<p>D, who is at HYP, wants to go to law school. She is considering an English-American Studies major but worries because she hears many students describe an English major as useless. Seems to me that a lot of experience interpreting texts would be pretty good preparation for law school. She is otherwise considering a public policy major. From the perspective of admission to a top law school, does it matter which one she majors in? My sense from these boards is that it would be best to choose the department about which she is most intrinsically motivated and where the faculty appears most eager to connect with students. She is doing very law-related ECs and internships. Please advise.</p>
<p>No. English is a great major for law school. They don't care less what you major in as long as you get good grades and LSATs.</p>
<p>Either English or public policy is fine. It will make absolutely no difference.</p>
<p>Is she at Princeton?</p>
<p>For law school admissions, it won't make any difference. My own bias (granted, I'm not an admissions officer) is against any major with "studies" at the end of it. Yes, the advice to go with the one in which she is most motivated is the best. English majors are not useless; at least employers know that she'll be able to write and communicate well. </p>
<p>I would suggest that she take courses in which there are research papers; interpreting texts is fine, but she'll be better off if she learns how to research and write good papers now.</p>
<p>Eric, yes. Aries, you raise some interesting points. The major is "English" and "American Studies." In other words, you do the full English major, making sure that some electives are in American literature, and you also fulfill the requirements for an American Studies major. I think she is considering that major because it brings you out of the realm of literature and into the provocative study of American culture, including, for example, courses relating to immigration, the historic structure of the family as it relates to marriage and property law, etc. Re the research papers, at P there is no way for a liberal arts students to avoid these even if she wanted to, what with the frosh writing seminar, the junior paper, and the senior thesis.</p>
<p>Double-majoring is always good.</p>
<p>I have really liked the english classes I have taken, and for law school it is probably a really good major. But what happens if D changes her mind and doesn't want to go to law school? I do not think there is much to do career-wise with an english degree besides going to law school or becoming an english teacher. If I am wrong, please inform me, but I just don't see many career opportunities as an english major.</p>
<p>ariesathena: Double-majors are banned at Princeton. As far as I know, no one has ever done it.</p>
<p>aparent: I think your daughter will do just fine as an English major. If you speak with the English professors here, you will see just how many law school recs they write each year!</p>
<p>Camaro, most liberal arts majors are not practical. I think the career prep comes with the summer internships and term-time jobs.</p>
<p>Eric, thanks! Will pass it on.</p>
<p>The practicality of a liberal arts major is directly proportional to the name-tag of the school. Sad, but true. Only some people have the luxury of being able to 'get away with' majoring in what they really love. :(</p>
<p>Aw, why the frowny face eric? (I don't know how to make one). Are you studying what you really love?</p>
<p>PS- I agree with you, though.</p>
<p>Well, I have the luxury of studying what I love, but I know that other people don't, and it simply makes me sad - that the perhaps arbitary undergraduate admissions process determines who can or can't study what they love and still get a decent 'upper middle-class' job.</p>
<p>aparent5, I was an official mentor to pre-law applicants at Harvard. Don't worry about this <em>at</em>all_.</p>