Best major for law school

[Anonymous]

I'm the pp who studied theater; I easily got into my top choice ls, and am now a tax attorney.

It doesn't matter what she majors in. The folks mentioning poli sci or history as pre-law majors are giving old info--nowadays I would avoid those majors unless she really loves one of them; people are still majoring in them thinking it will "be good for law school" so the applicant pool is flooded with them. I think that is part of what they liked about me -- my performing arts major was a bit different.

But she should pursue whatever interests her, and if that is marketing, it's fine.

What matters are grades and LSAT score, and if she can do any volunteering in the legal field that might be good too (I had volunteered a bit in the field of wrongful convictions -- the movie Dead Man Walking is what inspired me to go to law school).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Philosophy with an emphasis on logic could be helpful. But I had a theater major and everywhere that I applied loved that for some reason. So she should follow a passion if she has one.

I have to ask Colin how do you know they “loved” it? Simply because they accepted you?

The dean for admissions at the school I attended told me so when I came in a few weeks before school started to look at the housing info they had in the office (yes, actual physical flyers in an office -- it was a while ago, lol).

[Anonymous]

Get the best GPA you can - for a woman that means 3.9 or above - couple that with a very high score (172 and above) and you will have a good chance at a T14. If T14 is not on the horizon, I'd strongly reconsider. Even Georgetown gets dicey for prospects unless you are top of the class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The people I knew from law school who were most sought after and advanced the fastest where the ones with prior experience in the area they wanted to practice (the most niche, the better). The two I know who made partner first were a CPA coming from a big 4 who did tax law and a military contracting officer who went into government contracts. I'm sure Harvard and Yale were different, but at GW

At my law school this didn't matter much -- BigLaw interviews were given to students with top grades and law review or moot court board.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The one that gets you a 4.0.

And if STEM, so much the better.

Preferably EE or Comp E.

Or chem or biology, but only if your willing to get an MS too

Nope nope nope.

I’m a patent/IP attorney. Yes- if this is an area of law you are interested in- you need the science degree.

FWIW, my law professor told me that students coming with science degrees were done of his best law students. Analytical

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Philosophy with an emphasis on logic could be helpful. But I had a theater major and everywhere that I applied loved that for some reason. So she should follow a passion if she has one.

Because being a theater major demonstrates you following your passion and Law school wants people dedicated/passionate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A ton of attorneys major in Poli Sci. It's fine. I don't necessarily think it gives a leg up in admissions or in school other than she is more likely to understand certain aspects of Con Law and possibly Criminal Law but that's not worth determining a major. I would encourage her to major in something that translates to a career path should she not decide to go to law school.

- Attorney poli sci major

+1. Definately pick a major that translates to a career path if law school doesn't happen.

[Anonymous]

Ignoring the potential for law school/a legal career, [1] what would she want to do and [2] what's the best major to prepare her for that occupation.

A marketing degree -- with post-graduate professional experience -- could be a good foundation for a legal career focused on soft IP.

[Anonymous]

It used to be that accounting and econ majors did the best in law school grade wise but not sure if it is still true. Still, the law sucks and law school is a disappointment. Don’t go.

Signed,

Happily making 7 figures without ever having practiced!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The best advice I got in college (knowing that I wanted to go to law school) was major in what you love so you’ll get the best possible grades. I did and majored in US History. Graduated with honors.

But here’s my advice (as a lawyer): only go to law school if you have a real PLAN for what you’re going to do with it, how you’re going to pay off your debt, etc. Don’t just expect that you’ll go work for a big firm and make partner and make lots of money and love it. That rarely happens. Have an alternative plan.

Or, truly, major in what you love, earn the great GPA, and then you’ll have tons of options for graduate school and career paths. Which may or may not include law school.

This is solid advice. Don’t wing going to law school. It can be very wasteful.

In my own case, I had a plan, did well in law school and still realized it’s a terrible profession/lifestyle to be avoided (which I did).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Everyone in my family is a lawyer. You can major in anything. Psychology, Spanish, drama, journalism, accounting, economics, English, art history, advertising, biology, computer science, etc.

+1
I was an accounting major and went to law school.

What kind of law do you do now?

No longer in practice (and wouldn’t encourage my child to go into it) but I did tax law.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm the pp who studied theater; I easily got into my top choice ls, and am now a tax attorney.

It doesn't matter what she majors in. The folks mentioning poli sci or history as pre-law majors are giving old info--nowadays I would avoid those majors unless she really loves one of them; people are still majoring in them thinking it will "be good for law school" so the applicant pool is flooded with them. I think that is part of what they liked about me -- my performing arts major was a bit different.

But she should pursue whatever interests her, and if that is marketing, it's fine.

What matters are grades and LSAT score, and if she can do any volunteering in the legal field that might be good too (I had volunteered a bit in the field of wrongful convictions -- the movie Dead Man Walking is what inspired me to go to law school).

Did you study somewhere like Yale though, for Drama? I can't see anyone getting into Law from some podunk SLAC with drama.

[Anonymous]

Tell your kid to pick a major that will lead to a fulfilling career path in the event you decide you hate law school and the legal practice... ask me how I know

The major should serve as a "fall back" career path and one you can pursue without more education & debt. With that in mind, I would not select poli sci, psychology, sociology, etc. Majors such as accounting, finance, marketing, and journalism would serve your DC well if law school doesn't work out for one reason or another.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm the pp who studied theater; I easily got into my top choice ls, and am now a tax attorney.

It doesn't matter what she majors in. The folks mentioning poli sci or history as pre-law majors are giving old info--nowadays I would avoid those majors unless she really loves one of them; people are still majoring in them thinking it will "be good for law school" so the applicant pool is flooded with them. I think that is part of what they liked about me -- my performing arts major was a bit different.

But she should pursue whatever interests her, and if that is marketing, it's fine.

What matters are grades and LSAT score, and if she can do any volunteering in the legal field that might be good too (I had volunteered a bit in the field of wrongful convictions -- the movie Dead Man Walking is what inspired me to go to law school).

Did you study somewhere like Yale though, for Drama? I can't see anyone getting into Law from some podunk SLAC with drama.

Nope, not Yale. My undergrad was even less competitive than "some podunk SLAC with drama." I studied theater at an open-admissions urban college. I think that helped me -- the law school I attended hadn't ever had an applicant from that school before. Also I had been working as an actress for awhile -- professional stage work, not famous-in-the-movies work. FWIW, my law school is first tier, though not at the top of the tier. I get that people on DCUM hate this, lol -- there is this (kinda desperate?) DCUM belief that there is a right way to do this stuff that involves competing like mad to get into Ivies, having the "right major" (as we see on this thread) etc. But that just isn't the case -- do what you love, be passionate about it and good at it, and the rest will follow. The other roads can lead to misery.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It used to be that accounting and econ majors did the best in law school grade wise but not sure if it is still true. Still, the law sucks and law school is a disappointment. Don’t go.

Signed,

Happily making 7 figures without ever having practiced!

I have never read or heard this before your post. How do you know this ? TIA