Many individuals pursue a legal career because they believe in the importance of order. A law career is seen as an esteemed position, and many students try to attain a degree in the field in hopes of one day become a lawyer, which can be a lucrative profession. However, pursuing a law degree can sometimes be expensive, which is why many students opt to wait until they've started to make an income before they go back to school.

Alice Thomas knew she wanted to be a lawyer, but didn't get the drive to earn her degree until well past the average age. Thomas completed her course work at the age of 79, according to The Sacramento Bee.

The graduate even has a job lined up working at a Reno, Nevada, law firm, where she will be working on legal issues involving the elderly. Although she's racked up more than $70,000 in student loans and had to deal with the loss of a loved one during her schooling, she managed to pull through and pass her bar exam.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, lawyer careers are expected to increase by 13% by 2018.