Meet Yao Vang, a second year student at San Joaquin College of Law (SJCL) and political science major from UC Merced. As a full-time wife and mom, she decided to pursue her lifelong dream of becoming a lawyer and couldn’t be happier with her decision. Learn more about Yao, how she used her experience in a new country to help her in law school and why her family’s support has had an impact on her law school journey.
Tell us about yourself and the road that led you to SJCL.
I’m a mother to two children, ages 3 and 4. I graduated from UC Merced with my Bachelor’s in Political Science in 2012. Growing up I always had an interest in law, but it wasn’t until I started my family that I really focused on pursuing a career in law. I’m just grateful to have the opportunities that I’ve had and I try to be a good role model for everyone else in similar situations, especially others who might be the first in their families to go to college or law school.
Why did you decide to attend SJCL?
I never originally planned on attending SJCL and I didn’t even know about it until I started doing my research into law schools near me. I literally Googled the closest law school in Merced and SJCL popped up. I knew there wasn’t one in my town and I didn’t want to move my family, so I was grateful that I found SJCL since it’s only an hour away from home and I’m able to commute. I had no idea how great it was actually going to be until I started attending classes and I’d encourage anyone, especially those who live near the area, to give SJCL a shot because this school hasn’t disappointed me at all.
Is it difficult to commute or have you found ways that work for you?
It was really hard the first year, but you just have to get used to it. I also found someone else who commutes from Merced, so we carpool and that made the drive better. My sister also started attending Fresno State and she’s from Merced as well, so I’ll carpool with her sometimes and that also makes the trip more fun.
Was it difficult to adapt to the language of law or did learning English as a child help you prepare for it?
I came to the United States when I was six years old, so I learned English at a younger age and I don’t think it was as hard as law school. Honestly it doesn’t matter where you come from, law school is a totally different language and it’s tough to learn. But if you want it bad enough, you’ll definitely push yourself to learn it.
Was your family supportive of your decision to attend law school?
They’ve always known that I wanted to go to law school, but I didn’t seriously pursue it until after I had my two kids. No one knew about my application to law school until after I was accepted. My family was very supportive of my decision and I am very grateful that everyone has been really supportive. Having your family’s full support is important because law school will take away your social life and prevent you from attending family events. Everyone will start to wonder where you have been or why you don’t come around often. Having your family support your decision definitely goes a long way.
What’s the culture at SJCL like?
The staff and professors are very friendly and approachable. Anything you need or any questions you have, they’re happy to help you or point you in the right direction. I’ve also found that the students who are a grade or two above me are also friendly and willing to help in any way they can. This environment has definitely made my experience even better.
How supportive has the staff and faculty been during your time at SJCL?
I’ve never attended a school that’s nearly as supportive as SJCL. When I first started, I did day classes and most of them had 20-30 students. Now that I’m doing evening classes, there’s a little bit more students. But it is still a small school and there aren’t as many students as there were in my college classes, so you can have that one-on-one time with your professors. They'll even make it mandatory to meet with them one-on-one after the first semester. Having professors who want to help you succeed goes to show how supportive SJCL is to its students' success.
What’s been your favorite part of law school so far?
My favorite part of law school is finding out how much I've actually improved in my reading and writing skills. Comparing when I first entered law school to the end of the first year, I went from reading my cases with a law dictionary to the second year without a law dictionary. The time it took me to read cases has doubled down or even tripled down. I didn’t think I would learn anything because the material was so difficult, but my favorite part of law school has been how much I've actually learned at the end of my first year!
What advice do you have for getting through the first year of law school?
My advice is get to know other students because they’re the only ones who can really understand what you’re going through and can help you. My husband and family are supportive, but they have no idea what I’m going through or the work I’m doing in law school. Talking to another student or professor will make you realize you’re not the only one having difficulties, which puts your mind at ease and pushes you forward.
As a wife and mom, what advice do you have for other women who are considering going to law school?
Follow your dreams and if you really want it, just go for it, because there’s never a good time to go to law school. Honestly, don’t think twice and just submit your application. If you need any advice or want to know what it’s like before you go, talk to professors or the staff because they’ll help you in every way they can. But you have to have perseverance and determination because without those traits, it’s going to be really tough for you to stay motivated and keep going.
Want to learn more about San Joaquin College of Law, sit in on a class or set up an appointment to discuss your law school future? Contact our Admissions Counselor, Francisco "Javier" Rosas today!