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How do Anthropology majors score so high on the LSAT?

Posted: Mon Sep 27, 2010 2:03 am
by ComatoseClown
I notice that from the rankings/stats of LSAT scores by college majors (--LinkRemoved-- http://www.phil.ufl.edu/ugrad/whatis/LSATtable.html), Anthropology majors generally outscore Computer Science, Science, and Political Science majors.

What do you think are possible reasons for their higher performances? Is there anything IN the study of Anthropology that connotes potential LSAT reasoning skills/success?

Even more interesting is Government/Service majors' average performances. Btw, I don't mean to downplay any of these majors on this forum -- I actually find the study of it very interesting and enjoy anthropology readings.

Re: How do Anthropology majors score so high on the LSAT?

Posted: Mon Sep 27, 2010 2:06 am
by General Tso
something is weird with that data

the number of Political Science and Psychology students seems to be confused

Re: Why do Anthropology majors score so high on the LSAT?

Posted: Mon Sep 27, 2010 2:06 am
by vstraight
The differences some of the majors are minimal. I mean .1? .2? even .4?

But in general it seems the majors where you need great analytical skills and not just pure memorization and reiteration did well. Look at how high physics, philosophy, and engineering are.

Re: How do Anthropology majors score so high on the LSAT?

Posted: Mon Sep 27, 2010 2:08 am
by vstraight
General Tso wrote:something is weird with that data

the number of Political Science and Psychology students seems to be confused
Please change your avatar. You just made me so hungry. :(

Re: How do Anthropology majors score so high on the LSAT?

Posted: Mon Sep 27, 2010 2:10 am
by Helmholtz
I love that data if not just for the pre-law majors.

Re: How do Anthropology majors score so high on the LSAT?

Posted: Mon Sep 27, 2010 2:13 am
by vstraight
Helmholtz wrote:I love that data if not just for the pre-law majors.
I've never actually met anyone that graduated as a pre law major. I mean I was a pre-law major but that was because I didn't know what major to pick during my freshman year and just chose pre-law since it was so broad.

I changed soon afterwards though.

Re: How do Anthropology majors score so high on the LSAT?

Posted: Mon Sep 27, 2010 2:15 am
by Helmholtz
vstraight wrote:
Helmholtz wrote:I love that data if not just for the pre-law majors.
I've never actually met anyone that graduated as a pre law major. I mean I was a pre-law major but that was because I didn't know what major to pick during my freshman year and just chose pre-law since it was so broad.

I changed soon afterwards though.
What exactly does a pre-law major do who doesn't do well enough on the lsat to go to law school? I guess be a paralegal for life if they're lucky?

Re: How do Anthropology majors score so high on the LSAT?

Posted: Mon Sep 27, 2010 2:16 am
by vstraight
Helmholtz wrote:
vstraight wrote:
Helmholtz wrote:I love that data if not just for the pre-law majors.
I've never actually met anyone that graduated as a pre law major. I mean I was a pre-law major but that was because I didn't know what major to pick during my freshman year and just chose pre-law since it was so broad.

I changed soon afterwards though.
What exactly does a pre-law major do who doesn't do well enough on the lsat to go to law school? I guess be a paralegal for life if they're lucky?
What if they aren't lucky? I'm guessing from sheer probability that the vast majority won't be lucky...so what happens to those!??!

Re: How do Anthropology majors score so high on the LSAT?

Posted: Mon Sep 27, 2010 2:17 am
by Helmholtz
vstraight wrote:
Helmholtz wrote:
vstraight wrote:
Helmholtz wrote:I love that data if not just for the pre-law majors.
I've never actually met anyone that graduated as a pre law major. I mean I was a pre-law major but that was because I didn't know what major to pick during my freshman year and just chose pre-law since it was so broad.

I changed soon afterwards though.
What exactly does a pre-law major do who doesn't do well enough on the lsat to go to law school? I guess be a paralegal for life if they're lucky?
What if they aren't lucky? I'm guessing from sheer probability that the vast majority won't be lucky...so what happens to those!??!
--ImageRemoved--

Re: How do Anthropology majors score so high on the LSAT?

Posted: Mon Sep 27, 2010 2:19 am
by vstraight
--ImageRemoved--
Ah. Serving me Mexican delicacies at an outrageously low price!

All's well that ends well.

Re: How do Anthropology majors score so high on the LSAT?

Posted: Mon Sep 27, 2010 2:33 am
by vegenator
Can't help but giggle seeing how pre-law and criminology majors are consistently at the bottom of the chart.... :mrgreen:

Re: How do Anthropology majors score so high on the LSAT?

Posted: Mon Sep 27, 2010 2:36 am
by vegenator
One of the gals I worked with at a law firm graduated as a pre-law major. She was definitely the type who took her legal assistant job too seriously and will make a career out of it.

That's cool I suppose, since that's what she wants to do... but I think I'd shoot myself if I had to stay there any longer than I did :D

Re: How do Anthropology majors score so high on the LSAT?

Posted: Mon Sep 27, 2010 2:36 am
by Jack Smirks
Philosophy Major FTW.

Re: How do Anthropology majors score so high on the LSAT?

Posted: Mon Sep 27, 2010 2:37 am
by vstraight
I'm surprised the average LSAT difference isn't higher between some of these majors.

Re: How do Anthropology majors score so high on the LSAT?

Posted: Mon Sep 27, 2010 2:49 am
by motiontodismiss
Econ Major FTW.

Re: How do Anthropology majors score so high on the LSAT?

Posted: Mon Sep 27, 2010 3:01 am
by Adjudicator
Go go Philosophy! :)

One of my LoRs is from a great professor who was my major advisor, who I took several logic classes with, as well as philosophy of science. When I first contacted him about writing the LoR and told him I was planning to go to law school, his response was, "Well I don't see why you'd want to do that, but okay...."

Re: How do Anthropology majors score so high on the LSAT?

Posted: Mon Sep 27, 2010 3:12 am
by vstraight
Adjudicator wrote:Go go Philosophy! :)

One of my LoRs is from a great professor who was my major advisor, who I took several logic classes with, as well as philosophy of science. When I first contacted him about writing the LoR and told him I was planning to go to law school, his response was, "Well I don't see why you'd want to do that, but okay...."
This is exactly what one of my professors said to me.

Re: How do Anthropology majors score so high on the LSAT?

Posted: Mon Sep 27, 2010 8:36 am
by 2014
The people in non-PT/Pre-Law/Criminology or whatever majors who take the LSAT are probably more committed to the test because it isn't the normal thing for them to do with their degree, and to take such a turn away from the norm might correlate with knowing more that law school is what you want to do.

Whereas with the other ones that are feeders into law school, more total students will end up scoring higher and doing well, there are inevitably those that are taking the LSAT because everyone else in their major is doing it and because it just seems like the next thing to do with their major.

Re: How do Anthropology majors score so high on the LSAT?

Posted: Mon Sep 27, 2010 11:03 am
by inmans
I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that it's likely that political science/pre-law/criminology majors tend to be from large state schools with broad course offerings... These students may/may not (I would argue the latter) be as academically competitive with students from smaller liberal arts colleges with more narrow course offerings (students whom, given their circumstances, tend to choose majors like anthropology).

my two cents...

Re: How do Anthropology majors score so high on the LSAT?

Posted: Mon Sep 27, 2010 11:05 am
by Bildungsroman
Helmholtz wrote:
vstraight wrote:
What if they aren't lucky? I'm guessing from sheer probability that the vast majority won't be lucky...so what happens to those!??!
--ImageRemoved--
They go to Stanford?

Re: How do Anthropology majors score so high on the LSAT?

Posted: Mon Sep 27, 2010 11:28 am
by Mike12188
inmans wrote:I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that it's likely that political science/pre-law/criminology majors tend to be from large state schools with broad course offerings... These students may/may not (I would argue the latter) be as academically competitive with students from smaller liberal arts colleges with more narrow course offerings (students whom, given their circumstances, tend to choose majors like anthropology).

my two cents...
doubt it...although I am a Poli sci major at a state school lol. But I think 2014's theory is much more likely

Re: How do Anthropology majors score so high on the LSAT?

Posted: Mon Sep 27, 2010 3:02 pm
by nphsbuckeye
inmans wrote:I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that it's likely that political science/pre-law/criminology majors tend to be from large state schools with broad course offerings... These students may/may not (I would argue the latter) be as academically competitive with students from smaller liberal arts colleges with more narrow course offerings (students whom, given their circumstances, tend to choose majors like anthropology).

my two cents...
What school doesn't have political science? (That's right, Harvard calls it "Government".) There are also a lot of really good big state schools (although you'd have to qualify "big").

Re: How do Anthropology majors score so high on the LSAT?

Posted: Mon Sep 27, 2010 3:44 pm
by fosterp
My school doesn't have political science either. They have a program called "interdisciplinary arts and sciences" and in that major you choose your area of focus, and in that they have a "politics, philosophy, and economics" track. Anthropology as well as philosophy are both called "self and society."

Not sure why they did this but the education offered is fairly broad, and the options within each degree are varied.

Re: How do Anthropology majors score so high on the LSAT?

Posted: Mon Sep 27, 2010 3:46 pm
by hipstermafia
Physics! Math! Gooooooooo NERDS!