Thanks, I’ll check all this out. I’m a huge basketball fan, so Drexel was naturally on my radar, I just figured my GPA precluded me.
41% of students at Drexel submitted the SAT and 7% submitted the ACT (source). The SAT range was 1230-1430 (just adding up the separate math/verbal sections…so not necessarily the real total) and the ACT 25/75 range was 27-32. Just because a high percentage of students are admitted doesn’t mean that the admitted students are of low quality. According to this aggregator, 97% of Drexel’s students without financial need received merit aid. The average package was $20,783. So odds are, OP is going to get merit aid here, too. After the average “merit aid” package, the COA is about $50k (and that’s COA, not just tuition, fees, room & board) plus there’s the opportunity for co-ops which are likely to be higher paying than most college jobs. I still think Drexel could be a good possibility, if OP liked it.
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Drexel has a PPE major too, if you’re not wedded to the idea of a business major. I think you’d find a pretty strong pre-law cohort in this program. Philosophy, Politics & Economics Degree (BA) | CoAS | Drexel University
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Thanks for the advice. I don’t think my parents would pay for a BA, they’re very traditional. That said, I will study up on the topic and see what I can learn.
All a BA means is that the major is housed where Bachelor of Arts degrees are awarded. Really…that has little to do with actual major content.
My bachelors was a BS, and my masters an MA…same field.
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Ah, yeah - I know that bias can be hard to shake, even though the difference between BA and BS isn’t really meaningful, except in cases where a single institution offers both degrees in a single subject, with different requirements… and even then, what matter is what actual coursework you’ve taken and what skill sets you’ve acquired, not the letters of your degree.
But I looked at the business school out of curiosity, and they have this major, which I haven’t seen in a business-degree context before: https://www.lebow.drexel.edu/academics/undergraduate/degrees-and-programs/business-administration/legal-studies Could be an interesting way to do business+pre-law, especially since you’d be likely to do co-ops in legal settings.
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^ Legal studies is not recommended bc Law schools want a real major, just like med schools don’t like students who had a "premed"major -it’s better to have a “real” major in a recognized academic field.
Run the NPC on the following and if within budget apply to Drew, Goucher, Ursinus. Suny Albany and SUNY New Paltz honors. Muhlenberg would be a reasonable reach but I don’t think Dickinson is.
Pro tip: apply to Penn State in early August, listing DUS for your major (it’s a default major that allows you to pivot to anything, business, CS, Economics, Labor Relations, etc. And it’s easier to get into than any of these.)
List University Park as your 1st choice + summer session not Fall (your odds are really really low because weighted GPA and eigor are 2/3 of the decision, but DUS+asking straight for summer gives you a shot at least) and Altoona as your alternate (it’s a 4-year campus, unlike most branches, but it fills up fast.)
If you get into summer/UP, declare yourself an Aspirant Paterno Fellow and pick the LEAP for Aspirants. You’ll be with bright, driven students and if you do well in these classes you’ll take classes in the Fall with Schreyer Scholars (cream of the crop). If you get into Altoona only, you will know quickly, so ask about the Schreyer-Altoona admission process as soon as you hear.
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Thanks - I knew this about general legal studies majors. I just thought it might be seen differently as a track within a business program. Although tbh I don’t know how undergrad business majors in general are viewed by law schools.
All things being equal, I’d lean toward the PPE major (or any other academic major that’s of genuine interest) for pre-law, but since OP was already leaning toward business, I just thought I’d look at the different options to see if one looked more pre-law-worthy than the others.
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Rutgers has a BA in Labor and Emplumevt Relations.
SUNY Empire has Labor Studies.
I’m sure others do too. It might be under HR.
If the student wants some early legal type exposure related to business, it may be suitable.
I don’t think law school would care. But what if you don’t go to law school.
What position would you be prepared for ? That and what interests me are maybe what I’d look to for a major.
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thank you so much for the heads-up for PSU. I had just resigned myself to getting branched.
Well, its not a slam dunk, far from it, more like optimizing your best chance. Main Campus would typically require 3.55 weighted minimum. So your best shot at UP w/o 2+2 is DUS+Summer - and if that doesn’t work and you already had Altoonaw you have that at least, but hopefully you’ll get better choices!
Another possibility is TC3 Honors, doing really well, and trying to transfer to Cornell’s ILR school&major. Long shot also.
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What’s TC3 and ILR refer to? I’m sorry, I am not familiar with those terms, but Cornell perks my ears up.
Should I not go into law, my family has strong connections in the IB world, and I’ll probably end up pursuing something in that space. That is why I’m married to the idea of finance/business as a UG degree.
Are you married to it out of convenience or it interests you? I hope it’s the latter.
You might want a finance or econ type degree then.
Good luck
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This thread may be of interest. If there are any specific questions please let me know.
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For NYS residents, TC3 is a community college with dorms and an honors program. Your GPA wouldn’t be a problem and rigor+SAT score should ensure both Honors program and solid preparation for being a top student there.
Top students can try to transfer to one of Cornell’s contract colleges, such as CALS or ILR. Due to your interest in Law, ILR would be the most logical. It would also link you to the business world.
https://www.ilr.cornell.edu/
However, like all transfers, this is not to be taken for granted - direct admission somewhere is always preferrable (in particular because you can probably start at a SUNY and most TC3 students transfer to a SUNY so by foregoing the 4-year experience and doing another form of 2+2 you’re taking a big gamble). It’s more like “a solid fallback option”, like the PSU 2+2 is if DUS+Summer fail.
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Being raised around it, I find it fascinating, but it is also pretty convienient. That’s why I’d rather go into law.
Unfortunately, I’m from Jersey. Does this still apply to me?
Thank you so much! I appreciate the resource.
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Then that’s what you should do.
Law is so wide encompassing that from banks to law firms to companies, unions, comsumers- everything.
Anyway it’s early and your ideas will likely develop and change over time.
But pursue your passion. I work in the car business. A lot of dealer kids take over their family stores. It’s convenient. Sometimes expected.
Some of them are miserable. They never had the chance to do what they wanted. Their path was set.
Don’t let that be you.
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