{"id":136267,"date":"2025-11-04T10:25:39","date_gmt":"2025-11-04T18:25:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/2025\/11\/04\/john-stewart-throws-light-jab-at-30-somethings-thinking-about-law-school\/"},"modified":"2025-11-04T10:25:39","modified_gmt":"2025-11-04T18:25:39","slug":"john-stewart-throws-light-jab-at-30-somethings-thinking-about-law-school","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/2025\/11\/04\/john-stewart-throws-light-jab-at-30-somethings-thinking-about-law-school\/","title":{"rendered":"John Stewart Throws Light Jab At 30-Somethings Thinking About Law School"},"content":{"rendered":"

I unironically believe that keeping abreast of The Onion and The Daily Show are some of the best ways to stay up to date on current events. I\u2019ve been tuned in to the latter recently because the light leaving John Stewart\u2019s eyes once he realized Kamala Harris has learned nothing from her loss continues to haunt me: <\/p>\n

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KAMALA HARRIS: “It is never satisfying to say we’ve gotta be incremental \u2013 and I’m not advocating incrementalism \u2013 but until we win back majorities in the Senate and the House and take the White House, that may just be where we are.” pic.twitter.com\/MfZDEU0w6L<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Ken Klippenstein (NSPM-7 Compliant) (@kenklippenstein) October 31, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

He started off the most recent Daily Show with a pat on the back: it is entering its 30th year of being on air! Which made for an easy lay-up joke about meandering 30-somethings considering law school:<\/p>\n

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Great joke, yes \u2014 but what\u2019s a great joke without an accompanying dissertation? <\/p>\n

While there is a definite skew toward youth \u2014 about 70% of incoming 1Ls are 26 or younger, the 30 and over crowd made up a sizeable ~20% of 2024 enrollment according to LSAC<\/a>. In case anyone past their 20s is reading this and is parsing through \u201cam I too old for law school?\u201d anxiety, know that you\u2019re fine. Age ain\u2019t nothing but a number, but know which numbers matter: school ticket price, the student loans you might rack up, and the pressure to get a job that lets you pay off that student loan debt before the regulators mount up.<\/p>\n

Law school\u2019s trend toward rising costs has been so steep that tuition only going up a little this year was newsworthy<\/a>. And it\u2019s a legitimate question to ask if the cost is worth its value, not just in terms of law school over the years. You also have to consider what you could be doing with the money instead. If you\u2019re in law school for the money, you may get a better ROI going for banking and finance instead. Or maybe you\u2019re in it for the meaning and want to go to law school to do public interest work? You better make sure that the clients you\u2019ll be representing won\u2019t be deemed \u201cillegal\u201d at a moment\u2019s notice and put your public service loan forgiveness payment plan in jeopardy. You might even be better off going directly into selling hot dogs before the government shutdown pushes you into chasing that dream<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Would it be the end of the world if you decided to go to law school to chase down some career opportunities? No, but it very well could be the end of you not having six figures of student loan debt. It\u2019s the sort of thing that could make you push off buying a home<\/a>, having children<\/a>, dating<\/a>, and treating yourself to that limited edition copy of Silksong. If you\u2019re seriously thinking about going to law school \u2014 and this part applies to 30-somethings as much as it applies to aspiring K-JDs \u2014 familiarize yourself with the terms \u201cgolden handcuffs\u201d and bimodal salary distribution<\/a>. Oh, and sit through this rite of passage:<\/p>\n

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Damn. Elaborating on a joke really does ruin it. Sorry, John. <\/p>\n

Earlier<\/strong>: Law School Tuition Bubble Eases Because No One Wants To Go A Half Million In Debt For A LinkedIn Badge<\/a><\/p>\n

New Trump Rule Declares Most Public Service Work \u2018Illegal,\u2019 Ineligible For Loan Forgiveness<\/a><\/p>\n

Furloughed IRS Lawyer Opens Hot Dog Cart, Finally Starts Serving The Public<\/a><\/p>\n

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Chris Williams became a social media manager and assistant editor for Above the Law in June 2021. Prior to joining the staff, he moonlighted as a minor Memelord\u2122 in the Facebook group\u00a0Law School Memes for Edgy T14s . \u00a0He endured Missouri long enough to graduate from Washington University in St. Louis School of Law. He is a former boatbuilder who is learning to swim,\u00a0is interested in critical race theory, philosophy, and humor, and has a love for cycling that occasionally annoys his peers. You can reach him by email at\u00a0cwilliams@abovethelaw.com <\/a>and by tweet at\u00a0@WritesForRent<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The post John Stewart Throws Light Jab At 30-Somethings Thinking About Law School<\/a> appeared first on Above the Law<\/a>.<\/p>\n

I unironically believe that keeping abreast of The Onion and The Daily Show are some of the best ways to stay up to date on current events. I\u2019ve been tuned in to the latter recently because the light leaving John Stewart\u2019s eyes once he realized Kamala Harris has learned nothing from her loss continues to haunt me: <\/p>\n

He started off the most recent Daily Show with a pat on the back: it is entering its 30th year of being on air! Which made for an easy lay-up joke about meandering 30-somethings considering law school:<\/p>\n