<p>So i'm currently in the first half of my Sophmore year. I'm an English Literature Major and i'm planning on going to Law School. Originally I planned to have a second major in writing, but I was told that my current school doesn't have a writing program. I decided that it didn't matter anyways as if I ever really wanted to write a book I could do it with or without the writing degree. So I thought about where I am and where i'd like to be and I took a look at a lot of the people around me and decided that i'd still pursue a second major, but that i'd make it a major that could stand on its own.</p>
<p>I'm basically looking for a second major that I can do well grade wise, as well as do well in job wise. I consider myself mediocre at Math so i'd prefer if the second major didn't require me to take too many high math courses. (Or any at all lol) I'm thinking about minoring in Philosophy to help prepare me for Law School, but I want to have as many options as I can. Just in case I decided that i don't want to do Law School and would rather persue a different field. I've talked with my parents and i'm talking with my friends about it now. One of my friends suggested Journalism or Communications. Would one of those be a good idea? If not, do any parents on here have a better suggestion? (Thank you for the time and I look forward to your responses._</p>
<p>Right. If you have to ask strangers for an idea what your second major should be, you don’t have a second major. And no one NEEDS a second major. (Also, no one needs a writing major, and certainly no one in English needs writing as a second major. But you’re past that.)</p>
<p>You SHOULD want to learn more things in college in fields outside the one you know you are interested in. I encourage you to use elective classes to do that, and it’s fine if you choose them in part on the basis that they might help you in your legal career. (Look into accounting – which does not actually require a lot of math – and statistics – which should but doesn’t always.) If something really grabs your interest and you desperately want to take a deep dive into that field . . . well, then, go ahead. But don’t think that something is forcing you to do that, or that your life will be incomplete if you don’t.</p>
<p>^^^That’s why I chose Philosophy as a minor. I’ve talked to a lot of people and it seems to be universally agreed that Philosophy is one of the best subjects to study to prepare yourself for Law School.</p>
<p>^^It seems to me like the main benefit of having a second major would be that it opens more doors. You have more choices once you get your Bachelors. So I don’t NEED one. I simply want one.</p>
<p>^Exactly. As I stated to thumper1 I don’t need one, I simply want one. And i’m asking on the parents forums for the same reason I asked my own parents, all of you have basically done all of this already. You’ve lived this part of your lives and I assume had to make similar choices. So i’m simply asking to borrow a little of your experience lol</p>
<p>I don’t think my life will be incomplete no matter what I do. I may have not been clear. At the moment, i’m looking at going to Law School. However, I recognize that in a few years I might not want to do that anymore (My sister jumped around changing her major a lot). I’m going to keep my Literature major and philosophy minor. i’m asking what another good major would be so that if I do graduate and no longer want to do Law School i’ll have different options. (More options than I would have with just the Lit. degree.)</p>
<p>Your second major, if you decide on one, should be one that you’d be happy enough to study even if you didn’t get the designation of having a second major.</p>
<p>I have a kiddo who happened to have a second major. It happened because she realized that with just a couple of added courses, she was already fulfilling her second major requirements…so she added it. In her case it very much complimented her primary major. She was not searching for a second major…or a minor (her school did not require a minor in anything…and her first major was engineering). </p>
<p>Look at the courses you are taking and see if there is anything that jumps out at you as a second major that is of interest to YOU. I’m going to venture that a second major in philosophy is NOT going to open up additional doors to you. </p>
<p>I’m not sure there is a “best” major for law school…and certainly not a best “second” major. The key to law school is to have a top GPA and an outstanding score on the LSAT…and interview well.</p>
<p>If I understand, you are looking for a second major that can be directly linked to some kind of career path or job at the end if law school doesn’t work out. </p>
<p>I’m assuming you are considering majoring in another area within your Arts degree. Arts degrees, by their nature, do not tend to be designed that way (at least not the way, say, a degree in business or engineering or nursing would). However, they DO develop and education you in a lot of ways that make you well trained for a lot of different career paths (often ones we can’t predict in advance). And the kind of jobs students tend to get with an Arts degree often aren’t ones that require a particular major. Someone looking to hire a well educated undergraduate with an arts degree isn’t too concerned if it was history, literature or philosophy. There are a million different interesting occupations and career paths of people that got their first degree in Arts. </p>
<p>I agree with the others that if you really want another major, choose something that you really enjoy. If you enjoy your major, you will learn so much more and probably get a much higher GPA to boot (good for grad school). Being <em>really into something</em> is probably the best thing you can do for your education and development. I am a simple sample size of one, but this was the route I took- i majored in the area that excited me the most- I ended up sticking with it despite the less than obvious job prospects…but it paid off very very well for me. </p>
<p>Alternatively, if you are still really insisting on this idea of another major to hedge your job bets, it might make more sense to work backwards. Rather than look at majors and project possible careers onto them, consider instead what kind of career would you like to do if you didn’t become a lawyer. There are plenty of career assessment tools on line that can help you, and probably your college has resources available as well. Then figure out <em>what major</em> would be most appropriate for that alternative career.</p>
<p>@stradmom Because as thumper1 mentioned, “I’m going to venture that a second major in philosophy is NOT going to open up additional doors to you.” This is his opinion of course, but it’s an opinion I agree with. I don’t mind studying it as a minor or even in my free time, but I can’t imagine doing anything with Philosophy outside of law school. “Law starts with L. Linguistics starts with L. How about Linguistics?” I do like the way you think however lol.</p>
<p>@thumper1 that’s simply what i’ve heard. In fact, my Intro to Philosophy professor mentioned it to the class earlier this week. He said that it’s seen as the best major for law school because it teaches students to think critically and effectively.</p>
<p>@Brooklyborndad Haha, I was born in Florida.</p>
<p>@starbright thank you for the advice. I’ll take the time to consider and and what I really would like to do besides law. You’re right, an arts degree doesn’t really have a set job that I can do. There are dozens of careers I could work in.</p>
<p>Philosophy is among the majors with the highest LSAT score average (the others are math, physics, economics, and engineering). Perhaps it may be due to all of these majors being required to do more logical thinking than the typical English or political science majors are required to do.</p>
<p>In any case, a few courses in logic and philosophy may be helpful, even if you do not major or minor in it. A course in calculus and a course in statistics may be helpful for general knowledge, as well as additional practice in logical and quantitative thinking. Courses in the subject areas where you may be interested in applying law to may also be helpful later.</p>
<p>Thanks for all the advice. I’m grateful to each and every one of you. I hope that you all have the best of luck with your children and that they enjoy their colleges. :)</p>
<p>For my D. (and some of her friends), second major/minor that worked the best was the one that was not related at all to their main major. They took it basically to be away and to get relaxed and refresh their brain so to speak. But they were not pre-law, they were pre-meds. Examples: music, art, Spanish…My own D. graduated with Music minor and was very happy having music classes and experiences that would not be open for her otherwise. I believe that you should look into enriching experiences vs. what is helpful in law school. BTW, music was the most commoon topic at D’s Med. School interviews (not her Med Research internship, surprise!). While at Med. School, she continue ripping benefits from her involvement in music, participating in Med. School Opera production (every year event at her Med. School). She said rehearsals are great fun, again the same idea of relaxing while away from extreme complexities of material that they go thru at Med. School (and Law school is not walk in park either). I just wanted to point out that minor should be your personal interest, it should make you feel happy, relaxed. If Philosophy does it for you, so be it, if not it is not worthwhile taking it. Others would not know how you feel about it, you need to decide yourself.</p>
<p>^^ My son in law was a music major and used it to structure a seminar while in med school. He taught other med students how to use music to help patients. He is an anesthesiologist. It was a real plus in his residency applications/interviews.</p>