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[Barack O'Drama]

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[cynthiad]

I'm majoring in Political Science. I've taken a few History courses, and I don't think I could categorically say that one is harder than the other. I have found history courses a bit easier, but it might be because I've only taken higher-level courses in Poli Sci. It depends on the individual courses and professors.

If History is working for you so far, I would say go with it--definitely don't switch into Poli Sci just for a higher GPA. History and Poli Sci are different enough that you'll have to adjust, which may harm your GPA. As for teachers who refuse to give A's, those exist in every department. I took a film class with a teacher like that.

I think you should really major in which ever interests you more--there isn't enough difference in easiness or job prospects to make any difference, and you'll do better in a subject you like.

[suralin]

Dude... your other thread had 7 pages of advice, most of which you ignored.

http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 8#p6250018

As for which major is easier, what the fuck? You really think there's some kind of objective answer? JFC.

[SemperLegal]

I think history is easier than Poli Sci. You can avoid most of the hard classes and dont have to take anything numbers based, since there is usually a wider selection of classes.

I was a split major Pol Sci-History, but my experience is, of course, limited to my UG

[dr123]

bro, you already have a 3.92, your GPA cant get much higher than it already is.

[Lovely Ludwig Van]

I was a PoliSci major who took plenty of History courses. In my estimation both majors were equally pointless and subjective to begin with, but if you kiss the professor/TA's rear end enough you'll get an A out of it. In other words, it's completely professor/TA-dependent.


Also, OP you sound like a dick.

[Barack O'Drama]

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[Barack O'Drama]

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[Tiago Splitter]

I was a PoliSci major who took plenty of History courses. In my estimation both majors were equally pointless and subjective to begin with, but if you kiss the professor/TA's rear end enough you'll get an A out of it. In other words, it's completely professor/TA-dependent.


Also, OP you sound like a dick.

Yeah I can be an ass kisser haha! Not quite sure how I sound like a dick... I just wanted to be clear that I am not looking for the usual assholes on here who post the usual B.S. You know the assholes who hide behind a made up internet identity with their "180" posts and their sarcastic crap.

Dude. You have a 3.92 in what sounds like it will be a useless major. If you get a decent LSAT score law school will certainly be the best option.

[RodneyRuxin]

Preliminary strike on people you're asking for advice = Douche OP is a douche

[Barack O'Drama]

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[BarcaCrossesTheAlps]

I was a history major. At my UG we had to write a thesis, present and defend at regional conference, etc. In addition, we had to spend junior year developing and writing a comprehensive historiography on an approved event/topic which also required presentation (sans defense) in a smaller conference. (Obviously, most would carry that research over into their thesis..) Needless to say it was ball-busting work, but very pleasing.

Poli-Sci majors at my UG seemed to have it easier. I only took two PS courses but they were 200 and 300 level. Aced them with ease. I really think the difficulty level is determined by the UG reqs and the department standards, meaning professors.

You have a stellar GPA. If you know you want law school, just choose which emphasis you enjoy most. I really enjoyed UG because I enjoyed my major. Just study your ass off for the LSAT and go to a top 14 or so...

[Barack O'Drama]

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[prezidentv8]

I did polisci and history. My opinion:

it's completely professor/TA-dependent.

But law school is a terrible idea, just FYI.

[Ludo!]

I was a PoliSci major who took plenty of History courses. In my estimation both majors were equally pointless and subjective to begin with, but if you kiss the professor/TA's rear end enough you'll get an A out of it. In other words, it's completely professor/TA-dependent.


Also, OP you sound like a dick.

Yeah I can be an ass kisser haha! Not quite sure how I sound like a dick... I just wanted to be clear that I am not looking for the usual assholes on here who post the usual B.S. You know the assholes who hide behind a made up internet identity with their "180" posts and their sarcastic crap.

180

[BarcaCrossesTheAlps]

I was a history major. At my UG we had to write a thesis, present and defend at regional conference, etc. In addition, we had to spend junior year developing and writing a comprehensive historiography on an approved event/topic which also required presentation (sans defense) in a smaller conference. (Obviously, most would carry that research over into their thesis..) Needless to say it was ball-busting work, but very pleasing.

Poli-Sci majors at my UG seemed to have it easier. I only took two PS courses but they were 200 and 300 level. Aced them with ease. I really think the difficulty level is determined by the UG reqs and the department standards, meaning professors.

You have a stellar GPA. If you know you want law school, just choose which emphasis you enjoy most. I really enjoyed UG because I enjoyed my major. Just study your ass off for the LSAT and go to a top 14 or so...

Thank you, I really appreciate that insight! I guess it ultimately comes down to that...My U.G we have to write a senior thesis but not defend it (That I know of) Wow! That seems pretty crazy! I suppose I generally like history more (Then there is that "grass-is-greener" mentality) Hmmm I wish you could go to law school straight out of High School by just taking the LSAT

History is awesome as f#ck. Take a historiography course, if it isn't mandatory, and you'll read about theory and come across badasses such as Michel Foucault, etc. Most people think history is lame but they don't know historiographical theory. Pretty crazy/awesome/scary shit that shapes our perceptions of the past and, hence, our present.

But one of the above posters is correct; a history degree by itself sucks unless you are a phenom and plan on getting into a top 10 Phd program. Obviously, you don't. But it still doesn't matter. Fortunately, or unfortunately as it were, law school doesn't care your major.

Like I wrote above- keep the GPA high and study hard for the LSAT so you can go to a T14 or so. I'm an "or so" who will be attending a T20. But TLS conventional wisdom is pretty good---T14 or bust for the most part if you want a good job.

[UVAIce]

As the poster above aptly stated, history can be a great field. However, I've run into my fair share of students that do nothing but write a "women in ..." paper for every class they take. Or students who want to do nothing but write about battles and generals. All of that is fun, but it won't necessarily develop any analytical tools.

In my personal experience my degree in history has, so far, helped me kick ass in law school. But I wouldn't say that majoring in political science would have made me a worse student.

My major problem with political science majors is that I've noticed a lot of schools teach, or at least require no, quantitative based courses for their grads. It's sad to meet political science majors that can't even describe the basic mathematics at work in an opinion poll.

All being said, don't go to law school unless you rock the LSAT. Take classes you can do well in, but don't be a complete grade whore. T-14 or bust.

[Barack O'Drama]

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[prezidentv8]

My major problem with political science majors is that I've noticed a lot of schools teach, or at least require no, quantitative based courses for their grads.

Did not realize that.

[Ludo!]

As the poster above aptly stated, history can be a great field. However, I've run into my fair share of students that do nothing but write a "women in ..." paper for every class they take. Or students who want to do nothing but write about battles and generals. All of that is fun, but it won't necessarily develop any analytical tools.

Lol at developing analytical skills. All my papers as a history undergrad were about battles. Who cares

[brownpride]

Also, OP you sound like a dick.

+1

[magp90]

I was a history major, and I found that it can go either way. You can write chumpy, thoughtless papers that don't hone any of your analytical skills, or you can be serious about it, do more than just recount facts, and actually do serious research. If you're just trying to get by with a good GPA, history can work, but I wouldn't expect any satisfaction out of it if that's the road you want to take with it.

There were other pre-law students in my department who were oscillating between the two, and ultimately chose history. Ultimately, though, I don't think it makes much of a difference. There is a lot of overlap.

[Barack O'Drama]

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[magp90]

Magp90- Thanks, I think I view being a History major in a similar vein as well. I do try to take it serious and write to the fullest extent of my abilities (research & critical thinking) Ultimately I just want to have the highest GPA possible and still keep on top of my writing and reading skill. From what I've read being a political science major doesn't give you any edge over other 1Ls? I do however think I get some satisfaction out of majoring in history, I really thoroughly enjoy most aspects of it, as always it ends up being the professors whose self-aggrandizment gets in the way of actually teaching. I also see the re-occuring idea that they are pretty similar, so, I'm sure if I can't do well in these upper level histories- Switching to poli-sci won't make a huge difference.

Yeah, there aren't many majors (if any that I'm truly aware of) that give anyone an edge in the admissions process. The best you can do is to articulate why the major you chose perhaps coincides with your interest in the law, but you're right in that a high GPA trumps the choice of concentration. (Unless, of course, you want to do patent work, in which case you'll need the appropriate kind of background.)

[apollo2015]

Political Science is a more practical major than History. It can also be significantly boring and difficult if you are at a school that teaches it more on the Science end than on the Political end.

Neither will get you a job, but assuming you focused on American government institutions (as opposed to international relations, comparative governments, or political theory) you will come out of it far more informed about how things work in government than you would otherwise. That matters if you plan to hold political office, or want to influence the behavior of those who do hold office. Perhaps History offers you advantages in other realms of life. I did not take any History classes so I cannot say what its utility is.

I would not recommend changing to a Political Science major, but I do recommend doing a minor in it. There is no prestige boost for doing the full major, and most of its knowledge benefits can be obtained within a minor.