My Chances Forum

[E A Howard]

I am a current High School Senior and future Tulane University Engineering Physics major hoping to pursue a law degree after I finish my undergrad. I scored 1500 out of 1600 on the SAT, and I have already started practicing for the LSAT (don't tell me its too early, everyone says that.) I scored 165 on a practice test, and I hope to improve by at least 5 points before I take the test.

I have to take out loans for my undergraduate education, so I need to get a large scholarship for law school - granted, if I was accepted at Harvard or Yale Law, I would take out loans to attend. Assuming I can maintain a 3.5+ in Tulane Engineering and score a 170+ on the LSAT, would I be in the running for a large scholarship at Duke/Cornell/NYU/Columbia?

I have heard that Computer Engineering is the most appreciated UG degree by law schools and Mechanical/Physics is the least appreciated of the Engineering fields. (I would prefer CE, but Tulane doesn't offer it.) Will this adversely affect my chances? Is there any chance that with a 3.75 and 172 I could get into Harvard or Yale Law?

[lostjake]

I'm going to assume for a moment that this isn't a flame.

1. "engineering physics" is something someone made up and is not real engineering, it will leave you unemployed after college. If you want to go into law school the trend right now is to go into electrical engineering. I would try to get a circuits or communications concentration if Tulane offers it.
2. Instead of studying for the LSAT maybe you should study more for the SATs and try to get a full ride somewhere for UG school? That would make more sense to me.

[kalvano]

Don't major in Underwater Basket Weaving. Other than that, UG degree doesn't matter much. Take English or something.

It's too early to worry about the LSAT. You've got at lease 4, probably 5 years before law school. The score is only good for 5 years.

And for fucks sake, get a life. You're far too young to be worrying about this. You're going to undergrad at New Orleans. Go to Bourbon Street, drink lots of beer, have a real college experience. You have the rest of your life to worry about deadlines and stress.

[jayn3]

1. masturbate more

2. worry less

3. go concentrate on having a life in college (eg, girls, sex, beer, pranks, sex) while maintaining a high gpa

4. don't be a flame or i'll be pissed i answered at all

[lostjake]

Don't major in Underwater Basket Weaving. Other than that, UG degree doesn't matter much. Take English or something.

It's too early to worry about the LSAT. You've got at lease 4, probably 5 years before law school. The score is only good for 5 years.

And for fucks sake, get a life. You're far too young to be worrying about this. You're going to undergrad at New Orleans. Go to Bourbon Street, drink lots of beer, have a real college experience. You have the rest of your life to worry about deadlines and stress.

-1000

Go into a major in which you could find employment if you do not go into law school in four years. This would be engineering. The only thing you need to learn in 4 years of english is "do you want fries with that?"

[kalvano]

Worked fine for me.

[lostjake]

Worked fine for me.

Describe.

[bk1]

Advice: Chill.

[kalvano]

Worked fine for me.

Describe.

And if I say no?

[lostjake]

Worked fine for me.

Describe.

And if I say no?

Giving someone advice to enroll in something that isn't a hard science is horrible. Maybe you can squeek econ into there but otherwise its a waste of 4 years and about 40k of money. I would rather have a certificate in plumbing than a degree in english.

[traehekat]

Giving someone advice to enroll in something that isn't a hard science is horrible.

Um, not if they want to go to law school?

[E A Howard]

I know I want Engineering and not English. Also, Engineering Physics is a real curriculum, ABET certified, and offered at many top engineering schools. Can Electrical Engineering/Computer Engineering really be be all that much better then Engineering Physics?

[merichard87]

WTF is Engineering Physics? And how is marketable? I'm too through with these bullshit ass made up majors.

[Billy Blanks]

You're still a flame. The SAT is currently out of 2400, which everyone taking the SAT these days knows (it was a good try, though).

[E A Howard]

I scored 1500/1600, OR 2220/2400 on the SAT. Math: 770, CR: 730, W: 720.

[E A Howard]

Its discouraging to think that you don't believe I am real...
Yes, I made all this up to be an asshole!

BTW, if you type Engineering Physics into Google, you will see it is a real major.

[merichard87]

I wasnt implying that the degree wasn't real, just that it doesn't seem very marketable because no one knows wtf it is. I mean why would anybody hire you over someone who specifically majored in EE or MechE or ChemE? And if you are planning to go into patent law it becomes an even bigger question of how marketable are you.

[hiromoto45]

I know engineering physic majors and they have not concern for the law. They are vastly different fields. It isn't even applicable to IP. But if you are serious and not a flame I can see an EP major posting something like this but not on going to law school.

[005618502]

i cant believe someone going into college is thinking about the LSAT hahaha this is hillarous! and scored a 165 already... i seriously doubt it. And if so, under timed circumstances, then you should be aiming for more then a 170. Get good grades and have fun for 2 years then worry about it. seriously if you dont have a 4.0 applying to LS because you studied for the LSAT for 4 years then you either 1.) better get a 175+ for all you have missed out on or 2.) hate yourself

and why are you not going to a better UG if you did so well on the SAT???? I mean Tulane really??? Not that going to a better school will really help you get into law school, but at least go to a better school in case you decide against law school (many things will change throughout the years of college)

[E A Howard]

I have long considered PolySci as a prelaw major, but my feeling is that it is basically useless on its own and law schools are flooded with PolySci majors. I have always liked Engineering and while I cannot major in EE/CE - because Tulane does not offer it - I still think that Engineering Physics is still a good choice. EP is a mix of Math, Physics, and Computer Science, which are very marketable individually, and even more so when packaged as an Engineering degree.

[merichard87]

I have long considered PolySci as a prelaw major, but my feeling is that it is basically useless on its own and law schools are flooded with PolySci majors. I have always liked Engineering and while I cannot major in EE/CE - because Tulane does not offer it - I still think that Engineering Physics is still a good choice. EP is a mix of Math, Physics, and Computer Science, which are very marketable individually, and even more so when packaged as an Engineering degree.

Not for the purposes of IP Law. I don't know any Engineering Physics majors so I can't speak on Engineering job opportunities but chances are you won't be using all those skills at any one job. Hate to break it to you kid but you're living in the clouds.

[bk1]

I have long considered PolySci as a prelaw major, but my feeling is that it is basically useless on its own and law schools are flooded with PolySci majors. I have always liked Engineering and while I cannot major in EE/CE - because Tulane does not offer it - I still think that Engineering Physics is still a good choice. EP is a mix of Math, Physics, and Computer Science, which are very marketable individually, and even more so when packaged as an Engineering degree.

Being an engineering major may give a small boost, but most likely will not. The best advice if you are deadset on going to law school is to choose the major where you can get the best possible grades, hands down. (I personally wish I had realized and understood this advice and gotten out of English, which I hate, early in college.)

If you want IP then it is different. I don't know which majors are most marketable there, but you will not get a boost in getting into law school, it will merely allow you to pursue a job in the field after law school.

Come back when you have a real LSAT and appreciable UG grades before you start asking about your chances.

EDIT: I also agree that not giving your SAT out of 2400 originally makes you a very likely troll, and if so I have taken the bait.

[E A Howard]

I should point out as well that I will have enough free space in my schedule to dual major in Comp Sci or Poly Sci. Would you say that it would help my chances if I dual major, even if it costs me some grade points? I think its better not to because a 3.5 in Engineering is better then a 3.25 in Engineering and something else.

[bk1]

I should point out as well that I will have enough free space in my schedule to dual major in Comp Sci or Poly Sci. Would you say that it would help my chances if I dual major, even if it costs me some grade points? I think its better not to because a 3.5 in Engineering is better then a 3.25 in Engineering and something else.

No. Double majoring will not help. Don't do anything that will hurt your GPA.

[merichard87]

Don't do anything that you don't have to do if it will lower your GPA.