My parents made me major in engineering despite my apathy for the subject, and everyone keeps telling me it is impossible to get a high GPA if I dislike it and should talk to my parents about switching. I have tried many times to convince my parents to allow me to switch, but it always just ends in yelling and occasionally tears, which I just cannot deal with anymore. I know my parents, and the only way I will be able to switch out of engineering is if I switch to something like pre-med, which is even worse in my opinion. I managed to pull a 4.0 first semester, but my classes were pretty basic, and people keep telling me that I will burn out or lose my motivation. I’m worried about this because my plan is to go to law school once this is over, and I need a 3.7+ GPA to get into a top law school. If anyone who was forced to study engineering but still got a high GPA could tell me how they pushed through or just has any advice, it would be very appreciated. Thank you.
In theory, there is nothing different between really loving the subject and really hating it in terms of what it takes to get a good GPA, so in that sense, there is no reason you couldn’t still ace all your classes. The problem is that engineering is filled with difficult classes and they are typically packed together pretty tightly, so it is easy to lose motivation and burn out. For someone who has a passion for the subject, they are less likely to burn out and more likely to be motivated to push through a tough stretch to make sure they do well. Someone who hates it is going to have a harder time staying motivated through tough times.
Do you attribute any of the good grades to having more high school prep / AP classes than the other students? That was the case for me. Although I graduated with a good GPA, it was not nearly as good as my freshman GPA.
What classes did you take?
Will your parents stop funding college (and/or cooperating with financial aid forms) or disown you if you change your major? Really, it seems like the relationship between you and your parents is unhealthy.
If you are very strong in math and science, getting good grades in engineering is not difficult. But if you don’t enjoy it, it will feel a lot harder than it needs to. Sounds like you need to figure out what you want to do for yourself. There are many paths to law school; you parents may only see a few.
You might as well finish your major. Law schools see a lot more engineering degrees that you think. Patent law requires technical skill, and it’s a legal field in very very high demand.
You’ve posted a lot about this, and tbh if you don’t want to be an engineer then don’t major in it. You’ll hate school and your job. I grossly underestimated how difficult engineering is especially if you go to a top ranked school. Congrats on the 4.0 first semester but what classes were they? I know you said you are EE which is tough. If law school is your passion then major in a More law friendly major. You can have a very successful career majoring in poli sci, business, or Econ. Engineering can lead to law school. Particularly patent law but it is grueling to do engineering and do it well. Many engineering schools do not practice grade inflation as high gpas aren’t necessary for most engineering jobs. You should sit down and really discuss this with your parents rather than make thread after thread.
You need two things for law school admittance–a high GPA (it doesn’t matter the major) and a great LSAT score.
Law school has an inordinate amount of writing–your best major would be something that hones writing skills as well as critical thinking. Learning to debate and think on your feet is a great skill.
Political science, economics and business (as mentioned above) are all good paths. But you can major in anything.
But let’s start at the beginning. With you!
- You don’t like engineering and want to switch majors.
Is that totally true? You don’t like it, don’t want it as a career?
Or are you afraid you can’t keep up the grades and it will keep you out of law school? Two different questions with no wrong answers.
If you don’t like engineering at all, then get the guts to say NO and stick with it to the bitter end.
It’s worth the tears and turmoil to stand your ground. You have to earn it.
Your parents love you and want the best for you–but this IS your career, not theirs.
No need for either tears or turmoil–but they need to understand this is your life–not theirs.
So Adult up.
You need to know that no matter how heated an argument–they keep loving you and want the best for you.
Just as much as you want to please them.
But in this instance you will be the only loser. Not them. It’s your career.
They will NOT be the ones looking for a job in a field they don’t like. That’ll be you. And you won’t be living with them–you’ll have your own life and own decisions to make very soon.
Do something you like if not love.
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Being “good” at something like science or math isn’t a “life sentence”. We all have a varied talents.
Going into something because you’re “good at it” is neither a path to success nor future happiness. -
What do you WANT to major in? Besides engineering and pre-med. which you crossed out?
Excellent chances that you’ll be good at a LOT of things.
"and I’m worried that it will be difficult to get in for any field of law other than patent law with an engineering degree. I’m not studying political science because I’m afraid that I won’t get into law school, and be stuck with nothing, "
Just found this on another of your threads. You’ve got the “cart before the horse”
Law schools look at your GPA. They don’t spend time looking at your major. Or care. You don’t get brownie points for hard majors. And they want great LSAT scores.
Law school is interesting because it gives you foundations in law and teaches objective thinking but you graduate and…still need training to be an effective lawyer. Depending on your interests, location, work place and mentors your ultimate career may be very different than a classmates.
You don’t “get into” patent law–that’s a specialty you’ll work into career-wise at some point if you pursue it. You don’t “apply” for it.
If patent law is your ultimate goal–okay. Keep your options open.
An engineering degree is no instant road to success in law. Even patent law.
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YOU need to be the one caring about your major and what you want to do as a career. Engineering is nice coupled with a law degree for patent law IF you want to do that. Nobody cares but you.
Pick a major you love FIRST then go to law school. Law has a lot of facets to it and different career paths.