<p>hey guys, i'm looking at u mich and i want to be an environmental lawyer, they have great grad school programs for it (dual degree in natural resources and law) but i'm not to sure what college to apply to as an undergrad.</p>
<p>i know it doesn't matter what undergrad degree you get for law school. just something you enjoy and that challenges you. i was thinking to do civil/ env. engineering, then i saw the environment program in LAS.... so i guess my question is- any thoughts on this program? i'll just be honest, it looks a little bogus... as in not very challenging. so i'm leaning towards engineering, but still thinking about it before i apply. thoughts?</p>
<p>If you want to be a lawyer, the most common degrees are political science and English. I think it does matter what degree you get, bc if someone from the same school and same LSATs as you is applying, and you are an engineer and they're a poli scientist, they will have a better background in that area.</p>
<p>I applied to program in the environment within LSA, and I don't know much about it other than that I was accepted and you can have classes in Central America. Sounded pretty good to me.</p>
<p>The "program in the environment" concentration is a lot easier than it used to be in the past. I think your best best would be to have that be your main concentration, but you'd want to make sure that you take classes beyond what's required for the major, in addition to the kind of political science/writing classes you need to be prepared for law school.</p>
<p>Disagree with vc08's comments slightly. Same school and LSAT's ok...but if you are applying to law school as an engineer, you have a different set of qualities, especially quantitative. Engineering classes are generally harder as well, so a lower GPA would not hurt you as much. Many engineers go into law, mainly patent law though.</p>
<p>.....and if you get an engineering degree and still want to go to law school you will be able to pursue patent law, construction law, product liablitity, complex construction cases....a myriad of possibilities.</p>
<p>Law touches on every aspect of life. Study what you are interested in/good at/love, you can always find a job in law with that specialty or apply what you learned to law. If you are interested in engineering go for it. If you can add a double major or courses in environment, do that too.</p>
<p>Of course, by the time you finish college and then 3 years of law school, in which you will have been exposed to many areas and facets of the law, you may either no longer be interested in environmental law, may not have the best opportunities in that field. Certainly it will have changed so much that the best preparation you could have given yourself in college is a firm grounding in the type of sciences and math which will help you with the challenges and laws that exist at the time.</p>
<p>You certainly don't need poli sci or anything like that. Analysis, thought and ability to communicate are the skills of a lawyer.</p>
<p>dsmo: true, i simply said that poli sci and english are the most COMMON majors for law students, but you are right, it depends on what type of law you want to go into.</p>
<p>law req's knowledge of how the govt and its courts work though, which is why poli sci is so imp.</p>
<p>Thanks for the advice guys. I talked to someone at u of i and of course he plugged his program but he said you should do what you love, and then it will lead to law school if that's what you want. He said many people major in challenging sciences and then study poli sci aspects for the LSAT on their own.</p>
<p>I want to be invloved in environmental policy though, I'm not sure engineering's the right way to go as for 'doing what i love.'
I'm thinking I'll apply to LSA, since just because you're majoring in one thing, it doesn't mean you can't take challenging classes in addition to your major.
Thanks again =]</p>