At 19, Monica Taylor Schlitz earned her Juris Doctor from Southern Methodist University’s Dedman School of Law in Dallas, Texas, in May 2022.
According to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, she became the school’s youngest law graduate and the country’s youngest black Law graduate.
When Monica was nine years old, her parents opted to homeschool her because she was highly talented. This was the start of Monica’s incredible adventure. Without being constrained by the conventional education system, she could learn at her own pace and pursue her interests.
At Tarrant County College (TCC) Northeast, she began taking college-level courses when she was ten. There, she excelled in various areas, including art, history, speech, and foreign languages.
At 13, she graduated from TCC with an associate’s degree. She transferred to Texas Woman’s University the following year, graduating with a bachelor’s in interdisciplinary studies at 16.
The story of Monica is not only remarkable but also inspiring. According to the American Bar Association, only five per cent of solicitors in the US are black, and only two per cent of black women are solicitors. Moreover, Monica is eight years younger than most of her contemporaries, given that the average age of US law school graduates is 27.
Monica’s narrative also shows the promise of homeschooling for bright and talented adolescents who might not find sufficient support or chances in traditional institutions. Roughly 3% of pupils in the US were homeschooled in 2016, and approximately 15% were black, according to the National Centre for Education Statistics. Parents may decide to homeschool their children for various reasons, such as discontent with academic instruction, anxiety about the school setting, and a desire for religious or moral training.
Monica intends to take the bar exam in July 2022 and pursue a career as a criminal defence lawyer. She wants to use her expertise and abilities to aid those oppressed or marginalised by the judicial system. She also hopes to encourage other young people, particularly females of colour, to question the status quo and achieve their aspirations.
Monica Taylor Schlitz is an excellent example of what can be accomplished through tenacity and support from family and mentors. She also shows the advantages of exceptional individuals receiving alternative education, such as homeschooling. There are about 2.5 million homeschoolers in the US, and compared to their peers who attend public or private schools, they tend to perform better on standardised tests, have higher rates of being accepted into top colleges, and engage in their communities more.
In addition to being a leader in the legal profession, Monica inspires young girls everywhere. She enthusiastically demonstrates that anything is possible and that age is just a number.
