College Major Debate & College Life

College Majors
1

<p>I'm just looking for different perspectives and guidance on a few questions I've been struggling with lately. I am currently a high school senior and will be going to a small liberal arts college next fall, and I really want to be succesful in college so I would still greatly appreciate any input. I have a brother who also wants to go to law school (he goes to the same college I'll be going to) pursuing a BA in English, prepping for the LSAT right now. He has a 3.8 in his major but a 3.6 accumulative and is quite down on himself knowing that a 3.9/4.0 was not so far out of his realm if he'd just applied himself better in his freshman year...which is EXACTLY why I've started this thread. I am a bit unsure of myself still as far as the major goes, but I do know that I want to go on to Law School after undergrad and hopefully even enroll in a joint degree program (J.D./M.B.A.). (Both my brother and I share the dream of Stanford for that but we both also lack a bit of pragmatism I suppose). Now I have always felt that I'm smarter than my brother is from both the natural and driven standpoints. I got a better GPA in HS and did pretty well (better than him at least)on the SAT (1970...so close to the 2000 mark I can still smell it) and have always felt that when I've had a vision of my goal (motivation really) and been dedicated to it that I can absolutely reach it. But a number of things set that back of course, namely my vision being blurred or things getting in the way or even just blatant procrastination. (I have a number of personal issues that have been significant setbacks in my life and everyone who knows about them tells me to use them as "hooks" but I don't know). So anyway, he tells me that if it is possible for him to get grades like his, I can definitely pull of a 4.0 in college and put myself in a spot where the dream of Stanford Law School/J.D./M.B.A. program is not completely beyond reach. Of course I know that I will have to ace the LSAT, but again I'm still 3 years from taking that (I have already started going over practice questions and books though!) And I have always scored well so that is not of any urgent concern for the time being. Here are where my questions arise for anyone willing to offer their advice...
1) What should I major in!!!????
* I currently want to double major in Economics (BA) and Politics with an emphasis on International Relations (BA).
2) Is a double major at a liberal arts school too overbearing a task?
*Everyone says it is easiest in complimentary subjects (like Econ & IR) at a liberal arts school.
3) Will going to a small liberal arts school hurt my chances of getting in?
4) I have also been considering, for a very long time, participating in the school's ROTC program? How would this affect (1) my resume when law school's review it & (2) my attending law school if I remain in the ROTC program?
5) How much time will I have in college to participate in social activities in the following conditions...
a) If I had a single major in either Econ or PoliSci...without ROTC
b) If I had a single major in either Econ or PoliSci...with ROTC
b) If I had a single major in one of those two with a minor in the other...without ROTC
c) If I had a single major in one of those two with a minor in the other...with ROTC
d) If I had a single major in one of those two with 2 minors in related fields...without ROTC
e) If I had a double major in Econ & IR...without ROTC
f) If I had a double major in Econ & IR...with ROTC</p>

<p>**A couple things to know about me regarding school
-interested in politics and history
-good at humanities especially English (but not as interested in it as the other 2 above)
-decent (at best) at math beyond geometry (always struggled a bit there though I've worked pretty hard at it)
-rare genetic disease that causes me to get very sick and rundown quite often (usually every 3 weeks, sometimes more, sometimes less...flu like symptoms ultimately..usually lasts about 4-5 days) HAS CAUSED SOME PROBLEMS IN SCHOOL!
-have always felt like I'm the dumbest kid in the smartest room. I feel like I'm on the cusp of being brilliant but can't quite ever get there. I'm often engaged in serious discussions (politics, lit, religion, philosophy, etc) with two kids at my school, 1 is going to Harvard and 1 is going to Stanford. Sometimes they blow me away and sometimes I hold my own. pretty much where i see myself as a student
- HS GPA (3.6 weighted ; 3.2 unweighted) *solid 3.4-3.5 until last year... a new girlfriend and chemistry wreaked havoc on my grades
- SAT 1970 with a 780 on the writing section</p>

<ul>
<li>Any input is appreciated and I do apologize for the lengthiness of this, as well as any obviousness of my tendency to be UNREALISTIC</li>
</ul>

<p>Thanks a lot</p>

2

<p>Okay, breath in, breath out, and chill. You are what? 17/18. You have so much time to figure things out, I am envious.<br>
First bit of advice: do not plan your future when your a senior in HS. You haven’t experienced college yet or life outside the blanket of your home. Maybe you will go to law school, maybe you won’t.<br>
Second bit of advice: the only school that matters is your last one. Kids from Harvard undergrad go to crummy law schools. Kids from state U undergrad go to Harvard and Yale. When considering applications where you go to school really does not factor. On this note, if you really want to go to law school, go to the cheapest school you get into. Law school debt is like $150,000-$200,000 depending on where you go and if you get scholarships. Throw in the saturated market for lawyers and the struggles current 2L and 3L face finding jobs, you really don’t want an additional $100,000+ from undergrad debt.
Last bit of advice: major doesn’t matter. Yes. Major doesn’t matter. Unless you want to do something super specialized, like engineering or nursing, or get a PhD, your major doesn’t matter. My law school bf has classmates who majored in everything from history to business to classical music. Major in what you like. Major in what you enjoy. Major in what you are good at doing. (Also on the double major thing, it depends on the school and your choices. I double majored, no overlap. Needed to take 25 classes+general requirements. I think it was worth it, others may not.)<br>
So just relax. Seriously. Everything will come to you when the time is right. You will sign up for some silly divisional requirement and find out it the passion you always had but never knew. You will take some summer job and find a new possible path to take.</p>

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<p>Engineering is not highly specific. Chemical engineering is an extremely broad field that exposes the student to every field in modern science from electronics to petroleum and every idea of modern science from turbulence theory to quantum mechanics. The average B.S. in Chemical Engineering takes a far greater variety of classes than a typical liberal arts major and has more knowledge in general, both qualitative and quantitative.</p>

<p>Nursing is studying 4 years to be a highly paid maid.</p>

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<p>thank you!</p>