(Sorry, don't know where to put this) Double major for prospective Law student?

Parents Forum
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<p>Okay, I'm not sure where the best place to put this is, but I figured that the parents would probably have some good input, and a lot of other people frequent this forum as well.</p>

<p>I'm heading to Skidmore in the fall (well technically London, since I'm doing my first semester there) and I've been thinking about majors.</p>

<p>I definitely intend to major in Asian Studies with an East Asian concentration (have already taken some Mandarin and Japanese).</p>

<p>Originally I had planned to minor in Creative Writing as well, since I love to write, and have been really involved with CW through high school (lots of online awards etc). However, I'm not sure if I do in fact want to go that direction. I definitely love to write, but I don't know if I should minor in it. </p>

<p>So. Talking to the head of the government and pre-law department at Skidmore during the accepted students day recently, he stressed how it was important to take different directions to impress law schools. He advised a major in art, music, or theater or something to that effect.</p>

<p>I don't have any particular studio art talent, and while I love music, I never really had the opportunity to learn an instrument (I can play a little flute, a little piano, and a little guitar, but that's it) so I don't know if it makes sense for me to major in either of those. Same for theater. </p>

<p>Which leads me searching for something I have an interest in, that also makes sense to major in. </p>

<p>I was thinking maybe something like Art History? It would just require an interest in art I figure, more than actual artistic talent. Would that be at all practical though?</p>

<p>I was interested in Environmental Science, but science has not been one of my strongest points over the years.</p>

<p>So, any thoughts or suggestions?</p>

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<p>Knowing how to write well is extremely valuable in law school, so take as many writing courses as you can. (The Journalism majors did especially well.) I will say, however, that practicing law totally saps your creative writing abililty.</p>

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<p>The most important factors for law school acceptance is your GPA and LSAT score. So-- schools may not be overly impressed with a double major-minor etc UNLESS it will bolster your GPA or at least not have a negative impact. </p>

<p>Do not dabble in the sciences if it can have an adverse effect on your GPA.<br>
If you love to write, and feel your grades will remain high, then consider creative writing as a minor. </p>

<p>By the time many "pre-law" students get to their junior or senior year in college and realize law school admission is based mostly on GPA/LSAT score, they try to take courses that will boost their GPA.</p>

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<p>I am assuming that you are Asian and that the advisor thinks that you don't want to overwhelm law school admission committees with all of this Asian-ness if you were to choose to major in East Asian studies.</p>

<p>Law schools care about LSAT scores and GPAs, first and foremost. There is no "pre-law major" required by law schools. It would be suicide to major in something in which you have neither interest nor talent. Your GPA would plummet. </p>

<p>Have you any interest in economics or government? Those would be suitably "non-Asian" yet would not require any specific talent such as art or music. Economics and government are both fascinating topics and you would learn a lot.</p>

<p>But study what interests you without the thought of majoring in something because it would make you look good to law schools. That isn't how the schools work.</p>

<p>Pick what you would like to study.</p>

<p>[Also agree with poster who said that creative writing is sapped by lawyer-writing.]</p>

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<p>Not sure if your advisor's advice is correct " ...a major in art, music, or theater or something to that effect."</p>

<p>You should major in what you like/are skilled at. Stretching yourself to fit into a major that you hadn't intended doesn't sound like it's any advantage. </p>

<p>Really any major is fine for law school. Your languages will be a huge asset to international companies/law firms after you graduate.</p>

<p>Some of the sharpest students in my law school class were those in the hard sciences (chemistry, genetics). Those majors/professions teach you to think analytically and logically. Creative writing is surprisingly unrelated to legal writing (although the consciseness of journalistic writing can be an advantage in making you a clearer legal writer). Although, comfort with and skill at writing is certainly an advantage, generally.</p>

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<p>Thanks for all the fast replies!</p>

<p>ellemenope- I'm not Asian, sorry for the confusion. I'm English/American, and very white. The name just came from when I spent last fall in China.</p>

<p>Once again, thanks for the information. It is hard for me to know what to do here, although my dad is a lawyer, he went to law school in England, and so he never had this undergrad stuff.</p>

<p>Any thoughts on an Art History major and its future marketability?</p>

<p>Jolynne Smyth- if I had a talent for the sciences I would definitely consider it. However, I'm worried that it will weaken my GPA if I go that route. Admittedly, I've never had the best science teachers, but I don't think that can be used as a total excuse for my short comings in the classes.</p>

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<p>Art history imo would be fun. So would creative writing. (If I were any good at it.) East Asian studies is a great major for future lawyers, I've got an ex-boyfriend former East Asian studies major who is now working for a prestigious firm in Hong Kong. I'm not convinced you need to double major in anything. An art history friend of mine, in now a prof at U. of Michigan and frequently guest curates shows based on her latest book topics. </p>

<p>I think as a freshman you should take a wide variety of courses and course types. Take some lecture courses, some seminars, some courses with a big paper and exam at the end, and courses with regular work every day (language courses are good for this.) Take at least one course in something that you couldn't possibly have taken in high school - linguistics, anthropology, sociology, whatever seems intriguing. </p>

<p>I really do believe you should major in what interests you and law school will follow, or maybe something better will.</p>

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<p>In the dark ages, I did a double major in Government and American Studies (itself a bit of a multidisciplinary approach), and then took a JD/MBA. Perhaps I am indecisive. NO need to double major, or pick any particular thing for pre law. In my law school people had majored in most anything, Phys ed, Hotel Administration, business, Industrial and Labor relations, government, social work, econ, etc, etc. IMO a business background is very helpful in understanding quite a few of the courses, but not essential. I can't help but say that if you major in Art History and don't go to law school or business school, I would not imagine a high paying job in your future.</p>

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<p>The Asian studies major should satisfy your advisor's advice to do something "different" from the majority of law school applicants. Whether you have a second major would make little difference to me if I were reading your application, but I would care a lot about whether you had taken courses that forced you to do serious, analytic writing. Journalism experience is a fantastic preparation for law school. Maybe choose to write a thesis. An accounting class and econ classes will make you look more serious if you're interested in international law; many liberal arts grads go to law school without any clue about what lawyers do for business clients (international law, as practiced by most lawyers, is simply business law spread beyond national boundaries). The admissions committee will also care about the rigour of your courses - so be sure to take a progression of courses that is heavily upper division by the end of 2nd/beginning of 3rd year. They actually do read the transcripts!</p>

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<p>There should be a thread on CC "What's With All The Double Majors?"</p>

<p>One of the more offbeat ideas high school and college students seem to have is that a double major is a big plus somewhere in the real world. I don't think it is. What's a plus in the real world is learning how to learn an area thoroughly. You can do that with art history, you can do that with East Asian Studies (maybe . . . I have some doubts about "Studies" majors unless there is a damn good concentration -- something that was definitely the rule at mathmom's college when her ex was there). If you want to learn some accounting, too, that's great. (I second the recommendation, by the way.) But you don't need the double major.</p>

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<p>Wow, thanks for all the great advice everyone. It's really helpful to me. My parents don't have a clue, and I'm really just trying to make this up as I go along.</p>

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<p>Unless you intend to teach, I wouldn't think that Art History is very marketable per se. But if you do very well, THAT will be marketable.</p>

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<p>Thanks EMM1. </p>

<p>I found a Business-Government Interdepartmental Major which I'll look into. That might be a better bet, if I do decide to add a double major. I think it is interesting, but Accounting does not sound interesting. Hmm.</p>

<p>Anyway, once again, thanks for responses.</p>

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<p>Art history major requires you to take art classes. No one becomes an art history major because it makes them marketable.</p>

<p>I've known two art history majors: one works as a business consultant; the other writes grants for non-profits. </p>

<p>I can't think of a single reason for you to double major (since it turns out that you aren't Asian after all)!</p>

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<p>Do whatever you want academically, and don't worry about it. Skidmore is a great school.</p>

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<p>There is a law board, so if you have more questions, feel free to post there.</p>

<p>The question about double majoring has been asked and answered there about a gazillion times.</p>

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<p>Btw--in mentioning the hard sciences as majors of those who did well in law school I only meant to show the diversity in the backgrounds of those who attended. </p>

<p>Ditto the above advice --do what you want (perhaps w/an eye toward marketability if you were to graduate w/that degree alone). Trying to brain out what law school admissions offices would look favorably upon is not really worth it.</p>