years then a Ph.D or any similar hard science degree like biology is a bad idea. I'm set to graduate with a pharmacology degree this year, and the job market for any sort of research based position is just abysmal. So, right now I'm prepping my applications for medical and law schools.
Seriously, the GFC was the deathblow to research in the Western world. We'll need to wait 30 years for all the displaced Ph.D's to retire or pass away before the market for new degrees becomes even slightly lucrative over here.
yucatanboy2
Bluelighter
- Joined
- Jan 15, 2006
- Messages
- 1,913
You will get paid a lot more as a lawyer (or in a law-related job). I know several chemists who decided not to go into chemistry but rather chemistry policy or chemistry patent law, mainly because most chemistry jobs are high stress for the low amount of pay you get. You have to REALLY love chemistry work to be a chemist in my experience. How much do you enjoy working in a lab? Have you taken lab courses? Are you driven by curiosity about chemistry?
Also, there is a ton of PhD chemists all gunning for the same jobs (trust me i know), and these are jobs that start at 50-60 and won't go above 100k a year over their careers unless something really amazing happens like they become a top scientist in their field.
Also, there is a ton of PhD chemists all gunning for the same jobs (trust me i know), and these are jobs that start at 50-60 and won't go above 100k a year over their careers unless something really amazing happens like they become a top scientist in their field.