Why do Poli Sci majors on average have a low lsat score? Forum

[Junebugman]

I understand the reason on why majors such as Math, Philosophy, and History tend to score higher on the LSAT. I know it's because those majors promote a lot of critical thinking and logical reasoning. But what I don't understand is why is poli sci not up there with those majors? Are those just certain fields of political science? For example at my school the department offers the major through five different specialties: International relations, American Gov., Comparative Gov., Public Policy, and Political Theory. I'm currently on the Political Theory track, which actually shares several classes with Philosophy department. I'm just curious if Political Theory students would tend to score like philosophy majors or like poli sci.

[Br3v]

I understand the reason on why majors such as Math, Philosophy, and History tend to score higher on the LSAT. I know it's because those majors promote a lot of critical thinking and logical reasoning. But what I don't understand is why is poli sci not up there with those majors? Are those just certain fields of political science? For example at my school the department offers the major through five different specialties: International relations, American Gov., Comparative Gov., Public Policy, and Political Theory. I'm currently on the Political Theory track, which actually shares several classes with Philosophy department. I'm just curious if Political Theory students would tend to score like philosophy majors or like poli sci.

Well, at least my experience with poly sci is that the classes are easy. A lot of ppl at my UG who don't want a strenuous major pick poly sci.

[BearsGrl]

If you want an easy major, major in Poli Sci or Education.

[LSAT Blog]

Relevant:



(via TaxProf Blog)

[moneybagsphd]

Relevant:



(via TaxProf Blog)

LOL. I was just gonna make this point. Scooped.

[094320]

..

[Junebugman]

Relevant:



(via TaxProf Blog)

I mean the majors at the bottom, like prelaw, and criminal justice, aren't offered at undergrads where ppl tend to do well on the LSAT. This all seems more of a bias of the type of person who goes into these majors rather than what these majors develop.

The poli sci department at my school does offer some pre law classes but it's a handful such as "Philosophy of Law, Jurisprudence, Crim. procedures, and Con. law I & II". But idk how the poli sci classes are much easier. The political theory classes I've had such as "Marxism" or "Greek/Roman political philosophy" were just as intense as my other philosophy classes I've taken.

[minnbills]

The poli sci department at my school does offer some pre law classes but it's a handful such as "Philosophy of Law, Jurisprudence, Crim. procedures, and Con. law I & II". But idk how the poli sci classes are much easier. The political theory classes I've had such as "Marxism" or "Greek/Roman political philosophy" were just as intense as my other philosophy classes I've taken.

Yeah I did poly sci and the political theory/philosophy courses were legit. But then there were other ones that just weren't difficult and barely worthwhile.

[roaringeagle]

Wow my Philosophy/Theology degree LSAT mates makes me feel better that I suck at Math. They are not that far ahead!

[Tom Joad]

The hardest PSCI courses I took were IR. Seriously who understands that stuff?

[calilaw]

My political science department had some fairly rigorous degree requirements, including statistics and intense political philosophy courses. I guess it depends on your university.

[boredatwork]

Anyone want to key in on the fact that poly sci has 15,000 test takers, 3 times as many as the next best represented major.

[BearsGrl]

My political science department had some fairly rigorous degree requirements, including statistics and intense political philosophy courses. I guess it depends on your university.

Statistics courses on average are easy. Statistics is a static course of study. It's pretty finite of a topic.

[hereyago]

My political science department had some fairly rigorous degree requirements, including statistics and intense political philosophy courses. I guess it depends on your university.

Statistics courses on average are easy. Statistics is a static course of study. It's pretty finite of a topic.

Depends on your university...

[Band A Long]

Political science is offered at nearly every university and as such is an extremely variable degree. It is often, in my experience, a major that is "as hard as you make it" in that someone who is very motivated can take complex courses and challenge themselves while the vast majority are content to float along at the minimum requirement level taking simple courses to fulfill their the degree. When the latter group eventually take the LSAT, they bomb the average and bring it way down.

[minnbills]

"as hard as you make it"

+1 and this is true of the liberal arts in general, too. It's what you make of it.

[shifty_eyed]

I find looking at average LSAT score by undergrad institution interesting in comparison.
http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... f=2&t=1988

I'm surprised that MIT's average is 3 points lower than Harvard's.

[hereyago]

I find looking at average LSAT score by undergrad institution interesting in comparison.
http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... f=2&t=1988

I'm surprised that MIT's average is 3 points lower than Harvard's.

Maybe because MIT students' classes are math/science-focused so they spend a lot less time reading during the 4 years there?

[Junebugman]

Well I do try to make the most out of my education. I tend to get good grades and right now I'm in my sophomore year and my GPA is 3.71. So I'm not exactly just coasting through college for craps and giggles

[Tom Joad]

Well I do try to make the most out of my education. I tend to get good grades and right now I'm in my sophomore year and my GPA is 3.71. So I'm not exactly just coasting through college for craps and giggles

If you are thinking about law school, step your game up.

[VasaVasori]

.

[Band A Long]

Well I do try to make the most out of my education. I tend to get good grades and right now I'm in my sophomore year and my GPA is 3.71. So I'm not exactly just coasting through college for craps and giggles

That's good. Keep at it. It's just not hard to find people coasting along in PoliSci. Doesn't mean it can't be a good experience.

I wonder what the philosophy average would be if it weren't grouped with theology. With one of my majors being philosophy, I actually find it a tad bit insulting to be grouped with theology. Theology is a much less reasoning and literature heavy degree than philosophy.

I've had a different experience. A few of the most intelligent prof's I know have degrees in theology. It seems like it's almost completely built to score highly in logical reasoning on the LSAT. I've also found a lot of my peers in the philosophy major are good at writing BS that is on-task enough to yield them good grades — again, what you make of it...

[Davidbentley]

I reckon focus is the most important aspect of LSAT success. It seemed to me that many of my fellow poliSci majors lacked this.

[Junebugman]

Well I do try to make the most out of my education. I tend to get good grades and right now I'm in my sophomore year and my GPA is 3.71. So I'm not exactly just coasting through college for craps and giggles

That's good. Keep at it. It's just not hard to find people coasting along in PoliSci. Doesn't mean it can't be a good experience.

I do know plenty of people who coast through a lot of majors doing the bare minimum. Although the "unofficial" lazy-student majors have been either Sociology or Gender Studies.

And to that person who told me to step up my game, I already am trying. I'm really trying to boost my gpa and have it AT LEAST over 3.75 so I can graduate with honors, but I feel like I have several soft factors for an application that might help...although I'm not quite sure how much help they'd be. I'm a double major in History/Political Science with a minor in Russian language. I've also earned a department award for a paper in the History department. Plus this Summer my school sponsors a program for about 10 students to study at a university in Moscow with a few months. I guess those things might help me stick out of the crowd a little bit, but in application pools for 10k+ it's tough.

[AreJay711]

They did about average which makes sense given that it is the most numerous major for people who end up wanting to go to law school.