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Pre-Law as an UG Major

Posted: Mon Feb 01, 2010 2:11 am
by reallycreativename
I'm considering Pre-Law as my UG Major and was wondering if anyone had any thoughts on this.

Do people that take Pre-Law as their major do better on the LSAT?

I know law schools don't care about your major, but since they are always looking for diversity this might be the only negative major.

Yes? No? Maybe?

Thanks!

Re: Pre-Law as an UG Major

Posted: Mon Feb 01, 2010 2:15 am
by pu_golf88
From what I've gathered schools don't care what your major is, unless it's a pre-professional major like pre-law then it's slightly frowned upon. Someone feel free to correct me.

Being a pre-law major probably wouldn't help you do better on the LSAT either.

Re: Pre-Law as an UG Major

Posted: Mon Feb 01, 2010 2:16 am
by hiromoto45
pu_golf88 wrote:From what I've gathered schools don't care what your major is, unless it's a pre-professional major like pre-law then it's slightly frowned upon. Someone feel free to correct me.

Being a pre-law major probably wouldn't help you do better on the LSAT either.
+1

Re: Pre-Law as an UG Major

Posted: Mon Feb 01, 2010 2:17 am
by dutchstriker
Pretty sure they actually do worse on the LSAT. I saw a chart on the internet once.

My school didn't have a pre-law major. I don't think many do. I would avoid it. Take something you like and that you can get a high GPA in. My guess is law schools don't really like pre-law majors.

Re: Pre-Law as an UG Major

Posted: Mon Feb 01, 2010 2:19 am
by dutchstriker
Here you go:

--LinkRemoved--

Of course, the student is much more important than the major. But just for kicks.

Re: Pre-Law as an UG Major

Posted: Mon Feb 01, 2010 2:20 am
by Cupidity
Actually, on average Pre-Law majors are one of the WORST performing groups on the LSAT, as strange as that sounds. I wouldn't have believed it, but someone had a link to a reliable chart. Take my word for it. Don't do it, because if you don't follow through on LS, a degree in "Pre Law" won't help you find a job.


Philosophy and hard math majors perform the best.

Re: Pre-Law as an UG Major

Posted: Mon Feb 01, 2010 2:20 am
by Cupidity
dutchstriker wrote:Here you go:

--LinkRemoved--

Of course, the student is much more important than the major. But just for kicks.
Dude! That is hillarious, read my post like....submitted at the same exact time.

Re: Pre-Law as an UG Major

Posted: Mon Feb 01, 2010 2:25 am
by dutchstriker
Philosophy for the win.

Re: Pre-Law as an UG Major

Posted: Mon Feb 01, 2010 9:40 am
by TTH
+1 to everything said. Pre-law is shit. Major in something you will enjoy, and maybe add a philosophy minor if you want to get some exposure to formal logic and what not well before the LSAT.

Ironically, for most of the time I was in UG, I thought philosophy was a coasting major existing only to facilitate serious dope smoking. Now I wish I had take some philo classes.

Re: Pre-Law as an UG Major

Posted: Mon Feb 01, 2010 9:47 am
by Jay9587
+ 1 to what everyone said. As a Pre-Law major with a 4.0 in the major, believe me when I tell you it did not help me one bit on the LSAT. In addition, from what I have gathered most of the material I am learning is wrong, and will have to relearn in law school.

Re: Pre-Law as an UG Major

Posted: Mon Feb 01, 2010 10:16 am
by EzraStiles
Law School's like to take students without some pre-existing legal knowledge so they can teach law in their own specific way. You should major in something you love and enter LS with a fresh slate, ready for them to start molding you.

Re: Pre-Law as an UG Major

Posted: Mon Feb 01, 2010 10:47 am
by lawschoolstudent85
..

Re: Pre-Law as an UG Major

Posted: Mon Feb 01, 2010 10:51 am
by Kiersten1985
OP, are you sure your school offers a Pre-Law major? In any case, don't do it. Major in whatever the hell you want and get a stellar GPA. That's all that matters.

Re: Pre-Law as an UG Major

Posted: Mon Feb 01, 2010 1:44 pm
by reallycreativename
Thanks everyone. I wasn't really considering it. I just wanted to confirm my speculations. Yes, Texas Tech, one of my choices of schools, offers Pre-Law as a major.

No longer considering it. Thanks!

/thread

Re: Pre-Law as an UG Major

Posted: Mon Feb 01, 2010 3:13 pm
by englawyer
dutchstriker wrote:Philosophy for [strike]the win[/strike] second place.
FTFY. Math wins 8)

Re: Pre-Law as an UG Major

Posted: Mon Feb 01, 2010 6:07 pm
by dutchstriker
englawyer wrote:
dutchstriker wrote:Philosophy for [strike]the win[/strike] second place.
FTFY. Math wins 8)
Blech. I was considering all the other life benefits of a philosophy degree. Like... enlightenment. And joblessness.

Re: Pre-Law as an UG Major

Posted: Mon Feb 01, 2010 6:13 pm
by Kiersten1985
reallycreativename wrote:Thanks everyone. I wasn't really considering it. I just wanted to confirm my speculations. Yes, Texas Tech, one of my choices of schools, offers Pre-Law as a major.

No longer considering it. Thanks!

/thread
Wait - you're in high school???

Re: Pre-Law as an UG Major

Posted: Mon Feb 01, 2010 6:17 pm
by 4910
lol high schooler... get out of here you clown and have some fun, what do people learn as a pre law major?

Re: Pre-Law as an UG Major

Posted: Mon Feb 01, 2010 7:23 pm
by housie07
you should be a classics major.

Re: Pre-Law as an UG Major

Posted: Mon Feb 01, 2010 7:28 pm
by iamtaw
dutchstriker wrote:Philosophy for the win.

+1

Re: Pre-Law as an UG Major

Posted: Tue Feb 02, 2010 1:42 am
by doopwooper
englawyer wrote:
dutchstriker wrote:Philosophy for [strike]the win[/strike] second place.
FTFY. Math wins 8)
You don't learn how to argue in Math like you do in Philosophy. Philosophy wins :P

Re: Pre-Law as an UG Major

Posted: Tue Feb 02, 2010 1:48 am
by Veyron
Pre-law majors actually have the lowest average LSAT scores of any major (if someone could find the list to corroborate this, that would be great). Something mathy has the top spot. In general, if you want to go to law school TAKE MAJOR WHERE IT IS EASIEST TO GET A's (I wish I had done this). Then, use all of your free time to study your ass off for the LSAT. This is the best advice you will ever receive and if you don't take it (and you want to be a lawyer), you are an idiot.

Re: Pre-Law as an UG Major

Posted: Tue Feb 02, 2010 1:54 am
by Rowinguy2009
Don't take pre-law. FWIW I was a journalism major and I feel like it was a great choice. It was easy as hell...but for some reason most people think it's a legit major. At the same time you write a lot, which is not a terrible skill to have as a future law student.

Of course if you don't go to law school job prospects for a journalism degree are absolute shit right now, but I guess they are probably still better than poli sci or philosophy. Not trying to be a journalism troll, but I think it was a great choice for me.

Re: Pre-Law as an UG Major

Posted: Tue Feb 02, 2010 1:56 am
by cylusr
dvfghj

Re: Pre-Law as an UG Major

Posted: Tue Feb 02, 2010 10:48 am
by washed out
So from what I gather, an undergraduate curriculum built around preparing a student for law school is entirely counterproductive to getting said student into law school. Correct?

I'd like to dive deeper into this paradox. Anybody here care to endorse a pre-law course of study?