sub-3.5 GPA, bad thing not to play the science card? Forum

[maroonzoon]

I have ~3.3 gpa, 170+ lsat. Is it a bad thing if I don't talk about how I'll use my bio-related science degree anywhere in my PS/DS/LOR?

[Bumi]

Why would you leave a thing that makes you diverse out of your diversity statement?

[im_blue]

You're not going to be using your biology major as a lawyer. If anything, they'll just guess that you couldn't get into med school.

[09042014]

1) Biology is barely science

2) Schools won't care

[capitalacq]

1) Biology is barely science

2) Schools won't care

[ahduth]

What's a science card?

[005618502]

What's a science card?

Its this thing people think they have with science majors to prove they werent as lazy as their GPA's make them out to be. Sometimes it works for EE majors but never biology

[thegovernor]

Talk about your biology major, especially if you're wanting to do patent/ip law. Don't listen to them, none of them are on the board of an adcom and I heard from a former Duke adcom that my science major definitely plays a part. Everyone knows Science majors are wayy more difficult than business, poly sci, etc.

[beachbum]

Talk about your biology major, especially if you're wanting to do patent/ip law. Don't listen to them, none of them are on the board of an adcom and I heard from a former Duke adcom that my biochemistry major definitely plays a part. Everyone knows Science majors are wayy more difficult than business, poly sci, etc.

...release the hounds!

[ahduth]

Talk about your biology major, especially if you're wanting to do patent/ip law. Don't listen to them, none of them are on the board of an adcom and I heard from a former Duke adcom that my biochemistry major definitely plays a part. Everyone knows Science majors are wayy more difficult than business, poly sci, etc.

What's poly sci?

[005618502]

Talk about your biology major, especially if you're wanting to do patent/ip law. Don't listen to them, none of them are on the board of an adcom and I heard from a former Duke adcom that my biochemistry major definitely plays a part. Everyone knows Science majors are wayy more difficult than business, poly sci, etc.

What's poly sci?

hahahaha

[im_blue]

Talk about your biology major, especially if you're wanting to do patent/ip law. Don't listen to them, none of them are on the board of an adcom and I heard from a former Duke adcom that my biochemistry major definitely plays a part. Everyone knows Science majors are wayy more difficult than business, poly sci, etc.

biochemistry > biology

[maroonzoon]

Not talking about hierarchies of majors guys and gals, that's not what I meant by "science card." I only meant it in a diversifying sense, since most law students are liberal arts majors.

If you guys want to talk about hierarchies, astrophysicists probably own us all.

To the others with more substantive comments, I appreciate your time

[RTFM]

In all seriousness, I was at an admissions event with the deans of admissions from several top law schools, and they said that when they see a switch from a science major to a non-science major or someone coming from a science background they wonder if that person just couldn't get into med school and is "trying out" law school instead.

If you don't want them to wonder that about you, put in an addendum. But don't make it about your lousy grades.

[Jackie O]

In all seriousness, I was at an admissions event with the deans of admissions from several top law schools, and they said that when they see a switch from a science major to a non-science major or someone coming from a science background they wonder if that person just couldn't get into med school and is "trying out" law school instead.

If you don't want them to wonder that about you, put in an addendum. But don't make it about your lousy grades.

I was asked if I knew what lawyers did, if I knew that law school involved reading and writing, and told that law school is not something to just do on the side of my science degree

but yeah, you can't use bio as an excuse for subpar grades sorry

[CSCS Trainer]

The schools I have met with have suggested that I include an addendum that describes both my undergraduate and graduate degrees, both of which are very non-traditional for law school applicants. Depending on which "science" your degree is in and how research/writing intensive that was could make a difference. My undergrad was considered Pre-Med, but I chose the more intensive research track that required substantially more writing. My graduate degree is is the Sports Medicine field but was pretty much all reading and writing research. I included an addendum with course description and requirements with my law school applications.