Staying in undergrad longer hurt my application? Forum

[astinkytoilet]

I majored in a non-marketable liberal art with the full intention of going to law school after. I'm set to graduate this spring but my LSAT score was lower than I hoped. I'm going to retake in June but this means delaying my cycle another year. After a lot of lurking on this forum and reading some other blogs I am reconsidering law school if I cannot go to a t14 or get $$$ at a strong regional. I am considering pursuing another degree in accounting and pursuing an accounting career if I end up not attending law school. It would take roughly 1.5-2 years to get the accounting degree and I've all ready spent 4 in UG. Would spending 6 years in UG with 2 unrelated degrees hurt my app? Would it be better from an application perspective to just graduate now? Any thoughts or advice is appreciated.

[jrd93]

LSAT>>>>>>>>>>GPA>>>>>>>major>length in school

[Philafaler]

LSAT and GPA are the key factors.

If you're happy with your GPA, it might be better to graduate, lock in that uGPA, then try to get into a master of accountancy program for the accounting career. I don't know how much accounting you've done, but the master typically takes only one extra year, and if the program is decent it's often easier to get a firm job.

[Chidasuuu]

Hi OP, there are many people who pursue law school with multiple degrees, even advanced degrees. I highly doubt any school would punish you for pursuing a second degree in accounting. However bear in mind that your GPA would either be positively or negatively effected due to your pursuit of a second degree. Make sure it isn't the latter.

[A. Nony Mouse]

Hi OP, there are many people who pursue law school with multiple degrees, even advanced degrees. I highly doubt any school would punish you for pursuing a second degree in accounting. However bear in mind that your GPA would either be positively or negatively effected due to your pursuit of a second degree. Make sure it isn't the latter.

No, it's only the GPA for your first degree that counts for admissions. Anything after you were awarded your first BA doesn't count. (I mean, law schools will see it, but it won't go into your LSAC GPA.)

[kershka]

Hi OP, there are many people who pursue law school with multiple degrees, even advanced degrees. I highly doubt any school would punish you for pursuing a second degree in accounting. However bear in mind that your GPA would either be positively or negatively effected due to your pursuit of a second degree. Make sure it isn't the latter.

No, it's only the GPA for your first degree that counts for admissions. Anything after you were awarded your first BA doesn't count. (I mean, law schools will see it, but it won't go into your LSAC GPA.)

It depends on how the OP's UG awards its degrees. If he hasn't already graduated and he decides to start a joint degree program then both degrees might count. I earned two BAs simultaneously through my undergraduate and LSAC counted both because both were awarded at the same time, even though I completed one a semester earlier.

That being said, if he has already earned his BA/BS and is adding another on top of it (before filing for graduation on the BA) then it doesn't matter at all and the OP can do what he like without worrying about his GPA changing.

[Chidasuuu]

Hi OP, there are many people who pursue law school with multiple degrees, even advanced degrees. I highly doubt any school would punish you for pursuing a second degree in accounting. However bear in mind that your GPA would either be positively or negatively effected due to your pursuit of a second degree. Make sure it isn't the latter.

No, it's only the GPA for your first degree that counts for admissions. Anything after you were awarded your first BA doesn't count. (I mean, law schools will see it, but it won't go into your LSAC GPA.)

Thank you for the correction.

[A. Nony Mouse]

Hi OP, there are many people who pursue law school with multiple degrees, even advanced degrees. I highly doubt any school would punish you for pursuing a second degree in accounting. However bear in mind that your GPA would either be positively or negatively effected due to your pursuit of a second degree. Make sure it isn't the latter.

No, it's only the GPA for your first degree that counts for admissions. Anything after you were awarded your first BA doesn't count. (I mean, law schools will see it, but it won't go into your LSAC GPA.)

It depends on how the OP's UG awards its degrees. If he hasn't already graduated and he decides to start a joint degree program then both degrees might count. I earned two BAs simultaneously through my undergraduate and LSAC counted both because both were awarded at the same time, even though I completed one a semester earlier.

That being said, if he has already earned his BA/BS and is adding another on top of it (before filing for graduation on the BA) then it doesn't matter at all and the OP can do what he like without worrying about his GPA changing.

Yes, this is true - sorry, I was unclear. The OP read to me like graduating + doing another degree, not putting off graduating and adding a second degree, but that was just my assumption.

[lawschool22]

Hi OP, there are many people who pursue law school with multiple degrees, even advanced degrees. I highly doubt any school would punish you for pursuing a second degree in accounting. However bear in mind that your GPA would either be positively or negatively effected due to your pursuit of a second degree. Make sure it isn't the latter.

I know it's a forum and I make typos all the time too (so if it was a typo ignore this), but I see this one a lot and just want to spread the word :

Affect Versus Effect

[BmoreOrLess]

Hi OP, there are many people who pursue law school with multiple degrees, even advanced degrees. I highly doubt any school would punish you for pursuing a second degree in accounting. However bear in mind that your GPA would either be positively or negatively effected due to your pursuit of a second degree. Make sure it isn't the latter.

No, it's only the GPA for your first degree that counts for admissions. Anything after you were awarded your first BA doesn't count. (I mean, law schools will see it, but it won't go into your LSAC GPA.)

I love that law schools game numbers in every way possible but go to great lengths to not allow students to do so.