2 answers
Mehar
Student
Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
1
Question
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Would criminology or legal studies be a better pathway to law school?
I know you can go to law school with any degree, but I'm debating between these two fields of study I'm interested in.
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2 answers
Christopher O'Brien
Sales and Customer Success
12
Answers
Belchertown, Massachusetts
Updated
Christopher’s Answer
There are many areas of Law that you can focus on when you practice. I'd suggest you investigate these and then map your preferred area of focus to an undergraduate degree that matches it. For example, to practice Intellectual Property law, you should have an technical or scientific undergraduate degree. If you wish to be a prosecutor, then criminology is a good fit. If you are not sure, Legal studies works well. You will do a lot of writing as an attorney, do be sure whatever major you select gives you the opportunity to write and sharpen you writing skills.
Aaron Escamilla
Mining Technology Developer
62
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Gilbert, Arizona
Updated
Aaron’s Answer
Yes and no. Many factors go into being chosen but some main factors stand out. For example, LSAT score (or GRE...depending on the law school). You can have a legal studies degree and bomb the LSAT. Lots of law schools are starting to accept GRE because they have found engineers tend to be able to interpret the intricate parts of law better with their analytical backgrounds.
Whatever you study, they'll want to see certain courses but I wouldn't say one trumps the other. There are definitely points for diversity and criminology would definitely make you stand out. In either case, I would do the one you'd pursue more passionately. It will be easier to get the grades you need if you're enjoying it and then of course do any extra coursework your law school of interest might like to see.
I would say, if this was myself, and it's not me saying one is better than the other....I would do criminology. Criminology is very analytical at times. It gives you that basis for scientific thought still but also will give you excellent exposure to some data crunching and analytics depending on your electives of choice. If I was considering legal studies, I'd be worried about the competition of all the other legal study majors trying to step on each other and prove themselves. I'd at least skip all that random drama in criminology. That's just my personal, unedited/raw thought process though.
Whatever you study, they'll want to see certain courses but I wouldn't say one trumps the other. There are definitely points for diversity and criminology would definitely make you stand out. In either case, I would do the one you'd pursue more passionately. It will be easier to get the grades you need if you're enjoying it and then of course do any extra coursework your law school of interest might like to see.
I would say, if this was myself, and it's not me saying one is better than the other....I would do criminology. Criminology is very analytical at times. It gives you that basis for scientific thought still but also will give you excellent exposure to some data crunching and analytics depending on your electives of choice. If I was considering legal studies, I'd be worried about the competition of all the other legal study majors trying to step on each other and prove themselves. I'd at least skip all that random drama in criminology. That's just my personal, unedited/raw thought process though.