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Does your undergraduate major matter?
Posted: Mon May 17, 2010 10:26 pm
by jonjung710
Hey guys, Im currently a media studies (similar to communication studies) at UC Berkeley. By the time i graduate, i expect at least a 3.75 gpa. Will my major negatively impact me because it is unversally known as an easy major? And I have the same question about Sociology. Is sociology also looked down upon because it is an easy major? My goal is a t-14 school and assuming that i get a good enough lsat score, will my major be the deciding factor?
Re: Does your undergraduate major matter?
Posted: Mon May 17, 2010 10:30 pm
by Mal
jonjung710 wrote:Hey guys, Im currently a media studies (similar to communication studies) at UC Berkeley. By the time i graduate, i expect at least a 3.75 gpa. Will my major negatively impact me because it is unversally known as an easy major? And I have the same question about Sociology. Is sociology also looked down upon because it is an easy major? My goal is a t-14 school and assuming that i get a good enough lsat score, will my major be the deciding factor?
No, it won't. LSAT and UGPA are the deciding factor.
Re: Does your undergraduate major matter?
Posted: Mon May 17, 2010 10:32 pm
by merichard87
Major only matters if you express an interest in patents within your application and you don't have a science background cuz you just look like an idiot. Major in whatever interests you.
Re: Does your undergraduate major matter?
Posted: Mon May 17, 2010 10:34 pm
by Bildungsroman
jonjung710 wrote: Will my major negatively impact me because it is unversally known as an easy major?
No. Some people like to claim that certain majors (engineering, chemistry, physics, classics, etc. pretty much whatever that person majored in and is now all high and mighty about) are weighted better than others by adcomms. Those people are incorrect.
Re: Does your undergraduate major matter?
Posted: Mon May 17, 2010 10:38 pm
by jonjung710
oh wow! you guys are so helpful (and quick to reply

)haha. hmmm so basically one can get a 4.0 with a major in Communications and get picked over a 3.8 philosophy major? cool beans lol
Re: Does your undergraduate major matter?
Posted: Tue May 18, 2010 12:34 am
by Tofu
jonjung710 wrote:oh wow! you guys are so helpful (and quick to reply

)haha. hmmm so basically one can get a 4.0 with a major in Communications and get picked over a 3.8 philosophy major? cool beans lol
engineering, physics, chem, etc. can help. it really depends on what tier, though. having a high gpa in the previously mentioned majors would help for HYS, for instance
Re: Does your undergraduate major matter?
Posted: Tue May 18, 2010 12:38 am
by chadwick218
Bildungsroman wrote:jonjung710 wrote: Will my major negatively impact me because it is unversally known as an easy major?
No. Some people like to claim that certain majors (engineering, chemistry, physics, classics, etc. pretty much whatever that person majored in and is now all high and mighty about) are weighted better than others by adcomms. Those people are incorrect.
i disagree especially w/r/t prospectives majoring in engineering, chemistry, physics at T25 undergraduate schools. adcoms are are often more willing to be much more forgiving with gpa. furthermore, law firms do seem to care more about undergraduate majors and undergraduate schools than many people on this site like to believe.
Re: Does your undergraduate major matter?
Posted: Tue May 18, 2010 1:14 am
by jonjung710
hmmm i understand that those hard sciences and math/engineering majors certainly can be to one's advantage, but what i am asking is if majors like Communications and Media Studies will HURT your chances.
Re: Does your undergraduate major matter?
Posted: Tue May 18, 2010 1:15 am
by IAFG
jonjung710 wrote:hmmm i understand that those hard sciences and math/engineering majors certainly can be to one's advantage, but what i am asking is if majors like Communications and Media Studies will HURT your chances.
no.
Re: Does your undergraduate major matter?
Posted: Tue May 18, 2010 2:05 am
by jonjung710
cool thnx for the replies guys!
Re: Does your undergraduate major matter?
Posted: Tue May 18, 2010 11:58 am
by Weez
Using the term "cool beans" will hurt your chances much more.
Re: Does your undergraduate major matter?
Posted: Tue May 18, 2010 12:06 pm
by cuzimcoollikethat
How do adcoms feel about 2 majors and a minor? I've got majors in Film Studies and Psychology with a minor in English. I often hear people say that 3 majors makes one look as if they don't know what they're interested in and they're just trying to look intelligent. But is it the same for 2 majors and a minor? Even if said person has demonstrated an interest in Film by several internships?
Re: Does your undergraduate major matter?
Posted: Tue May 18, 2010 3:53 pm
by Cactus
cuzimcoollikethat wrote:How do adcoms feel about 2 majors and a minor? I've got majors in Film Studies and Psychology with a minor in English. I often hear people say that 3 majors makes one look as if they don't know what they're interested in and they're just trying to look intelligent. But is it the same for 2 majors and a minor? Even if said person has demonstrated an interest in Film by several internships?
I'm no adcom, but my best guess is that they could care less either way. If you want to major in two areas of study, go for it. I'm currently double majoring, but the choice wasn't made as an attempt to impress adcoms. It was merely a personal decision because I wanted to learn more about economics and felt the need to seek more out of my undergraduate education.
Re: Does your undergraduate major matter?
Posted: Tue May 18, 2010 4:08 pm
by ArthurEdens
It could be basket weaving for all they care. They only submit the GPA, not the major, for ranking purposes. It's ridiculous, but such is life.
Engineering and science majors have the advantage later, since they're the ones who can pursue patent law.
Re: Does your undergraduate major matter?
Posted: Tue May 18, 2010 4:24 pm
by amputatedbrain
Hard science probably helps as a tie breaker. I bet all else being equal, an adcomm would pick a 3.7 Engineering major over a 3.7 communications major. But the 3.7 comm major will almost always beat the 3.3 Engineering, even though the 3.3 is probably much harder to get than the 3.7.
Re: Does your undergraduate major matter?
Posted: Tue May 18, 2010 7:13 pm
by jonjung710
Weez wrote:Using the term "cool beans" will hurt your chances much more.
hahaha ur right. please forget that i ever said that.
and thnx guys for the help

Re: Does your undergraduate major matter?
Posted: Tue May 18, 2010 11:13 pm
by jonjung710
oh and just wondering, is there any proof that law schools don't care about your major? or is this just an obvious truth that is universally accepted? hehehe
Re: Does your undergraduate major matter?
Posted: Tue May 18, 2010 11:22 pm
by Dr. Strangelove
I don't think it matters. None of these majors serve as prerequisites for a law school education.