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Which major is better for law school: pharmacy or history?

Posted: Sun Jun 06, 2010 12:39 am
by drgodfather
Someone told me that history majors have an advantage in law school admissions because of the amount of reading they do but I don't think that's the case. So I'll keep it simple: which would look better by itself, a Doctor of Pharmacy or a Bachelors degree in history?

Re: Which major is better for law school: pharmacy or history?

Posted: Sun Jun 06, 2010 12:41 am
by im_blue
You'll most likely get a higher GPA in a 4-year history degree than a 6-year pharmacy degree with lots of science classes.

Re: Which major is better for law school: pharmacy or history?

Posted: Sun Jun 06, 2010 12:41 am
by blurbz
It's not the major that matters, it's the GPA. That being said, I know many people in pharmacy school so I know that it is a tough program. If you can get the same GPA in PharmD as you can in History, it might look better. Additionally, doesn't a PharmD normally take 6 years to complete? Is it worth the extra time for you?

Re: Which major is better for law school: pharmacy or history?

Posted: Sun Jun 06, 2010 12:43 am
by drgodfather
Why would a 3.5 with a Bachelors look better than a 3.4 with a Doctorate?


By the way, since pharmacy is a professional undergrad degree all 6 years are counted in GPA. It's an exception to the "undergrad gpa only" rule since pharmacy isn't considered undergrad at all schools.

Re: Which major is better for law school: pharmacy or history?

Posted: Sun Jun 06, 2010 12:44 am
by JOThompson
drgodfather wrote:Someone told me that history majors have an advantage in law school admissions because of the amount of reading they do but I don't think that's the case. So I'll keep it simple: which would look better by itself, a Doctor of Pharmacy or a Bachelors degree in history?
Are you asking which *looks* better to adcomms or which actually best prepares you for law school?

I'd recommend going with the history degree if it means an ultimately higher GPA. If your goal is to become an attorney, don't waste an extra two years getting a PharmD IMO. Spend that extra time acquiring work experience, studying for the LSAT, whatever.

Re: Which major is better for law school: pharmacy or history?

Posted: Sun Jun 06, 2010 12:45 am
by NoleinNY
drgodfather wrote:Someone told me that history majors have an advantage in law school admissions because of the amount of reading they do but I don't think that's the case. So I'll keep it simple: which would look better by itself, a Doctor of Pharmacy or a Bachelors degree in history?
Numbers Centric Admissions: Whichever would be easiest to get a good GPA in.
"Holistic Approach" Admissions: Perhaps one that challeged you and makes you a better person?

Side Question: Didn't you say previously that you already had a D of P? And if so, wouldn't that meant he Bachelors degree in history wouldn't be by itself?

Re: Which major is better for law school: pharmacy or history?

Posted: Sun Jun 06, 2010 12:47 am
by blurbz
drgodfather wrote:Why would a 3.5 with a Bachelors look better than a 3.4 with a Doctorate?


By the way, since pharmacy is a professional undergrad degree all 6 years are counted in GPA. It's an exception to the "undergrad gpa only" rule since pharmacy isn't considered undergrad at all schools.

Because that 3.5 will do more for the law school's median GPA than the 3.4.

Re: Which major is better for law school: pharmacy or history?

Posted: Sun Jun 06, 2010 12:47 am
by drgodfather
NoleinNY wrote:
drgodfather wrote:Someone told me that history majors have an advantage in law school admissions because of the amount of reading they do but I don't think that's the case. So I'll keep it simple: which would look better by itself, a Doctor of Pharmacy or a Bachelors degree in history?
Numbers Centric Admissions: Whichever would be easiest to get a good GPA in.
"Holistic Approach" Admissions: Perhaps one that challeged you and makes you a better person?

Side Question: Didn't you say previously that you already had a D of P? And if so, wouldn't that meant he Bachelors degree in history wouldn't be by itself?
Yes but that's irrelevant to my question since I didn't need a Bachelors to get into pharmacy school. Please read my first post.

I'm asking which one looks better to adcoms when it comes to degree only.

Re: Which major is better for law school: pharmacy or history?

Posted: Sun Jun 06, 2010 12:52 am
by blurbz
drgodfather wrote:
NoleinNY wrote:
drgodfather wrote:Someone told me that history majors have an advantage in law school admissions because of the amount of reading they do but I don't think that's the case. So I'll keep it simple: which would look better by itself, a Doctor of Pharmacy or a Bachelors degree in history?
Numbers Centric Admissions: Whichever would be easiest to get a good GPA in.
"Holistic Approach" Admissions: Perhaps one that challeged you and makes you a better person?

Side Question: Didn't you say previously that you already had a D of P? And if so, wouldn't that meant he Bachelors degree in history wouldn't be by itself?
Yes but that's irrelevant to my question since I didn't need a Bachelors to get into pharmacy school. Please read my first post.

I'm asking which one looks better to adcoms when it comes to degree only.
I mean, the PharmD degree is a tough degree that involves a fair amount of hard science. But it's still an incredibly short doctorate that even LSAC "counts" as an undergraduate degree. Maybe it's on the same level as a few of the engineering programs...But I doubt it'd give you a huge bump over history, and certainly not if the history degree has a better GPA attached.

Re: Which major is better for law school: pharmacy or history?

Posted: Sun Jun 06, 2010 1:01 am
by Kilpatrick
Haha this guy started another thread hoping people would tell him how special he is for having a pharmacy degree. You already got the answer to this question. Sorry dude, your PHD is a soft factor. The 3.5 history major will get in over you. That's just the way the admissions game is played. I don't know why you expect someone will come along to tell you different.

Re: Which major is better for law school: pharmacy or history?

Posted: Sun Jun 06, 2010 1:08 am
by NoleinNY
drgodfather wrote:
NoleinNY wrote:
drgodfather wrote:Someone told me that history majors have an advantage in law school admissions because of the amount of reading they do but I don't think that's the case. So I'll keep it simple: which would look better by itself, a Doctor of Pharmacy or a Bachelors degree in history?
Numbers Centric Admissions: Whichever would be easiest to get a good GPA in.
"Holistic Approach" Admissions: Perhaps one that challeged you and makes you a better person?

Side Question: Didn't you say previously that you already had a D of P? And if so, wouldn't that meant he Bachelors degree in history wouldn't be by itself?
Yes but that's irrelevant to my question since I didn't need a Bachelors to get into pharmacy school. Please read my first post.

I'm asking which one looks better to adcoms when it comes to degree only.
Between me going to post a reply and it actually going up, I missed your mention of GPAs. Whichever you got first, IIRC, is the one they care more about GPA wise. Grad-level degrees are good soft factors and if they truly care about applicant quality outside of vital statistics, then it will help.

Re: Which major is better for law school: pharmacy or history?

Posted: Sun Jun 06, 2010 1:17 am
by blurbz
Kilpatrick wrote:Haha this guy started another thread hoping people would tell him how special he is for having a pharmacy degree. You already got the answer to this question. Sorry dude, your PHD is a soft factor. The 3.5 history major will get in over you. That's just the way the admissions game is played. I don't know why you expect someone will come along to tell you different.

Haha, just read it. Weird. I stand by what I said: in terms of difficulty, a six year PharmD program is probably the equivalent of an engineering degree. Of course, the PharmD program takes longer, though...

Re: Which major is better for law school: pharmacy or history?

Posted: Sun Jun 06, 2010 1:29 am
by rftdd888
This is gonna kill me if I can't get into law school because I don't have a bachelors degree. A doctor of pharmacy is higher on scale than a bachelors.
lmfao what a blowhard.

that's not the point. you need the bachs degree.

Re: Which major is better for law school: pharmacy or history?

Posted: Sun Jun 06, 2010 1:31 am
by A'nold
Haha, nobody cares about your tiny pink pharm degree bro.

Re: Which major is better for law school: pharmacy or history?

Posted: Sun Jun 06, 2010 6:35 am
by flyingpanda
Do pharm, get a job. Forget law school. Don't be another Jackie O

Re: Which major is better for law school: pharmacy or history?

Posted: Sun Jun 06, 2010 9:54 am
by JOThompson
flyingpanda wrote:Do pharm, get a job. Forget law school. Don't be another Jackie O
This. Only an insane person would pass up the stable job opportunities that a pharmacy degree provides, unless that person is in love with the law.

Re: Which major is better for law school: pharmacy or history?

Posted: Sun Jun 06, 2010 10:35 am
by drgodfather
Kilpatrick wrote:Haha this guy started another thread hoping people would tell him how special he is for having a pharmacy degree. You already got the answer to this question. Sorry dude, your PHD is a soft factor. The 3.5 history major will get in over you. That's just the way the admissions game is played. I don't know why you expect someone will come along to tell you different.
Read my first post, jackass. I'm trying to compare degrees but not for my sake. My other thread did not answer my question since this thread is just a hypothetical and not related to my admissions into law school.



@rriles I've already talked to law schools about this, I do not need a "Bachelors" degree as long as I have my Pharm.D.

Re: Which major is better for law school: pharmacy or history?

Posted: Sun Jun 06, 2010 10:39 am
by YCrevolution
..

Re: Which major is better for law school: pharmacy or history?

Posted: Sun Jun 06, 2010 10:40 am
by drgodfather
YCrevolution wrote:
drgodfather wrote:
Kilpatrick wrote:Haha this guy started another thread hoping people would tell him how special he is for having a pharmacy degree. You already got the answer to this question. Sorry dude, your PHD is a soft factor. The 3.5 history major will get in over you. That's just the way the admissions game is played. I don't know why you expect someone will come along to tell you different.
Read my first post, jackass. I'm trying to compare degrees but not for my sake. My other thread did not answer my question since this thread is just a hypothetical and not related to my admissions into law school.



@rriles I've already talked to law schools about this, I do not need a "Bachelors" degree as long as I have my Pharm.D.
Let's not call other people names.
Let's not let people ruin others credibility for no reason, especially without reading posts out of context.

Re: Which major is better for law school: pharmacy or history?

Posted: Sun Jun 06, 2010 10:43 am
by YCrevolution
..

Re: Which major is better for law school: pharmacy or history?

Posted: Sun Jun 06, 2010 10:44 am
by TheBigMediocre
drgodfather wrote: Let's not let people ruin others credibility for no reason, especially without reading posts out of context.
I've read a lot of your posts, in context, and I think you do a good enough job at that yourself.

Re: Which major is better for law school: pharmacy or history?

Posted: Sun Jun 06, 2010 10:45 am
by blurbz
drgodfather wrote:
Let's not let people ruin others credibility for no reason, especially without reading posts out of context.

Yes! We MUST read posts out of context!

Come on. The threads were basically identical: You want to know if a PharmD is a good soft factor. Some people said no, I said sort of.

To your credit, though, that some people were wrong when they argued that you can't get into law school with a PharmD since it doesn't include a bachelors. The way in which you called them out on it, though, was rude and is probably part of the reason you're getting some flack now.

Re: Which major is better for law school: pharmacy or history?

Posted: Sun Jun 06, 2010 10:46 am
by drgodfather
TheBigMediocre wrote:
drgodfather wrote: Let's not let people ruin others credibility for no reason, especially without reading posts out of context.
I've read a lot of your posts, in context, and I think you do a good enough job at that yourself.
Who are you? None of my posts contain my personal opinions, only things established by schools and the lsac.

@blurbz, are you kidding me?! The first thread was about ME, this thread is NOT about me. Please read the first post and answer only the first post, if you aren't going to do that then your opinion is irrelevant to me.

Re: Which major is better for law school: pharmacy or history?

Posted: Sun Jun 06, 2010 10:51 am
by blurbz
drgodfather wrote:
TheBigMediocre wrote:
drgodfather wrote: Let's not let people ruin others credibility for no reason, especially without reading posts out of context.
I've read a lot of your posts, in context, and I think you do a good enough job at that yourself.
Who are you? None of my posts contain my personal opinions, only things established by schools and the lsac.

@blurbz, are you kidding me?! The first thread was about ME, this thread is NOT about me. Please read the first post and answer only the first post, if you aren't going to do that then your opinion is irrelevant to me.
Fine, since you're clearly such a nice guy, I'll answer your original question, again, even though I have already multiple times:

A PharmD will be a small boost over a history degree, probably equivalent to that of an engineering major.

One caveat: That boost will be rendered useless if this mythical applicant (see, I know we're not talking about you now) writes his or her application in such a way that they come off as pompous and arrogant.

Re: Which major is better for law school: pharmacy or history?

Posted: Sun Jun 06, 2010 10:55 am
by drgodfather
blurbz wrote:
drgodfather wrote:
TheBigMediocre wrote:
drgodfather wrote: Let's not let people ruin others credibility for no reason, especially without reading posts out of context.
I've read a lot of your posts, in context, and I think you do a good enough job at that yourself.
Who are you? None of my posts contain my personal opinions, only things established by schools and the lsac.

@blurbz, are you kidding me?! The first thread was about ME, this thread is NOT about me. Please read the first post and answer only the first post, if you aren't going to do that then your opinion is irrelevant to me.
Fine, since you're clearly such a nice guy, I'll answer your original question, again, even though I have already multiple times:

A PharmD will be a small boost over a history degree, probably equivalent to that of an engineering major.

One caveat: That boost will be rendered useless if this mythical applicant (see, I know we're not talking about you now) writes his or her application in such a way that they come off as pompous and arrogant.
:)

and even if you told me the opposite I would still give you a :)