Major, GPA, and, Minors given strong consideration? Forum

[MusicComp]

Hello everyone,

I have read through the FAQ and was hoping someone could provide a bit more information about how your "major" is taken into consideration, as mine is fairly unusual (the first I've seen from browsing these boards).

I am a junior (but will graduate as a 5 year senior) pursuing a Bachelors of Music (B.M.) in Music Composition. I can tell that my major is fairly atypical for law school admissions and am wondering if the specific major will help or hurt my chances. I read in the "Read This" post that law schools don't give to much weight to your major, but any additional insight would be appreciated). My GPA in my major will be a 3.8 (but LSAC GPA will be around a 3.62 when I apply in Fall 2012 [a terrible freshman year].

I will also have three minors: Writing and Rhetoric, Business, and Legal Studies. Will these give any weight to my chances of being admitted (coursework for Writing and Legal Studies are comprised of all "A's" (A 4.0 in the minor).?

My ECs are an internship with Lockheed Martin, and founding and running a non-for-profit organization that teaches children Music, Dance, Theater, Art, and Creative Writing. (Just providing more insight to possibly effect my major).

I have posted a question about personal statements in the personal statement forum with similar supporting information based on how and what I should write my PS on.


I am trying to get a better idea of how my application will be taken through the admissions process at Law Schools, in particular how the minors and my major will be weighed and considered.

Thank you, everyone. I will check this constantly.

[IAFG]

Things that will matter: your LSAT score

Things that will be totally disregarded: everything else you mentioned (ETA: except for GPA, which will rule you out for HYS but give you some shot at everything below it with a strong LSAT).

[Emma.]

Things that will matter: your LSAT score

Things that will be totally disregarded: everything else you mentioned (ETA: except for LSAC GPA, which will rule you out for HYS but give you some shot at everything below it with a strong LSAT).

FTFY

[kalvano]

Your application will be taken as a 3.62 and whatever LSAT score you get.

[Hopefully2012]

Cumulative UG GPA/LSAT account for close to 90% of admissions decisions.

The stuff you listed will only matter if another 3.62/whatever LSAT score you end up getting apply to the same school and they want to weed one of you out. Your major(s)/minor(s) GPA won't matter at all. It's a weak soft at best. Sorry.

[marklg89]

Your specific major won't matter (only your gpa), but your extra curriculars are fairly strong and will affect your cycle positively

[LawSchoolChampion]

Cumulative UG GPA/LSAT account for close to 90% of admissions decisions.

The stuff you listed will only matter if another 3.62/whatever LSAT score you end up getting apply to the same school and they want to weed one of you out. Your major(s)/minor(s) GPA won't matter at all. It's a weak soft at best. Sorry.

Your specific major won't matter (only your gpa), but your extra curriculars are fairly strong and will affect your cycle positively

So, Hopefully says weak softs, and Marklg89 said strong softs...

I am still really new to this board and don't know much, but they [seem] decent...

Opinions?

[kalvano]

You won't outperform your numbers, but you will look better than someone with the same-ish numbers. All softs do is separate people with similar numbers.

[Samara]

Cumulative UG GPA/LSAT account for close to 90% of admissions decisions.

The stuff you listed will only matter if another 3.62/whatever LSAT score you end up getting apply to the same school and they want to weed one of you out. Your major(s)/minor(s) GPA won't matter at all. It's a weak soft at best. Sorry.

Your specific major won't matter (only your gpa), but your extra curriculars are fairly strong and will affect your cycle positively

So, Hopefully says weak softs, and Marklg89 said strong softs...

I am still really new to this board and don't know much, but they [seem] decent...

Opinions?

Those two posters are referring to two different things. Hopefully says that your minors don't matter, which is true. Your choice of major might come into play for diversity's sake if you're riiiight on the edge, but that's doubtful. You aren't the first Music Comp student to apply to law school.

Mark is referring to your internship and non-profit. I agree, those are good softs. However, they aren't crazy good and will only differentiate you amongst applicants with similar numbers.

[Hopefully2012]

Cumulative UG GPA/LSAT account for close to 90% of admissions decisions.

The stuff you listed will only matter if another 3.62/whatever LSAT score you end up getting apply to the same school and they want to weed one of you out. Your major(s)/minor(s) GPA won't matter at all. It's a weak soft at best. Sorry.

Your specific major won't matter (only your gpa), but your extra curriculars are fairly strong and will affect your cycle positively

So, Hopefully says weak softs, and Marklg89 said strong softs...

I am still really new to this board and don't know much, but they [seem] decent...

Opinions?

Those two posters are referring to two different things. Hopefully says that your minors don't matter, which is true. Your choice of major might come into play for diversity's sake if you're riiiight on the edge, but that's doubtful. You aren't the first Music Comp student to apply to law school.

Mark is referring to your internship and non-profit. I agree, those are good softs. However, they aren't crazy good and will only differentiate you amongst applicants with similar numbers.

+1