GPA Issue

[Dbate]

I have a quick question regarding GPA. I currently am a college student on the cusp of deciding which major to pursue. I intend to have at least one major be political science (because I really enjoy it), but with regard to the other I am unsure which science I should pursue simultaneously. I have a lot of interest in chemistry (and would prefer to major in chem), but I am not as adept at chemistry as I am in biology. As of now, I have gotten B+'s in my chemistry classes but A- in bio. I know that a second major is unnecessary but I really enjoy science and potentially would like to work in patent law, so it is literally required. Will law schools care if your GPA is inflated by one major (i.e. the political science classes) but your other major classes are around the B+ range? Will potential employers care? Thanks.

[vanwinkle]

For the most part, they'll only care what your overall GPA is. Normally I'd dissuade people from pursuing political science as a major, but if you're doing it as a double-major to pad your GPA, that makes sense. Legal employers will care an awful lot more about your law school GPA than your undergrad GPA. The trick is getting into a good law school in the first place; once you do that it won't matter as much how well you did in UG, just that you graduated in the first place.

[merichard87]

If you want to do patent law you need advanced degrees in the life sciences to be marketable. Other areas of IP are options though.

[09042014]

I have a quick question regarding GPA. I currently am a college student on the cusp of deciding which major to pursue. I intend to have at least one major be political science (because I really enjoy it), but with regard to the other I am unsure which science I should pursue simultaneously. I have a lot of interest in chemistry (and would prefer to major in chem), but I am not as adept at chemistry as I am in biology. As of now, I have gotten B+'s in my chemistry classes but A- in bio. I know that a second major is unnecessary but I really enjoy science and potentially would like to work in patent law, so it is literally required. Will law schools care if your GPA is inflated by one major (i.e. the political science classes) but your other major classes are around the B+ range? Will potential employers care? Thanks.

Try harder. If you can get a B+ in Chem without an legendary effort you can get an A with more effort. If you won't put in that effort, don't do it.

Nobody will hire you for patent law with a BS in Chem or Biology.

Why are you so interested in patent law anyway?

[Dbate]

I am interested in patent law principally because I find science interesting, but the traditional careers--e.g. scientist, doctor--are not at all appealing. You said that no one will hire you with only a BS in bio or chem, but I thought that advanced degrees carried more weight for prosecution than for litigation and I want to do the latter.

Also, I still have the option of pursuing a BioMed engineering degree or ChemE would those be preferable to straight bio or chem?

[Dbate]

For the most part, they'll only care what your overall GPA is. Normally I'd dissuade people from pursuing political science as a major, but if you're doing it as a double-major to pad your GPA, that makes sense. Legal employers will care an awful lot more about your law school GPA than your undergrad GPA. The trick is getting into a good law school in the first place; once you do that it won't matter as much how well you did in UG, just that you graduated in the first place.

What's wrong with political science?

[vanwinkle]

What's wrong with political science?

It's a useless major.

[Dbate]

What's wrong with political science?

It's a useless major.

Are you sure? Alot of people major in political science and they go on to get jobs at top investment banks, political think tanks, and consulting firms. Poli Sci is generally a funnel to top notch jobs and the poli sci department at my school is one of the best in the world. How could it be useless?

[vanwinkle]

What's wrong with political science?

It's a useless major.

Are you sure? Alot of people major in political science and they go on to get jobs at top investment banks, political think tanks, and consulting firms. Poli Sci is generally a funnel to top notch jobs and the poli sci department at my school is one of the best in the world. How could it be useless?

None of what you just said is true. Well, it may be possible that people major in political science and then go on to be successful, but those people probably also go on to get a JD or an MBA or something actually useful along the way. Lots of people who get a political science degree and have the ambition to be successful go on to get the advanced degree because success is so hard to reach with the bachelor's degree alone.

Don't delude yourself into thinking a political science bachelor's degree is such a hot ticket to success. If it were, there'd be a lot fewer people going to law school or business school.

[Dbate]

What's wrong with political science?

It's a useless major.

Are you sure? Alot of people major in political science and they go on to get jobs at top investment banks, political think tanks, and consulting firms. Poli Sci is generally a funnel to top notch jobs and the poli sci department at my school is one of the best in the world. How could it be useless?

None of what you just said is true. Well, it may be possible that people major in political science and then go on to be successful, but those people probably also go on to get a JD or an MBA or something actually useful along the way. Lots of people who get a political science degree and have the ambition to be successful go on to get the advanced degree because success is so hard to reach with the bachelor's degree alone.

Don't delude yourself into thinking a political science bachelor's degree is such a hot ticket to success. If it were, there'd be a lot fewer people going to law school or business school.

But all of that is true. I personally know people who are going on to do just that. Nearly all the poli sci people from my university have gone on to do those things unless they did teach for america. Heck, one alum--who only graduated last year--already has an office.

[09042014]

What's wrong with political science?

It's a useless major.

Are you sure? Alot of people major in political science and they go on to get jobs at top investment banks, political think tanks, and consulting firms. Poli Sci is generally a funnel to top notch jobs and the poli sci department at my school is one of the best in the world. How could it be useless?

None of what you just said is true. Well, it may be possible that people major in political science and then go on to be successful, but those people probably also go on to get a JD or an MBA or something actually useful along the way. Lots of people who get a political science degree and have the ambition to be successful go on to get the advanced degree because success is so hard to reach with the bachelor's degree alone.

Don't delude yourself into thinking a political science bachelor's degree is such a hot ticket to success. If it were, there'd be a lot fewer people going to law school or business school.

What he is saying happens, might happen if he is at an ivy. But he is wrong about why it happens. It's not because polisci is a good major, it is because he is at a very prestigious school.

Poli Sci at all but the best colleges is worth dick.

[09042014]

It's a useless major.

Are you sure? Alot of people major in political science and they go on to get jobs at top investment banks, political think tanks, and consulting firms. Poli Sci is generally a funnel to top notch jobs and the poli sci department at my school is one of the best in the world. How could it be useless?

None of what you just said is true. Well, it may be possible that people major in political science and then go on to be successful, but those people probably also go on to get a JD or an MBA or something actually useful along the way. Lots of people who get a political science degree and have the ambition to be successful go on to get the advanced degree because success is so hard to reach with the bachelor's degree alone.

Don't delude yourself into thinking a political science bachelor's degree is such a hot ticket to success. If it were, there'd be a lot fewer people going to law school or business school.

But all of that is true. I personally know people who are going on to do just that. Nearly all the poli sci people from my university have gone on to do those things unless they did teach for america. Heck, one alum--who only graduated last year--already has an office.

YHP?

[vanwinkle]

YHP?

I was just about to ask the same thing.

[lostjake]

Major in Bio and become a doctor.

[Dbate]

"What he is saying happens, might happen if he is at an ivy. But he is wrong about why it happens. It's not because polisci is a good major, it is because he is at a very prestigious school.

Poli Sci at all but the best colleges is worth dick.

I go to Yale. But school aside, Poli Sci seems like a good degree. Many people with Poli sci degrees go on to get top notch jobs that pay pretty well first year out, so I don't think that Political science is a worthless degree.

[vanwinkle]

I go to Yale.

This is why they're successful. It's one of the very few schools where a poli sci degree isn't worthless, because the degree is still valuable as a Yale degree.

[lostjake]

Many people who buy lotto tickets win the powerball.

[merichard87]

I am interested in patent law principally because I find science interesting, but the traditional careers--e.g. scientist, doctor--are not at all appealing. You said that no one will hire you with only a BS in bio or chem, but I thought that advanced degrees carried more weight for prosecution than for litigation and I want to do the latter.

Also, I still have the option of pursuing a BioMed engineering degree or ChemE would those be preferable to straight bio or chem?

Almost any engineering degree would be preferred to a life science degree if pursuing patent law.

Edit: You can't use a generality about a major at Yale to compare the same major across the board. If you weren't at Yale or maybe Harvard that degree wouldn't do much for you.

[09042014]

"What he is saying happens, might happen if he is at an ivy. But he is wrong about why it happens. It's not because polisci is a good major, it is because he is at a very prestigious school.

Poli Sci at all but the best colleges is worth dick.

I go to Yale. But school aside, Poli Sci seems like a good degree. Many people with Poli sci degrees go on to get top notch jobs that pay pretty well first year out, so I don't think that Political science is a worthless degree.

Because there are very limited jobs out there in political science, and they go to people like you. A Poli Sci degree from University of Wisconsin isn't worth shit. Polsci majors there don't get thinktanks or ibanks.

If you want to major in Polisci you'll be fine. 99% of people who do, don't use their degree.

[09042014]

I am interested in patent law principally because I find science interesting, but the traditional careers--e.g. scientist, doctor--are not at all appealing. You said that no one will hire you with only a BS in bio or chem, but I thought that advanced degrees carried more weight for prosecution than for litigation and I want to do the latter.

Also, I still have the option of pursuing a BioMed engineering degree or ChemE would those be preferable to straight bio or chem?

Almost any engineering degree would be preferred to a life science degree if pursuing patent law.

Do electrical engineering, if Yale even has a department. It is the most in demand.

[februaryftw]

Pol S is often a decent choice if you want to go into government related work. I mean, sure, you often need to be at a good enough school to get these jobs, but top state schools etc. can usually place its Pol S students. And often people self-select into Pol S because they are planning on moving on to a cognate professional degree, such as a MPP or a law degree. If you know it in advance, it isn't a bad degree (as long as you are taking the better classes).

But yes, we all should be engineers.

[merichard87]

Engineers FTW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[09042014]

Pol S is often a decent choice if you want to go into government related work. I mean, sure, you often need to be at a good enough school to get these jobs, but top state schools etc. can usually place its Pol S students. And often people self-select into Pol S because they are planning on moving on to a cognate professional degree, such as a MPP or a law degree. If you know it in advance, it isn't a bad degree (as long as you are taking the better classes).

But yes, we all should be engineers.

Place into starbucks maybe?

[februaryftw]

Pol S is often a decent choice if you want to go into government related work. I mean, sure, you often need to be at a good enough school to get these jobs, but top state schools etc. can usually place its Pol S students. And often people self-select into Pol S because they are planning on moving on to a cognate professional degree, such as a MPP or a law degree. If you know it in advance, it isn't a bad degree (as long as you are taking the better classes).

But yes, we all should be engineers.

Place into starbucks maybe?

I graduated at one of the better state schools a few years back, but not one of the few publics where the name will carry you. All of my colleagues who actually attended and participated in my program have gone on to do real work--consulting and government work mostly (political consulting, State Department, CIA, ...). About half went on to do additional degrees (law, public policy, M.A.s or Ph.D.s), which was their intention when they began their studies. If you know what you are doing there are careers that can be had through a Pol S degree, even for those outside of the top 5 schools.

Also, if they decide they want to go to law school, they aren't stuck at NorthwesTTTern.

[Bildungsroman]

Pol S is often a decent choice if you want to go into government related work. I mean, sure, you often need to be at a good enough school to get these jobs, but top state schools etc. can usually place its Pol S students. And often people self-select into Pol S because they are planning on moving on to a cognate professional degree, such as a MPP or a law degree. If you know it in advance, it isn't a bad degree (as long as you are taking the better classes).

But yes, we all should be engineers.

Place into starbucks maybe?

I graduated at one of the better state schools a couple years back, but not one of the few publics where the name will carry you. All of my colleagues who actually attended and participated in my program have gone on to do real work--consulting and government work mostly (political consulting, State Department, CIA, ...). About half went on to do additional degrees (law, public policy, M.A.s or Ph.D.s), which was their intention when they began their studies. If you know what you are doing there are careers that can be had through a Pol S degree, even for those outside of the top 5 schools.

Also, if they decide they want to go to law school, they aren't stuck at NorthwesTTTern.

Oh snap!