<p>What if someone majors and minors in History/English and gets stellar grades in those, but takes only one or two poli sci courses as an undergrad?</p>
<p>Would that hurt the student's chances in getting accepted into law school? What I mean is, I was wondering how integral and necessary political science studies are to getting accepted to law school.</p>
<p>I don't care for poli sci as much as English and History, but I was told that I have to study poli sci to be considered as a competitive applicant to law school, and I hoped that wasn't necessarily true. </p>
<p>Whomever told you that you NEED political science for law school needs a reality check. Considering that at least 2/3 of students are NOT poli sci majors, I would say that you could make it with English or history. There is nothing that you learn in poli sci that you need for law school. It's not substantially easier nor more difficult than English or history or economics, so take any of those and you'll have the same admissions result.</p>
<h2>I don't care for poli sci as much as English and History, but I was told that I have to study poli sci to be considered as a competitive applicant to law school, and I hoped that wasn't necessarily true. </h2>
<p>Actually, I've been warned by many people that Political Science is a mediocre (and sometimes horrible) major for Law school. I was told a great major for law school would be Philosophy because it helps you think. If I were you, I think I'd stick go with English. I honestly don't think it would hurt you at all, I know of many English majors who went on to law school.</p>
<p>Major in the most challening major for you if possible. It will keep your edge when you're in law school and when you are working long hours as a lawyer.</p>
<p>"Actually, I've been warned by many people that Political Science is a mediocre (and sometimes horrible) major for Law school."</p>
<p>I dont know where u heard this.... usually the two most recomended majors for law school are poli sci and philosophy. of course, as long as you are not an art major, you should major in what you like and are interested in. English or history would both be excellent choices.</p>
<p>poly sci is a weak major for law school. so is history. they are weak because so many applicants will have degrees in the fields, your GPA and LSAT will need too be stellar to stand out. if you major in EE from an MITesque school and have a run of the mill GPA you will stand out more than a poly sci major with the same LSATs from an ivyesque school.</p>
<p>But most law schools don't care that much anyways. You'll only get an advantage if everything else is the same between 2 applicants. A 3.8 history major has a much better chance than a 3.6 engineering major.</p>
<p>It doesn't even matter if the engineering major worked far harder.</p>
<p>They don't call lawyers the smartest of the dumb for no reason.</p>
<p>Yes, Venkater, you'll stand out more, but that doesn't mean you'll get in. Trust me on this one - GPA is much, much more important than your major. If your GPA is within maybe 0.1 or 0.2 points of where it would be with a liberal arts major, fine - otherwise, take the high GPA and run. </p>
<p>Not saying that it'll make you a good law student - I can't help but consider that the high GPA people in my class are often engineers and scientists - but it'll help you get in the door.</p>
<p>By my law school experience, not at all. I've had classmates who were technical science majors do much better than social science majors, including Poli Sci.</p>
<p>I agree with shibing boing on this one...look at the people who are accepted to the t14 schools. Most are in the humanities with top GPA's. Sure you'll sometimes see ones who major in science and engineering...</p>
<p>Are most in the humanities? That might be so, but plenty are in the social sciences such as economics and political science. And not that this is the place to discuss it too much, I don't understand why more people don't consider much of history (the other biggest pre-law major) and much of philosophy (especially the "analytic philosophy") to be social sciences (many do, but it seems the majority, do not). Well, as far as philosophy goes, it is probably because they don't know what it is, but anyway, the point is PLENTY of law students are social science majors.</p>
<p>In my class at law school were people with pretty much every major under the sun -- everything from engineering and organic chemistry to spanish and art history. Choose a major that you like. What that major is doesn't matter much. </p>
<p>As for a 3.8 history major having a much better chance than a 3.6 engineering major, I think that is completely incorrect. Two tenths of a point of GPA between two otherwise excellent candidates, particularly where the person with the slightly lower GPA was an engineering major at a school with grade deflation, will rarely be the deciding factor in who gains admission to law school. All other things being equal, both candidates would likely be granted admission.</p>
<p>"Actually, I've been warned by many people that Political Science is a mediocre (and sometimes horrible) major for Law school."</p>
<p>"I dont know where u heard this.... usually the two most recomended majors for law school are poli sci and philosophy. of course, as long as you are not an art major, you should major in what you like and are interested in. English or history would both be excellent choices."</p>
<p>You can major in art and go to law school. I know people who have done it</p>