<p>I am also surprised that GW is not ranked higher in political science. You would think with its location it would attract many famous scholars and adjunct faculty, although aften this has little to do with national ranking of departments, as research is by far the most important factor in most poli sci rankings. This is why rankings might not be the best factor to look at when choosing a school or department, they should be more of a helpful guide</p>
<p>Hey y'all. I am actually interested in law school; I'd like to work in some sort of government position, though I'm not sure what. Politics and law have just always interested me, so I'm thinking I might run for office or work on campaigns?? I know that actually getting elected requires a lot of work, but I'd start out with campaigns, getting involved with local interest groups, etc. (By the way -- I'm a girl. :) Kitt's short for Katherine.) So now that y'all mentioned it, what would be a good major to prep me for law school and then a future government/law/politics career?? Thanks so much.</p>
<p>There are many paths. A few anacdotes:</p>
<p>One brother, a poli sci major at a very good school. Interesting but not political work for a year after college. Top 15 law school, with summer jobs in a somewhat political/environmental area. Federal court clerkship. Great law and business career. No subsequent political involvement except hosting fund-raising receptions for big cheese political candidates. Rich.</p>
<p>The other brother, not a poli sci major, top law school, legal aid clinic, federal court clerkship, big law, political junkie, top professional (not political) job with the US Congress, delegate to national convention, member of big deal professional advisory boards, not rich.</p>
<p>Best friend. OK college, 4.0. HLS. Legal work for Ralph Nadar, Congress, Administrative branch, over 30 years, but not otherwise political. Now biglaw.</p>
<p>Acquaintance, great college, OK law school but not good student. Political activist, especially with a focused interest group. Member of Congress, US Senator. Not super bright, but ...</p>
<p>from the Gourman Report-undergrad Poly Sci rankings:
Yale
Harvard
Berkeley
Michigan
Chicago
MIT
Stanford
Wisconsin
Minnesota
Cornell
Princeton
UCLA
Northwestern
UNC CH
Columbia
Indiana
Duke
Johns Hopkins
Notre Dame
Tufts
Ohio St
U Penn
UVA
Georgetown
Texas Austin
U Washington
Pitt
U Rochester
Rutgers NB
Brandeis
Vanderbilt
Illinois UC
U Oregon
U Maryland CP
U Iowa
UC SB
SUNY Buffalo
U Mass AAmherst
NYU
Mich St
Syracuse
Wash U St Louis
US Air Force Acad
US Military Acad
Dartmouth
Pomona
Emory
UC Davis
Boston U
Tulane</p>
<p>There are no LACs on Gourman's list, except Pomona. And I guess Brandeis.</p>
<p>University of Michigan has the best, imo. They do a great job preparing you for law school. Of the 4 people I know who did undergrad poli sci at UM all have gone on the good law schools (one to yale, two went to UofM, and one went to DePaul). Plus Ann Arbor is a very liberal and politically active town, the perfect setting for an aspiring politician.</p>
<p>monydad-
Yes, Gourman has a bias toward the large universities, particularly publics. I guess you have to keep that in mind. The list I posted from Rugg's seems to favor LACs, on the other hand.</p>
<p>Also Kalamazoo College has a very good poli sci program (<a href="http://www.kzoo.edu/polisci/%5B/url%5D">http://www.kzoo.edu/polisci/</a>) and UPenn has a program that might interest you called PPE (Philosophy, Politics and Economics) (<a href="http://www.sas.upenn.edu/ppe/%5B/url%5D">http://www.sas.upenn.edu/ppe/</a>)</p>
<p>I've seen several sources that say that Franklin and Marshall, in PA, has a direct link to Washington political scene. Any comments on this?</p>
<p>Claremont McKenna also has a PPE progam (the idea is based on Oxford's) and the school is definitely geared to the pre-professional type, with most majoring in poli sci and econ.</p>
<p>What the heck???! Georgetown is only 41! Never expected that.</p>
<p>I can't believe Wash. U. is 16. That's great (I got accepted). I never knew because I never paid for the graduate program rankings on US News....but i still applied anyways...</p>
<p>what if you're a republican? How about Oxford University, although i don't believe they teach "Political Science (that seems to be a rather oxymoronical title).</p>
<p>collegehelp, is that the exact order you'd rank them in?</p>
<p>tourguide-that is the order of the ranking in the Gourman Report</p>
<p>Check out UVa's Center for Politics started by our famous Larry Sabato.</p>