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Degree choice for Law schools
Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2012 10:52 am
by HarvardHopeful93
Hey guys,
I know most law schools don't care which major you take as long as you have the GPA to get in. But I have talked with several people that say an interdepartmental degree between Political Science-Economics is frowned upon as compared to simply double majoring in Political Science AND Economics. At my school (IU), it would take 60 credits for a double major (30 per each major), whereas it would take 42 credits for the combined Poly Sci-Econ degree. Are there any downfalls to the interdepartmental major? Is it looked negatively upon?
Thanks guys
Re: Degree choice for Law schools
Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2012 11:04 am
by NoodleyOne
Does.
Not.
Matter.
Re: Degree choice for Law schools
Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2012 11:11 am
by elblufer
NoodleyOne wrote:Does.
Not.
Matter.
+1
Re: Degree choice for Law schools
Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2012 11:20 am
by Br3v
Do the major(s) that you enjoy and can get the highest gpa in.
Re: Degree choice for Law schools
Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2012 12:03 pm
by bp shinners
HarvardHopeful93 wrote:But I have talked with several people that say an interdepartmental degree between Political Science-Economics is frowned upon as compared to simply double majoring in Political Science AND Economics.
Same advice as posters above.
And probably disregard future law school advice from the quoted sources.
Re: Degree choice for Law schools
Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2012 12:11 pm
by dkb17xzx
Pick a major that'll help you get a job after. Other than that, it doesn't matter.
Re: Degree choice for Law schools
Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2012 12:15 pm
by WhiteyCakes
dkb17xzx wrote:Pick a major that'll help you get a job after.
This
Re: Degree choice for Law schools
Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2012 2:41 pm
by TheThriller
1. Get online degree
2. Get 170+ Lsat
3. Get into a T6 with those numbers
4. ??
5. Profit
Re: Degree choice for Law schools
Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2012 2:43 pm
by spleenworship
TheThriller wrote:1. Get online degree
2. Get 170+ Lsat
3. Get into a T6 with those numbers
4. ??
5. Profit
Has anyone with an online BA ever actually gotten into a T6 that we know of?
Re: Degree choice for Law schools
Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2012 2:46 pm
by TheThriller
spleenworship wrote:TheThriller wrote:1. Get online degree
2. Get 170+ Lsat
3. Get into a T6 with those numbers
4. ??
5. Profit
Has anyone with an online BA ever actually gotten into a T6 that we know of?
OP could be the FIRST.
But yes, I believe there are 1 or 2 military vets who completed their college online, scored 170+ (174 for one of them I think) and was accepted into Harvard.
Re: Degree choice for Law schools
Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2012 2:54 pm
by spleenworship
TheThriller wrote:spleenworship wrote:TheThriller wrote:1. Get online degree
2. Get 170+ Lsat
3. Get into a T6 with those numbers
4. ??
5. Profit
Has anyone with an online BA ever actually gotten into a T6 that we know of?
OP could be the FIRST.
But yes, I believe there are 1 or 2 military vets who completed their college online, scored 170+ (174 for one of them I think) and was accepted into Harvard.
I got my degree online from local state school. My GPA was, however, awful. So I didn't apply above T20. I got in most places without any issues because I took my classes online, but I didn't apply to the top tier, so I was just curious.
I do wonder how much the military service was seen as a good excuse for online education by the admissions deans in those situations though. I wonder if a non-servicemember would get the same breaks.
Re: Degree choice for Law schools
Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2012 2:56 pm
by TheThriller
spleenworship wrote:TheThriller wrote:spleenworship wrote:TheThriller wrote:1. Get online degree
2. Get 170+ Lsat
3. Get into a T6 with those numbers
4. ??
5. Profit
Has anyone with an online BA ever actually gotten into a T6 that we know of?
OP could be the FIRST.
But yes, I believe there are 1 or 2 military vets who completed their college online, scored 170+ (174 for one of them I think) and was accepted into Harvard.
I got my degree online from local state school. My GPA was, however, awful. So I didn't apply above T20. I got in most places without any issues because I took my classes online, but I didn't apply to the top tier, so I was just curious.
I do wonder how much the military service was seen as a good excuse for online education by the admissions deans in those situations though. I wonder if a non-servicemember would get the same breaks.
Oh probably most likely not. And you probably have to assume these were not run of the mill enlistees.
Re: Degree choice for Law schools
Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2012 2:56 pm
by AllDangle
Can your degree have a negative effect on what type of law you want to practice (or think you want to as a 0L)? I'm a CJ major who is mostly interested in transactional biglaw. Grades at LS are the most important, that goes without saying. But would biglaw firms be wary of hiring someone with a CJ or liberal arts degree for transactional work?
Re: Degree choice for Law schools
Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2012 2:59 pm
by TheThriller
AllDangle wrote:Can your degree have a negative effect on what type of law you want to practice (or think you want to as a 0L)? I'm a CJ major who is mostly interested in transactional biglaw. Grades at LS are the most important, that goes without saying. But would biglaw firms be wary of hiring someone with a CJ or liberal arts degree for transactional work?
Top LS grades are Top LS grades. It won't hurt you. Relevant WE may
help you but CJ as a major won't hurt you if you have the grades.
Re: Degree choice for Law schools
Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2012 4:02 pm
by dietcoke0
Br3v wrote:Do the major(s) that you enjoy and can get the highest gpa in.
this is the correct answer.
The best series of events would be if you 100% are going to law school:
1. Pick easy major at cheap school with lots of boozes and lots of sex
2. Do it in 5 years, with your last semester only 6 hours, so you can study for LSAT
3. Super high GPA cuz easy school (that gives A+s)
4. Go abroad for at least a year, soaking in the sun and suds, while applying for school
5. Come back, and go to YSHCCN and kiss the rest of your life goodbye.
Re: Degree choice for Law schools
Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2012 4:04 pm
by dingbat
AllDangle wrote:Can your degree have a negative effect on what type of law you want to practice (or think you want to as a 0L)?
The easy answer is IP law, which requires a technical UG.
Re: Degree choice for Law schools
Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2012 4:40 pm
by ScottRiqui
dingbat wrote:AllDangle wrote:Can your degree have a negative effect on what type of law you want to practice (or think you want to as a 0L)?
The easy answer is IP law, which requires a technical UG.
+1
Although, if all you want to do is preserve the opportunity to sit the patent bar as a "Category A" (the most straightforward way to qualify for the patent bar), there are easier and harder ways to do that, too. I can't help but think that a bachelor's in "general chemistry" or "food technology" is going to be easier than electrical engineering or physics.
Re: Degree choice for Law schools
Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2012 5:06 pm
by elblufer
ScottRiqui wrote:dingbat wrote:AllDangle wrote:Can your degree have a negative effect on what type of law you want to practice (or think you want to as a 0L)?
The easy answer is IP law, which requires a technical UG.
+1
Although, if all you want to do is preserve the opportunity to sit the patent bar as a "Category A" (the most straightforward way to qualify for the patent bar), there are easier and harder ways to do that, too. I can't help but think that a bachelor's in "general chemistry" or "food technology" is going to be easier than electrical engineering or physics.
I found this out my Junior year. I wish I would have known earlier. I'm a government major but work as a web developer. Could have easily gotten a comp sci degree as well and have gone into IP law (which, I'm interested in).
Re: Degree choice for Law schools
Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2012 5:16 pm
by ScottRiqui
elblufer wrote:ScottRiqui wrote:dingbat wrote:AllDangle wrote:Can your degree have a negative effect on what type of law you want to practice (or think you want to as a 0L)?
The easy answer is IP law, which requires a technical UG.
+1
Although, if all you want to do is preserve the opportunity to sit the patent bar as a "Category A" (the most straightforward way to qualify for the patent bar), there are easier and harder ways to do that, too. I can't help but think that a bachelor's in "general chemistry" or "food technology" is going to be easier than electrical engineering or physics.
I found this out my Junior year. I wish I would have known earlier. I'm a government major but work as a web developer. Could have easily gotten a comp sci degree as well and have gone into IP law (which, I'm interested in).
Well, Computer Science is tricky - it doesn't automatically qualify you to sit the patent bar unless it was ABET-accredited by the Computer Accreditation Commission, or CSAB-accredited by the Computer Science Accreditation Commission. All the other technical degrees that the US Patent & Trademark Office lists for "Category A" qualification are automatic.
Re: Degree choice for Law schools
Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2012 5:17 pm
by KingsCup
ScottRiqui wrote:dingbat wrote:AllDangle wrote:Can your degree have a negative effect on what type of law you want to practice (or think you want to as a 0L)?
The easy answer is IP law, which requires a technical UG.
+1
Although, if all you want to do is preserve the opportunity to sit the patent bar as a "Category A" (the most straightforward way to qualify for the patent bar), there are easier and harder ways to do that, too. I can't help but think that a bachelor's in "general chemistry" or "food technology" is going to be easier than electrical engineering or physics.
Ya, having the option of doing it as a mechanical engineering major is cool, but it doesn't outweigh my crappy GPA because of how hard my classes were
Re: Degree choice for Law schools
Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2012 5:40 pm
by cinephile
WhiteyCakes wrote:dkb17xzx wrote:Pick a major that'll help you get a job after.
This
Re: Degree choice for Law schools
Posted: Wed Dec 05, 2012 7:05 am
by dingbat
ScottRiqui wrote:dingbat wrote:AllDangle wrote:Can your degree have a negative effect on what type of law you want to practice (or think you want to as a 0L)?
The easy answer is IP law, which requires a technical UG.
Well, Computer Science is tricky - it doesn't automatically qualify you to sit the patent bar unless it was ABET-accredited by the Computer Accreditation Commission, or CSAB-accredited by the Computer Science Accreditation Commission. All the other technical degrees that the US Patent & Trademark Office lists for "Category A" qualification are automatic.
I originally was gonna say that the other easy answer is that a non-accredited UG can have a negative effect on getting into any school other than Cooley, which would affect the type of law you want to practice
Re: Degree choice for Law schools
Posted: Thu Dec 06, 2012 12:11 pm
by hq2x
spleenworship wrote:TheThriller wrote:1. Get online degree
2. Get 170+ Lsat
3. Get into a T6 with those numbers
4. ??
5. Profit
Has anyone with an online BA ever actually gotten into a T6 that we know of?
Pretty sure awhile back someone got into Yale with a U Phoenix degree and it wasn't a troll... I'll try to find the thread.
Re: Degree choice for Law schools
Posted: Thu Dec 06, 2012 12:39 pm
by DougieFresh
TheThriller wrote:1. Get online degree
2. Get 170+ Lsat
3. Get into a T6 with those numbers
4. ??
5. Profit
Re: Degree choice for Law schools
Posted: Thu Dec 06, 2012 2:08 pm
by TheThriller
I don't get it?
Those are clearly underwear gnomes