do I have to take a gap year? + other questions

<p>I am a junior in college, interested in intellectual property law.
My major is not exactly a science or engineering major but I took some courses in biology
and biostatistics. I heard intellectual property lawyers MUST have a science or engineering
degree, and preferably MS or Phd, not just BS. So I am thinking that I might have to get a Master's degree, possibly in Bioengineering, before I apply for law schools. I think that would increase my chances a lot both for law schools and for actual jobs, but the problem is, I want to finish my JD as soon as possible. Going to a law school and not financially taking care of family for a few years even after college graduation is quite a huge burden for me. If I decide to go for both Master's and JD, it would take me only one more year than I previously planned, since I can just do coterminal program in my school but one year sounds like a long time for me. Am I being too stressed out about it? </p>

<p>Also, I registered for a LSAT in feb, but I think I am not ready and my practice test scores are pretty bad. How well do I have to do LSAT if I wanna go to Harvard Law? I don't have any stunning extracurricular activities or anything, and I am not URM (maybe financially, although not ethnically, but I don't have a green card so don't know if I can benefit from any affirmative action). </p>

<p>Another question is, I am applying for internships these days but there are not that many legal internships available (given my visa status, it's even harder). Does having experience in legal internships help my chances a lot? How do people get it usually?</p>

<p>Can you really get a science/engineering Master’s with the JD in only one extra year, if you weren’t a science/engineering undergrad major? It would surprise me if that were the case, as I would guess that you would have to take extra classes because you would lack the prerequisites for the graduate level classes.</p>

<p>I don’t think legal internships mean too much, it’s just softs so if you get the numbers you should be fine.</p>