Will my nursing degree get me into law school?

<p>I graduated with a 3.87 with a nursing degree and a minor in classical civilizations. I really want to attend New York University Law School or Columbia University Law School and am wondering if they will accept my degree because it is a speciality.</p>

<p>If you just got your degree, the lean would be towards no. If you’ve had it and been working for a while, and want a career change, then probably.</p>

<p>I disagree with ThePhilosopher. Assuming you have a BSN, not an associate’s degree, I think you’ll be just fine. Why? Because the GPA is high, nursing requires a lot of science courses, and your minor demonstrates you’re not a one-trick pony. </p>

<p>A little will depend on the caliber of school you attended, your extracurriculars, essays, and recommendations. A LOT will depend on your LSAT score–above 170 and you have a great shot at either school you mentioned; 162 and you’re looking at a very different pool of law schools. </p>

<p>One anecdote to support this–a member of my study group 1L year (at a top-10 law school) had a BSN. She had worked as a nurse-midwife and was interested in medical malpractice law or other fields relating to her previous career (insurance law, intellectual property focusing on medical devices, etc.). I know her GPA in college was good but I don’t know how she did on the LSAT or in law school. She got into several very good law schools and was offered many jobs at large law firms.</p>

<p>I’m with Stacy. As long as you can get the LSAT score for NYU/Columbia (173+), and assuming you have a bachelor’s in nursing, you should be fine.</p>

<p>Years ago, I met a former nurse who went to a not so good law school. She was making megabucks as a junior partner with a plaintiff’s medical malpractice firm. </p>

<p>Another former nurse-practioner I know is now the general counsel of one of NY’s top specialty hospitals. </p>

<p>If anything, your degree is a bit of a hook. You’ll stand out in the crowd.</p>

<p>Not a problem, assuming you have the numbers for the schools. I know several nurses who are practicing law. Several of them are doing medical malpractice work. When I practiced, we liked to have a nurse around just so someone could read the doctors’ handwriting in the medical records. Of course, they helped in lots of other ways too.</p>

<p>I know a person who went to a tier 3 for her undergrad is now at Columbia for her J.D.; she had no work experience.</p>