PolSci Major in Undergrad Forum

[star fox]

Everyone that graduated Poli Sci with me is either in some kind of grad school or working a shit paying job (bartender, cashier, type things).

By making 32K at a place where I can expect raises, I'm probably in the upper half of the class right now. Don't do it.

[worldtraveler]

Honestly I can't think of a single pro to majoring in political science. Anything you can do with the degree, you can do with something else that would also give you more options.

[ManoftheHour]

Honestly I can't think of a single pro to majoring in political science. Anything you can do with the degree, you can do with something else that would also give you more options.

TITCR

[Ohiobumpkin]

But if you are committed to a true joke major, I'd pick English and focus on editing/writing over literature. Studying something useless because it interests you is boomer flame.

I was not an English major, but I have to disagree. Having a background in English is not only great for law school, it is a great major for going into various fields. Also, free lance writers can pull in a good chunk of $ if they know where to look for contracting opportunities.

[ManoftheHour]

But if you are committed to a true joke major, I'd pick English and focus on editing/writing over literature. Studying something useless because it interests you is boomer flame.

I was not an English major, but I have to disagree. Having a background in English is not only great for law school, it is a great major for going into various fields. Also, free lance writers can pull in a good chunk of $ if they know where to look for contracting opportunities.

English is better than PoliTTTical Science for sure.

[ltrego]

But if you are committed to a true joke major, I'd pick English and focus on editing/writing over literature. Studying something useless because it interests you is boomer flame.

I was not an English major, but I have to disagree. Having a background in English is not only great for law school, it is a great major for going into various fields. Also, free lance writers can pull in a good chunk of $ if they know where to look for contracting opportunities.

This. I'm a English major with a writing concentration, and I already make good side money doing freelance editing work. Not to mention the recent trend in hiring English majors in marketing and business fields.

[ManoftheHour]

But if you are committed to a true joke major, I'd pick English and focus on editing/writing over literature. Studying something useless because it interests you is boomer flame.

I was not an English major, but I have to disagree. Having a background in English is not only great for law school, it is a great major for going into various fields. Also, free lance writers can pull in a good chunk of $ if they know where to look for contracting opportunities.

This. I'm a English major with a writing concentration, and I already make good side money doing freelance editing work. Not to mention the recent trend in hiring English majors in marketing and business fields.

To add to this, English isn't exactly an easy 4.0 major. It's not as hard as the STEM degrees for sure but at least at my UG, even people that aced O Chem and Biochem struggled with Bs in their mandatory English courses. Unlike the sciences (or even the social sciences), much of your grade is up to the discretion of the TAs grading your paper. You might work your ass off for a B+ or an A-, which is not a 4.0.

It's nothing like PoliTTTical Science or HisTTTory.

[Agentsoapbox]

I completed two degrees in my undergrad. I did journalism and political science. I loved every second of it. However, if I were you (and I kind of was) I'd make sure to study political theory in depth. Read Locke, Kant, Rousseau and Marx. Philosophy and theory will help you with reading comprehension and critical thinking. Do not do what others do and just take the easy classes, and indeed, there are easy classes and easy professors.

I also think that my journalism degree was a soft making me attractive to law schools. There are not many journalism majors that decide to go into law. In my whole school I only know of myself and another girl. Journalism has really helped me with critical thinking too, but also it has taught me to write well (a quality attractive to law schools.)

The way the education system is in the United States, it's becoming such that a college degree is little more than a glorified high school diploma. I know engineering majors working in retail. Whatever you study and whatever you pursue do it not because you think the degree is going to be a golden ticket, but because you want to study it.

I didn't study journalism and political science because I thought it was going to get me a great job or because I thought it would prepare me for law school. I studied them because I want to have the type of person that has expertise in those two fields. It's the same with law. I don't even know that I will be a litigator, but I want to study law because I enjoy it and because I want to be the type of person that has expertise in the law.

whatever you study, do it because you want to and do it with excellence. Everything will eventually work out. Even if you want to just study art history and women's studies. You'll ultimately be more happy if you studeid what you love. However... if you're going to pursue a women's studies major or something like that make sure you go somewhere cheap and with plenty of financial aid. You don't want to sabotage your financial future. Do what you love but also be responsible.

[Danger Zone]

No no no no no no no

[patogordo]

Everything will eventually work out.

just know that it won't

[uieLouAy]

If you want to major in poli sci just have a realistic idea about what your employment options are if you choose to forego law school. I'm majoring in poli sci and I've made up for what my degree lacks (in terms of being attractive to employers) with multiple internships and lots of connections in the fields I'm interested in. I'm not sure if I'll end up going to law school, and I know that if I do it won't be until I take at least a year off, but I know that I should have some enticing job offers when I graduate in three months. Granted, "enticing" to me isn't a high paying job (probably ~$35k), but it'll be doing something that I enjoy in an environment that I'm comfortable in. I am also graduating with minimal debt so that's something else to consider.

FWIW I'm also minoring in econ, and strongly considered majoring in it but knew it wasn't going to be something I would enjoy as much. I also know that it would have been harder to maintain my high GPA, as I would have had to take some harder courses with professors that can neither teach nor speak English.

[redsox]

FWIW I'm also minoring in econ, and strongly considered majoring in it but knew it wasn't going to be something I would enjoy as much. I also know that it would have been harder to maintain my high GPA, as I would have had to take some harder courses with professors that can neither teach nor speak English.

What's the point? At most schools, doing the minimum required for an econ major doesn't even teach you any economics worth knowing. I can't imaging you getting anything useful from a minor...especially of you're avoiding "harder" courses. The only point in a minor would be incidentally picking it up in the process of getting the prerequisites to take the interesting courses, while avoiding some of the bullshit required for a major.

[uieLouAy]

What's the point? At most schools, doing the minimum required for an econ major doesn't even teach you any economics worth knowing. I can't imaging you getting anything useful from a minor...especially of you're avoiding "harder" courses. The only point in a minor would be incidentally picking it up in the process of getting the prerequisites to take the interesting courses, while avoiding some of the bullshit required for a major.

Like I said, I was originally considering majoring in it. I chose not to but figured I'd take enough courses to get the minor. I'm also moderately interested in economics, if that's a good enough reason? And it's not that I wanted to avoid harder classes, just ones that I knew I wouldn't learn much in, and thus not realistically be able to get a great grade in.

[patogordo]

biggest flame of 20th century is that anyone cares what you "minored" in

[uieLouAy]

biggest flame of 20th century is that anyone cares what you "minored" in

I won't disagree with that. But if it's in something that interests you, then why not?

[Mal Reynolds]

Sounds like a legit thing to tell an employer: I would have majored in econ but the classes were really hard.

[patogordo]

biggest flame of 20th century is that anyone cares what you "minored" in

I won't disagree with that. But if it's in something that interests you, then why not?

i'd rather graduate with a 4.0 and a dollar fifty in late charges at the local library

[Kimikho]

Major in whatever social science you want.

Add on statistics classes and do well in them.

Take intro comp sci.

Done.

[Mal Reynolds]

Major in whatever social science you want.

Add on statistics classes and do well in them.

Take intro comp sci.

Done.

You bumped this thread for this worthless advice? Lol

[prezidentv8]

just

Lol

[manu6926]

I did econ and IR (kind of like poli sci) for my undergrad.
1) The IR courses that included several history and poli sci courses helped me with the RC part of LSAT. I did tons of readings, especially for writing course research papers. Being able to read dense stuff quickly will certainly give you an edge for LSAT. However, in that vein, philosophy would be even better, since it will help you not only with RC but also with LR.

3) If I were to redo my UG, I would pick econ and philo as my majors, and take lots of math courses (for personal reasons: econ phd). I would recommend econ and philo combo for anyone thinking of law school. Econ is easy, practical and can help you with causal reasoning. The game theory part of econ can improve your analytical reasoning skills. Math and philo combo would be just as good with the caveat that math is harder than econ.

[Mal Reynolds]

LOOK WHAT YOU'VE DONE SCOOBERS

[Wright]

As a poli sci major, I kinda regret it. I enjoyed the classes because I enjoy politics; however, it is going to be difficult to get a good job with it without law school.

[prezidentv8]

As a poli sci major, I kinda regret it. I enjoyed the classes because I enjoy politics; however, it is going to be difficult to get a good job with it without law school.

FTFY

[xRON MEXiCOx]

Just major in poli sci and then become a political scientist