Law or Engineering: Which Should I Choose?

[k4br0ntx]

When I was in my early twenties, I graduated a T1 UG with a 4.0{POLS}, got acccepted to a T1 law school {SMU}, and got kicked out. I was academically dismissed because I quit and did not drop my classes.

Now I'm 28 years old and am trying to decide on a career path. I still love constitutional and immigration law both of which I scored the highest grade while at SMU. However the job outlook for lawyers is bleak and most of my friends (including some who are lawyers) tell me that law school is not a good investment right now. Also there is no guarantee that I will be admitted to law school again.

Then there is engineering. I live in Houston and PE is huge here. My best friend is an engineer manager and can help me get a job upon graduation. I do love math and am good at it. I have already been accepted to engineering program at UH.

Despite all this I'm a little apprehensive about going studying engineering. Money is important to me. However been able to excel at my job is also very important. How can I know whether I have the aptitude to be a good engineer? Or is this a dumb question?

 

[FactorsOf2]

However the job outlook for lawyers is bleak and most of my friends (including some who are lawyers) tell me that law school is not a good investment right now. Also there is no guarantee that I will be admitted to law school again.

Yeah I've heard this too. Probably the outlook would be even worse if 2nd time around you weren't able to go to a T1.

Despite all this I'm a little apprehensive about going studying engineering. Money is important to me. However been able to excel at my job is also very important. How can I know whether I have the aptitude to be a good engineer? Or is this a dumb question?

Simple, audit some math and engineering classes and talk to your friend and other engineers about what they actually DO on a day-to-day basis, what they like and dislike about their jobs etc. Take the time to learn about the different fields of engineering and what job prospects exist and what salaries are common.

 

[Choppy]

How can I know whether I have the aptitude to be a good engineer? Or is this a dumb question?

There's no definitive test I'm afraid. Like everyone else, you have to try it and then see if you like it.

The good news is that engineering is a pretty broad field, so if you enjoy studying it, there's a good chance that you'll eventually be able to find a position somewhere that you enjoy and will perform well in.

The other issue at hand is figuring out what prompted you to quit law school in the first place, so that whatever path you decide on, you won't quit again.