<p>I am currently majoring in biomaterial Engineering at Johns Hopkins.I am also prelaw, thinking about having a career in patent law. However, this is a great problem with my GPA. The average GPA for engineers in hopkins is significantly low compared to those in arts and sciences. I believe the average is at about at B-/C+ range, and it has many and more difficult requirements to fulfil than arts and sciences'. My GPA is higher than the average, but it is probably lower than 3.5.
I heard Law schools don't care about the majors but they only care about GPA. Is this true? or would they consider the fact I majored in engineering?
I am aiming for one of the top ten law schools.</p>
<p>Well, if your school significantly deflates grades, then you can explain that in your statements. You are studying what sounds like a difficult major and a very well-respected school, so you should be ok. How's your class rank?</p>
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<p>I heard Law schools don't care about the majors but they only care about GPA. Is this true? or would they consider the fact I majored in engineering?</p>
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<p>It's largely true. Yes, they will see that you are doing a tough major at a tough school, and they take some notice of that, but they don't judge GPA's by percentiles. In other words, a 3.5 is still a 3.5, even if that GPA places you in the top 10% of the graduating class in your major. It's not a fair system. That being said, the top 10 is not a lost cause, assuming you get a solid LSAT score.</p>
<p>Aiming only for the top ten law schools is not a recommended course of action in your case, for several reasons. First, even if you get a very good LSAT score, you will be in a pack of applicants for a comparatively small number of places at each school.</p>
<p>Second, and more important, in patent law, as opposed to some other areas of law, graduation from one of the top ten (or top fifteen, or whatever number is considered in the top rank) is not that critical (in fact graduation from one of the top ten law schools is not that critical in general, either).</p>
<p>You should look at the geographical areas of the US in which you might want to live, and apply to the better local law schools in them, especially to those schools that have good programs in intellectual property law.</p>
<p>For example, here in the San Francisco area, Boalt has the best IP law program and is also one of the best law schools in the country. However, Hastings, Santa Clara, and USF law schools are quite good overall and also have fine IP programs. UC Davis is another good possibility. In D.C., Georgetown is overall regarded as the best, but George Washington is also fine. </p>
<p>In some other cities there may not be a great IP program, but there still will be one or more very good local or regional law schools. Those are the ones that you should apply to.</p>
<p>And, to be honest, graduation from one of the top law schools will only take you so far. Once you have been an attorney for a few years, your experience and abilities will count for a lot more and the law school a lot less. At some point, law firms or corporations looking to hire simply won't care exactly which school you attended, what your grades were or how many awards you won.</p>
<p>Thank You so much your thorough reply dadofsam. It is very helpful. And Sakky, I don't know whether you go to Caltec or MIT, doing Engineering. I am sure it is hard to do Engineering there, but it doesn't mean doing Engineering in other schools is easy. I didn't write down the school I go to or what major I do to brag but to hear the more specific comments by informing the readers about my situation. I think it is not fair for you to put me in a vulnerable position. Please don't attack questioners. Anyways, I would like to thank other repliers.</p>
<p>I am currently doing Biomaterial track in BME. I didn't specifically state that I was BME, because I was thinking about tranferring to Biomaterial engineering itself. I saw your replies to the question about Harvard biomedical engineering. You might know something about general Engineering, but you don't know anything about BME/biomaterial engineering. I have many BME friends who chose JHU over MIT or Caltech, because BME program here is number one in U.S. Unfortunately, I don't see MIT or Caltech on the list for top ten BME programs. I believe Johns Hopkins has the most challenging and the most rigorous BME program in U.S.
By the way, what do you mean by worse? Do you even go to MIT or Caltech? I'll say if you've never experienced it, then you would never know. I do not not want to waste my time any longer, since I am a busy person.</p>
<p>Was Sakky's post removed or something?</p>
<p>yes, it was.</p>
<p>CD</p>