Will this double major put you at a disadvantage? Forum

[lawapplicant2017]

Alright, I really enjoy the paralegal studies major and the legal undergraduate courses. So, I decided to major in it, and also decided to double major in economics, so my degree program is BA in Economics/Paralegal Studies

I know law schools don't care particularly about majors, as they do LSAT/GPA. But, Ive heard someone say it will look bad to admission committees, that you majored in paralegal studies, because of how its like (studying nursing if you want to be a doctor)

would you say that would put me at a disadvantage or likely they wont care

[cavalier1138]

No.

[it's allgood]

Alright, I really enjoy the paralegal studies major and the legal undergraduate courses. So, I decided to major in it, and also decided to double major in economics, so my degree program is BA in Economics/Paralegal Studies

I know law schools don't care particularly about majors, as they do LSAT/GPA. But, Ive heard someone say it will look bad to admission committees, that you majored in paralegal studies, because of how its like (studying nursing if you want to be a doctor)

would you say that would put me at a disadvantage or likely they wont care

disadvantage

[lawapplicant2017]

Thanks for the replies. Why the disadvantage?

[Desert Fox]

Schools won't care.

I think it's a turn off for employers. But you can always just put BA Economics on your resume.

[cavalier1138]

Thanks for the replies. Why the disadvantage?

It isn't. That poster was either trolling or doesn't know what they're talking about.

[Pneumonia]

Assuming OP is being earnest, having "paralegal studies" on your diploma is a bad call. Just do economics. Feel free to take all the coursework you want in the paralegal program, but unless you're hoping to be a paralegal, getting the actual degree would be weird. I do agree that schools won't care. But your classmates will think it's odd. And someday when you're an attorney, a major in "paralegal studies" would be a bad look to have on a firm's website and/or hanging behind your desk.

[grades??]

Assuming OP is being earnest, having "paralegal studies" on your diploma is a bad call. Just do economics. Feel free to take all the coursework you want in the paralegal program, but unless you're hoping to be a paralegal, getting the actual degree would be weird. I do agree that schools won't care. But your classmates will think it's odd. And someday when you're an attorney, a major in "paralegal studies" would be a bad look to have on a firm's website and/or hanging behind your desk.

Agreed. Just skip the paralegal thing. BA in economics is perfectly fine.

[chargers21]

Assuming OP is being earnest, having "paralegal studies" on your diploma is a bad call. Just do economics. Feel free to take all the coursework you want in the paralegal program, but unless you're hoping to be a paralegal, getting the actual degree would be weird. I do agree that schools won't care. But your classmates will think it's odd. And someday when you're an attorney, a major in "paralegal studies" would be a bad look to have on a firm's website and/or hanging behind your desk.

Agreed. Just skip the paralegal thing. BA in economics is perfectly fine.

Just out of curiosity, why is it looked down upon to have paralegal on your degree? My school didn't have it so I'm not familiar with the major, but why is it looked at any differently than like a major in communications?

[grades??]

Assuming OP is being earnest, having "paralegal studies" on your diploma is a bad call. Just do economics. Feel free to take all the coursework you want in the paralegal program, but unless you're hoping to be a paralegal, getting the actual degree would be weird. I do agree that schools won't care. But your classmates will think it's odd. And someday when you're an attorney, a major in "paralegal studies" would be a bad look to have on a firm's website and/or hanging behind your desk.

Agreed. Just skip the paralegal thing. BA in economics is perfectly fine.

Just out of curiosity, why is it looked down upon to have paralegal on your degree? My school didn't have it so I'm not familiar with the major, but why is it looked at any differently than like a major in communications?

It just will look weird. Lawyers are generally conservative, and I could see a bunch of partners I work for not even look more into someones resume if they saw paralegal degree. Like did you not think you were smart enough for law school? It seems like a shi^&y thought process, but I bet you its more likely than we would admit. Not worth the chance in my opinion. It adds nothing of value, at all. Zero. So just do economics. Do all the paralegal classes if OP wants, just don't let that be OP's degree.

Edit: Plus, paralegal degree does not scream rigor and hard classwork. Maybe it is, but without knowing anything it seems like a ploy to just keep a GPA artificially high because OP couldnt cut it in other classes. Not saying this is true at all, but it would another worry.

[lawapplicant2017]

Thanks everyone for the insight. Its just I am close to a degree in paralegal studies and am all finished with the economics double major, that if I add another major with the ECON, Ill have to take 30 more credit hours.

The degree on the transcript will be BA in Economics and Paralegal Studies

well, how would employers view a resume that said: BA in Economics and Legal Studies would that be misrepresentation? Legal studies doesn't necessarily mean paralegal

[Pneumonia]

I don't understand. Can you not just get a single major? In economics?

[chargers21]

Assuming OP is being earnest, having "paralegal studies" on your diploma is a bad call. Just do economics. Feel free to take all the coursework you want in the paralegal program, but unless you're hoping to be a paralegal, getting the actual degree would be weird. I do agree that schools won't care. But your classmates will think it's odd. And someday when you're an attorney, a major in "paralegal studies" would be a bad look to have on a firm's website and/or hanging behind your desk.

Agreed. Just skip the paralegal thing. BA in economics is perfectly fine.

Just out of curiosity, why is it looked down upon to have paralegal on your degree? My school didn't have it so I'm not familiar with the major, but why is it looked at any differently than like a major in communications?

It just will look weird. Lawyers are generally conservative, and I could see a bunch of partners I work for not even look more into someones resume if they saw paralegal degree. Like did you not think you were smart enough for law school? It seems like a shi^&y thought process, but I bet you its more likely than we would admit. Not worth the chance in my opinion. It adds nothing of value, at all. Zero. So just do economics. Do all the paralegal classes if OP wants, just don't let that be OP's degree.

Edit: Plus, paralegal degree does not scream rigor and hard classwork. Maybe it is, but without knowing anything it seems like a ploy to just keep a GPA artificially high because OP couldnt cut it in other classes. Not saying this is true at all, but it would another worry.

Oh, alright. Yeah, that is a little weird to me. My degree likely isn't seen from the outside as being rigorous, but I never really thought much of it

Also, OP, if the degree says paralegal definitely don't say legal

[cavalier1138]

Thanks everyone for the insight. Its just I am close to a degree in paralegal studies and am all finished with the economics double major, that if I add another major with the ECON, Ill have to take 30 more credit hours.

The degree on the transcript will be BA in Economics and Paralegal Studies

well, how would employers view a resume that said: BA in Economics and Legal Studies would that be misrepresentation? Legal studies doesn't necessarily mean paralegal

If your Bachelor's is in "Paralegal Studies", then yes, it would be misrepresentation. I also don't understand why you're insisting on double-majoring.

It's not going to affect your school chances in the slightest, but as mentioned by others, employers will look askance at the Paralegal Studies degree, because it's seen as a soft option.

[rpupkin]

Thanks everyone for the insight. Its just I am close to a degree in paralegal studies and am all finished with the economics double major, that if I add another major with the ECON, Ill have to take 30 more credit hours.

The degree on the transcript will be BA in Economics and Paralegal Studies

well, how would employers view a resume that said: BA in Economics and Legal Studies would that be misrepresentation? Legal studies doesn't necessarily mean paralegal

If your Bachelor's is in "Paralegal Studies", then yes, it would be misrepresentation. I also don't understand why you're insisting on double-majoring.

Yeah. Hey OP: double majoring doesn't help you at all. I mean, if you had a specific career goal in mind that would benefit from a second major—like you wanted to go into patent law and accordingly pursued a second major in engineering—that might make sense. But double majoring for the sake of double majoring is senseless. It won't help you with your legal career, or any career for that matter.