<p>Im planning on majoring in poly science and eventually moving on to law school and I was wondering which of these programs would set me up best for law. FSU has the advantage of the capital, i can get full paid OOS tuition from bama, UF has a high repuatation and Auburn seems to be a good school as well. FSU and Bama would be the cheapest for me with scholarships. Anyone know which would be best?</p>
<p>UA has an honors program. I read that if you graduate with honors and with at least a 3.7 you can get accepted to UA’s law program without taking the LSAT. I am not sure exactly the details of the program. I may be wrong about the GPA. It may be higher. But you should contact someone from UA’s law school and/or the UA Honors College.</p>
<p>Regardless of that special program, UA has a great law school. It is not up there with the elite private university law schools but I think it is still highly recognized. I would met that UA law school gives preference to UA undergrads.</p>
<p>Finally, law school is expensive so you might want to consider keeping your undergraduate debt as low as possible.</p>
<p>FSU has the highest rated political science program of those alternatives: </p>
<p>[Simon</a> Hix, London School of Economics (2004)](<a href=“http://docs.google.com/gview?a=v&q=cache:pQvCOz7mSe4J:www.politicalstudies.org/pdf/psr/hix.pdf+ratings+political+science&hl=en&gl=us&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESiPDt_GbClFD6IfJqu_EFJR_g9nfSNRADes5Qh-qPHHRF8lxZPNrxVWq38DFU_5z8XPO6f0fTiMD0DMMoSswwUE7MEZbnp3LBAUCbwSWFlWcFVbZb-SnKyGUTHz4q1-g7s1KqeV&sig=AFQjCNHQz0yetapkqkXyNSDJqgjH8Eyf9g]Simon”>http://docs.google.com/gview?a=v&q=cache:pQvCOz7mSe4J:www.politicalstudies.org/pdf/psr/hix.pdf+ratings+political+science&hl=en&gl=us&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESiPDt_GbClFD6IfJqu_EFJR_g9nfSNRADes5Qh-qPHHRF8lxZPNrxVWq38DFU_5z8XPO6f0fTiMD0DMMoSswwUE7MEZbnp3LBAUCbwSWFlWcFVbZb-SnKyGUTHz4q1-g7s1KqeV&sig=AFQjCNHQz0yetapkqkXyNSDJqgjH8Eyf9g) - FSU #24 in world
and
[FSU</a> Highlights](<a href=“Rankings | Florida State University”>Rankings | Florida State University)</p>
<p>The best education at the least expense = Florida State University</p>
<p>While law school is another matter, both the FSU and UF law schools earn virtually the same US News score.</p>
<p>Dude- coming from a Gator- If you can get a full ride at Bama- this shouldn’t even be an issue. The social life will ROCK and given the same GPA and LSAT, your law chances are exactly the same coming from any of these schools.</p>
<p>Bama has a tier 1 law school. It is #30 USnews</p>
<p>(UF’s & FSU’s law schools are in the 50s - which is still good.), </p>
<p>Congrats on having the stats for full OOS tuition at Bama! </p>
<p>Bama’s Honors College course offerings are amazing and would certainly work well with a pre-law student. Your stats qualify you for Honors College admission, and of course, honors housing in the Super Suites.</p>
<p>FYI…from the Bama Law School website…</p>
<p>The Law School does not require applicants to have specialized in any particular academic majors or subject areas closely related to law during their undergraduate education. However, potential law students should choose courses that will enhance their abilities in the areas of critical thinking, oral and written expression, and logical and analytical reasoning. Applicants considering law school are encouraged to enroll in a broad range of courses that will help develop these skills.</p>
<p>So, unless your heart is set on Poly Sci, you might consider a self-designed major that allows you to incorporate courses such as Poly Sci, History, Philosophy, English, (or whatever!) to make you a more well-rounded law school prospect. Bama’s New College department allows students to self-design their major… [Home</a> | New College](<a href=“http://web.as.ua.edu/nc/]Home”>http://web.as.ua.edu/nc/)</p>
<p>Although I’m a big advocate of UA, impressed with UF, and reasonably fond of Auburn, FSU is likely the best at that specific poly sci program, if rankings are to be trusted. However, It doesn’t matter that much what your major was going in to law school as long as you incorporate the elements mom2 mentioned and prepare well for the LSAT. Inquire with each school a little more about their pre-law track and acceptance rates. That information could be useful- some universities pretty much leave you on your own to do what it takes throughout 4 years to get into law school, others have personalized programs that provide course advice, application resources and assistance, LSAT prep, and law school advice. Even though all of those schools are very good, I doubt all their pre-law programs are created equal. Inquire in to that, and your decision might become easier.</p>
<p>Undergraduate poly science rankings mean absolutely nothing if you go to law school</p>
<p>“Even though all of those schools are very good, I doubt all their pre-law programs are created equal.”</p>
<p>there is no pre law program- anywhere. It’s about GPA and LSAT score.</p>
<p>^ I know what you mean, but that’s incorrect. I don’t mean a course of study, as I spelled out in my post, I’m well aware pre-law students (like pre-med students) are not all one major, don’t all take exactly the same classes, etc. When I said pre-law program, as I attempted to explain, I apologize if it was unclear, I was referring to a personal support and advisement system that many universities have in place for their pre-professional programs. Alabama, for example, has a Pre-law students association, but does not appear to have a distinct faculty advisement system for pre-law students. FSU has a dedicated advising website and faculty advisers to help you choose the right major for your interest, prepare for the LSAT, and apply to law schools which are a good fit for you, found here: [Welcome</a> to FSU Prelaw Advising](<a href=“http://prelaw.fsu.edu/]Welcome”>http://prelaw.fsu.edu/) . That is a pre-law program (once again, not be confused with major, as I thought I explained in my original post), and clearly they exist somewhere.</p>
<p>EDIT: Dug some more on Bama’s website and, as I’d assumed, they also have a program like FSU’s: <a href=“http://web.as.ua.edu/home/undergraduates/pre_professional_services/pre-law/index.php[/url]”>http://web.as.ua.edu/home/undergraduates/pre_professional_services/pre-law/index.php</a> I think these type of advising pre-law programs are probably common at major universities, but as originally stated, are probably not all equal and may have vastly different student success rates, so they do warrant researching.</p>
<p>^^
Top law students don’t really need pre law advisement. They simply go seek out the information and do what they need to.</p>
<p>^^^</p>
<p>Do you mean…“Top students don’t really need…”</p>
<p>I do think that the advice on Bama’s Pre-Law page is worthwhile info. Yes, on one hand a pre-law student can major in anything, but when you think about all that is taught in law school, I can see where following this advice would be advantageous…</p>
<p>**Students interested in attending law school are encouraged to select courses that will give them a broad liberal arts education. This generally includes courses in American history, American politics, economics, speech, logic, ethics and expository writing. Students are especially encouraged to seek courses that enhance writing skills, public speaking skills and critical and analytical thinking. **</p>
<p>I can see where just picking a major that wouldn’t include some of the above courses might not prevent you from getting admited to law school, but it might make it more difficult while in law school or in one’s law practice.</p>
<p>Bama sucks! im a current student there and i can tell you that students here are not competitive at all and the majority (90%-estimate) dont care about their grades. Some professors are really good, but it is tough being in an environment where most of the students are satisfied getting a C or B- in their classes.</p>
<p>^I agree, go to a school where it will be more competitive and worth going to. Ok, yeah, you have full tuition, but when I think of Alabama (in any way shape or form), I never think about Education. Don’t even get me started on what I do think about it. Go to a school where you’ll excel and be around other people who want to excel just like you. FSU has an Honors Program as well that I’m sure you’re accepted into already. Go there, given the rigor and students who care. It’ll benefit you more to be in a more competitive environment.</p>
<p>Florida State vs Bama financially would have me choose Florida State.</p>