I’m currently at UVA - just finished my first year - and I am extremely interested in attending law school. I came in to undergrad with 60 dual enrollment credits, so I have a lot of flexibility when planning out my undergrad degree. My question is: would it make more sense (when considering law school admissions, career/salary outcomes, etc) to pursue a double major at UVA in four years (probably in politics and English) or to do a single major (in politics) in three years, and then go on to do the accelerated MPP program at the Batten School at UVA?
Some caveats/further points of inquiry:
- I had a rough first semester and was in the engineering school for my first semester - I came out with a 2.8 GPA. Once I transferred to arts and sciences for my second semester, I came out with a 3.4, and a 3.1 overall. I am positive that I will have an upward trend on my transcript - I’ve certainly learned from my mistakes - but that first semester will still put a dent in my culmulative GPA. However, I’ve heard that law schools place less of a focus on undergrad GPA if you work for a few years before matriculating. Assuming I do go in to the workforce for a few years before going to law school, wouldn’t it help significantly to have the MPP to get a better job? If that’s true, am I going to have to work before going to law school, because of the low GPA, or do I still have a chance of getting in to a T14 school if I apply right out of undergrad?
- Batten isn't incredibly well-established as a public policy school. Would it be detrimental to have a master's from UVA as opposed to somewhere that is more well-known?
- To anyone that has knowledge of the program - do I even have a chance of getting in to the accelerated MPP with that low of a GPA?
I’m also posting this in the law school forum. Thanks guys.