Law Students
‘Unrealistic Goal’ Helped Ex-Inmate Journey from Prison Cell to Yale Law
Posted Sep 11, 2008, 05:46 pm CST
By Martha Neil
Andres Idarraga's future didn't look promising when his drug-dealing caught up with him and he was sentenced to a 14-year term in a Rhode Island prison.
He was about 20 years old and had never graduated from high school. But he began spending all his free time in the prison library, reading voraciously and discussing events in the outside world with other inmates there. He earned his G.E.D. high school equivalency degree, helped other inmates get theirs, too, and, when he was released, enrolled in college, reports the Today Show.
A believer in the power of "unrealistic goals"—as well as a step-by-step approach to pursuing them—Idarraga had applied to prestigious Brown University in Providence, and was rejected. But, a year later, after he enrolled in a state university and got top grades, Brown agreed to let him in, recounts an article on NBC's website. Now, at age 30, he is about to begin a new three-year program of study at another prestigious institution—Yale Law School. He hopes eventually to teach at his own charter school.
“He can't possibly be the exception," says Glenn Loury, a professor who served as something of a mentor to Idarraga at Brown. "There's got to be others like him. I just think his case shows us that there's an unexploited potential for others.”
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Comments
Posted by Karen Rhodes - 2 months, 2 weeks, 3 days, 20 hours, 18 minutes ago
A) I would LOVE to see the applications of the non-ex-con that didn’t get into Yale because the drug dealer did.
B) Just how exactly is an drug dealing ex-con going to get past a character and fitness examination with a 14 year prison sentence on his record, seeing as most schools won’t even let in parking ticket scofflaws?
Posted by anon - 2 months, 2 weeks, 3 days, 12 hours, 31 minutes ago
Colorado Attorney Regulation Counsel allows lawyers readmission after drug convictions if they claim religion
Posted by Libby - 2 months, 2 weeks, 3 days, 10 hours, 49 minutes ago
In most of the State (if not everywhere), he will be denied admission to the Bar.
So if the goal is to teach (teaching job), may be he can succeed.
If the goal is the Bar admission and practice of law, most likely, he will be denied admission based on a lack of good moral character.
Posted by Ronnie - 2 months, 2 weeks, 1 day, 14 hours, 15 minutes ago
This story is an inspiration. He dealt drugs due to poverty. However, his transformation in an inspiration to us all. If he can do it from jail, then what is our excuse by accepting mediocrity in our lives.