Top Law Schools

I have read a couple of threads regarding whether or not it's wise to declare a second major. The consensus seems to be that all that matters is a high GPA. Why is that? Shouldn't the kid who is double majoring in Economics and Psychology and gets a 3.8 GPA get in to school X just as easily as the kid who is majoring in Criminology and gets a 4.0? What is it that I am not understanding here? I was originally thinking about declaring a second major + write a senior thesis but both seem worthless for the purpose of law school. I guess I'll just get my 4.0 in underwater basket weaving and spend my time studying the LSAT.

Lingon wrote:I have read a couple of threads regarding whether or not it's wise to declare a second major. The consensus seems to be that all that matters is a high GPA. Why is that? Shouldn't the kid who is double majoring in Economics and Psychology and gets a 3.8 GPA get in to school X just as easily as the kid who is majoring in Criminology and gets a 4.0? What is it that I am not understanding here? I was originally thinking about declaring a second major + write a senior thesis but both seem worthless for the purpose of law school. I guess I'll just get my 4.0 in underwater basket weaving and spend my time studying the LSAT.

No.

Lingon wrote:I have read a couple of threads regarding whether or not it's wise to declare a second major. The consensus seems to be that all that matters is a high GPA. Why is that? Shouldn't the kid who is double majoring in Economics and Psychology and gets a 3.8 GPA get in to school X just as easily as the kid who is majoring in Criminology and gets a 4.0? What is it that I am not understanding here? I was originally thinking about declaring a second major + write a senior thesis but both seem worthless for the purpose of law school. I guess I'll just get my 4.0 in underwater basket weaving and spend my time studying the LSAT.

iunno, ask adcomms why they only care about one major. prob cuz USNEWS doesnt give extra points for students that double majored. though i hear some top schools do give a SUPER SUPER small bump if you double majored (depending on what) as it contributes to the "rigor" of your curriculum.

Lingon wrote:I have read a couple of threads regarding whether or not it's wise to declare a second major. The consensus seems to be that all that matters is a high GPA. Why is that? Shouldn't the kid who is double majoring in Economics and Psychology and gets a 3.8 GPA get in to school X just as easily as the kid who is majoring in Criminology and gets a 4.0? What is it that I am not understanding here? I was originally thinking about declaring a second major + write a senior thesis but both seem worthless for the purpose of law school. I guess I'll just get my 4.0 in underwater basket weaving and spend my time studying the LSAT.

See US News rankings for explanation.

/thread

DoubleChecks wrote:iunno, ask adcomms why they only care about one major. prob cuz USNEWS doesnt give extra points for students that double majored. though i hear some top schools do give a SUPER SUPER small bump if you double majored (depending on what) as it contributes to the "rigor" of your curriculum.

Yep. Besides, econ & psyc double major wouldn't be the kind of double major that scores these bonus points. Hard science or engineering, maybe. (Again, small bump.) But even then, a single major in hard science or engineering is probably just as strong as a double major containing a hard science or engineering.

soj wrote:

DoubleChecks wrote:iunno, ask adcomms why they only care about one major. prob cuz USNEWS doesnt give extra points for students that double majored. though i hear some top schools do give a SUPER SUPER small bump if you double majored (depending on what) as it contributes to the "rigor" of your curriculum.

Yep. Besides, econ & psyc double major wouldn't be the kind of double major that scores these bonus points. Hard science or engineering, maybe. (Again, small bump.) But even then, a single major in hard science or engineering is probably just as strong as a double major containing a hard science or engineering.

Yeah, I imagine it just gets to the point of whether it makes you stand out or not...like a soft. I mean, if I were an adcomm, a person who graduated with a high GPA triple majoring in chemistry, engineering, and philosophy would definitely get some bump in my book haha.

you may want to double major for the sake of learning something. maybe that could help somehow, but maybe not.

I double majored because I loved both subjects, could still graduate in 4 years, and couldn't take any more of a hit to my GPA than my sophomore year already dished out.

If you're not in a similar situation and your end goal is law school, don't double major. A 3.7 single major is going to beat out a 3.6 double major nearly every single time.

Lingon wrote:I guess I'll just get my 4.0 in underwater basket weaving and spend my time studying the LSAT.

Underwater? That sounds too difficult, are you sure you want to do that?

So, basically, law schools only care about rankings and they get high rankings by taking in people with high GPAs. Correct? That sucks...

firemed wrote:

Lingon wrote:I have read a couple of threads regarding whether or not it's wise to declare a second major. The consensus seems to be that all that matters is a high GPA. Why is that? Shouldn't the kid who is double majoring in Economics and Psychology and gets a 3.8 GPA get in to school X just as easily as the kid who is majoring in Criminology and gets a 4.0? What is it that I am not understanding here? I was originally thinking about declaring a second major + write a senior thesis but both seem worthless for the purpose of law school. I guess I'll just get my 4.0 in underwater basket weaving and spend my time studying the LSAT.

See US News rankings for explanation.

/thread

What is adcomms? Sorry, I'm new around here.

DoubleChecks wrote:

Lingon wrote:I have read a couple of threads regarding whether or not it's wise to declare a second major. The consensus seems to be that all that matters is a high GPA. Why is that? Shouldn't the kid who is double majoring in Economics and Psychology and gets a 3.8 GPA get in to school X just as easily as the kid who is majoring in Criminology and gets a 4.0? What is it that I am not understanding here? I was originally thinking about declaring a second major + write a senior thesis but both seem worthless for the purpose of law school. I guess I'll just get my 4.0 in underwater basket weaving and spend my time studying the LSAT.

iunno, ask adcomms why they only care about one major. prob cuz USNEWS doesnt give extra points for students that double majored. though i hear some top schools do give a SUPER SUPER small bump if you double majored (depending on what) as it contributes to the "rigor" of your curriculum.

Lingon wrote:What is adcomms? Sorry, I'm new around here.

DoubleChecks wrote:

Lingon wrote:I have read a couple of threads regarding whether or not it's wise to declare a second major. The consensus seems to be that all that matters is a high GPA. Why is that? Shouldn't the kid who is double majoring in Economics and Psychology and gets a 3.8 GPA get in to school X just as easily as the kid who is majoring in Criminology and gets a 4.0? What is it that I am not understanding here? I was originally thinking about declaring a second major + write a senior thesis but both seem worthless for the purpose of law school. I guess I'll just get my 4.0 in underwater basket weaving and spend my time studying the LSAT.

iunno, ask adcomms why they only care about one major. prob cuz USNEWS doesnt give extra points for students that double majored. though i hear some top schools do give a SUPER SUPER small bump if you double majored (depending on what) as it contributes to the "rigor" of your curriculum.

adcomms=admissions committee

That makes a lot of sense.

mettasutta wrote:

Lingon wrote:What is adcomms? Sorry, I'm new around here.

DoubleChecks wrote:

Lingon wrote:I have read a couple of threads regarding whether or not it's wise to declare a second major. The consensus seems to be that all that matters is a high GPA. Why is that? Shouldn't the kid who is double majoring in Economics and Psychology and gets a 3.8 GPA get in to school X just as easily as the kid who is majoring in Criminology and gets a 4.0? What is it that I am not understanding here? I was originally thinking about declaring a second major + write a senior thesis but both seem worthless for the purpose of law school. I guess I'll just get my 4.0 in underwater basket weaving and spend my time studying the LSAT.

iunno, ask adcomms why they only care about one major. prob cuz USNEWS doesnt give extra points for students that double majored. though i hear some top schools do give a SUPER SUPER small bump if you double majored (depending on what) as it contributes to the "rigor" of your curriculum.

adcomms=admissions committee

DoubleChecks wrote:
Yeah, I imagine it just gets to the point of whether it makes you stand out or not...like a soft. I mean, if I were an adcomm, a person who graduated with a high GPA triple majoring in chemistry, engineering, and philosophy would definitely get some bump in my book haha.

Why would a student with these major get an advantage? If anything, he/she looks lost and doesn't really know what to do career wise.

tea_drinker wrote:

DoubleChecks wrote:
Yeah, I imagine it just gets to the point of whether it makes you stand out or not...like a soft. I mean, if I were an adcomm, a person who graduated with a high GPA triple majoring in chemistry, engineering, and philosophy would definitely get some bump in my book haha.

Why would a student with these major get an advantage? If anything, he/she looks lost and doesn't really know what to do career wise.

kind of missing my point of how badass this student would have to be to have a high GPA triple majoring in chem, engineering, and philosophy (rigor of curriculum). surriously. and fine, assume they write a PS that explains why law school is the best next step for them, which i can imagine quite easily off the top of my head (they want to do IP law in the biochemical/chemical engineering whatever field, and they took on philosophy for the challenge of initially breaking out of their comfort zone, but then realized how they not only love it, they have a knack for it, blah blah).

DoubleChecks wrote:
kind of missing my point of how badass dumb this student would have to be to have a high GPA triplemajoring in chem, engineering, and philosophy (rigor of curriculum). surriously. and fine, assume they write a PS that explains why law school is the best next step for them, which i can imagine quite easily off the top of my head (they want to do IP law in the biochemical/chemical engineering whatever field, and they took on philosophy for the challenge of initially breaking out of their comfort zone, but then realized how they not only love it, they have a knack for it, blah blah).

Not worth it.

holdencaulfield wrote:

DoubleChecks wrote:
kind of missing my point of how badass dumb this student would have to be to have a high GPA triplemajoring in chem, engineering, and philosophy (rigor of curriculum). surriously. and fine, assume they write a PS that explains why law school is the best next step for them, which i can imagine quite easily off the top of my head (they want to do IP law in the biochemical/chemical engineering whatever field, and they took on philosophy for the challenge of initially breaking out of their comfort zone, but then realized how they not only love it, they have a knack for it, blah blah).

Not worth it.

lol i swear none of you are actually reading the other posts in this thread before commenting on mine. at least read my original one on this haha. im not saying people SHOULD do this, i was just saying that IF i were an adcomm and saw a student with a high GPA and a triple major in things like that, i would definitely give him a bump (like a really badass soft). it was also subtly pointing out the fact that double majoring doesnt really matter to adcomms.

holdencaulfield wrote:

DoubleChecks wrote:
kind of missing my point of how badass dumb this student would have to be to have a high GPA triplemajoring in chem, engineering, and philosophy (rigor of curriculum). surriously. and fine, assume they write a PS that explains why law school is the best next step for them, which i can imagine quite easily off the top of my head (they want to do IP law in the biochemical/chemical engineering whatever field, and they took on philosophy for the challenge of initially breaking out of their comfort zone, but then realized how they not only love it, they have a knack for it, blah blah).

Not worth it.

oh and this hypothetical student would be smart enough to have a high GPA with those 3 majors which she enjoys

Anecdotally, applicants with IP creds (i.e. hard science backgrounds) get a bit of a boost from S, but don't risk it if it's not your forte. Double major in subjects you have passion for as long as it doesn't negatively impact the GPA.

Lingon wrote:So, basically, law schools only care about rankings and they get high rankings by taking in people with high GPAs. Correct? That sucks...

Basically, yeah. There are exceptions, and I don't believe adcomms want to be this way. But, ultimately, 9/10 they are going to take high GPAs. Two reasons: One, they boost their ranking. Two, they get a student who- as best they can tell using a totally unverifiable metric- is more likely to succeed. It is exactly because GPAs are so subjective that adcomms use them this way. There is no real objective way for them to tell if my 4.0 in Sociology indicates that I am a better student than a person with a 3.7 in engineering. Most likely I am not, but who knows? It isn't like they took classes at one students small liberal arts college and the other's state school... so they just take the numbers at face value because they know it will raise their scores for US News and, at the same time, probably give them a student who can work. Probably.

DoubleChecks wrote:
kind of missing my point of how badass this student would have to be to have a high GPA triple majoring in chem, engineering, and philosophy (rigor of curriculum). surriously. and fine, assume they write a PS that explains why law school is the best next step for them, which i can imagine quite easily off the top of my head (they want to do IP law in the biochemical/chemical engineering whatever field, and they took on philosophy for the challenge of initially breaking out of their comfort zone, but then realized how they not only love it, they have a knack for it, blah blah).

That wouldn't be a very good personal statement, either. I double majored in the humanities and it had no notable impact.

MartianManhunter wrote:

DoubleChecks wrote:
kind of missing my point of how badass this student would have to be to have a high GPA triple majoring in chem, engineering, and philosophy (rigor of curriculum). surriously. and fine, assume they write a PS that explains why law school is the best next step for them, which i can imagine quite easily off the top of my head (they want to do IP law in the biochemical/chemical engineering whatever field, and they took on philosophy for the challenge of initially breaking out of their comfort zone, but then realized how they not only love it, they have a knack for it, blah blah).

That wouldn't be a very good personal statement, either. I double majored in the humanities and it had no notable impact.

how is double majoring in the humanities even remotely similar to triple majoring in chem, engineering, and philosophy? not to mention my hypo guy has a high GPA lol

Admissions to law school is what we call 'a numbers game'
the 4.0 student with one major will certainly beat out the 3.8 double major. First of all, there's no reason to assume absolutely that a double major would affect your GPA negatively, so why would admissions committees assume that. Second of all, they don't really care if there is a good reason; they need to keep their average GPA high for US News.

Personally, I don't see why double majoring in two subjects that interest you would hurt. I triple majored, and that is not what brought down my GPA, distributive requirements did. I'm not at all convinced that, had I single majored, I would have had a better GPA.

DoubleChecks wrote:
how is double majoring in the humanities even remotely similar to triple majoring in chem, engineering, and philosophy? not to mention my hypo guy has a high GPA lol

Double majoring in humanities is similar to triple majoring in chem, eng and phil, if both guys/gals have a 4.0 GPA. And this is my point, no matter how high a GPA your hypo guy has, he will be just as competitive as the one who has the same GPA and is single majored.

It may help a triple major guy when adcom compares his 3.0 with a different guy who has a 3.0 in basket weaving. But other than that, I doubt that there is any distinguishable advantage. Although, if anyone who can link basket weaving and law school may have enough BSing skills to get accepted.

Don't do it. Double majored at a prestigious undergrad, engineering + econ. Liberal arts majors are a joke in comparison. I spent less than a passing glance at my econ work and pulled over a 3.7+ in it. Had I known at the time I would eventually be going to law school, I would have gotten out of engineering.

Admissions is a numbers game. If you think about it, it's pretty difficult to compare grades across different Universities. Throw in variations in majors. It's too difficult, so they don't bother to do it at all.