Is it easier to get into law school with a STEM degree?

Asked by: Miss Aliza Johnson Jr.  |  Last update: August 13, 2023
Score: 4.1/5 (19 votes)

Applicants with backgrounds in STEM fields – science, technology, engineering and mathematics – have a leg up in law school admissions. Law is increasingly enmeshed with science and technology, and not just in the burgeoning areas of health law, tech law, patent law and environmental law.

Do STEM majors do better in law school?

The reason students with STEM majors succeed in law school is that STEM majors often require a rigorous course of clases. STEM students have to memorize formulas and rules and apply them to various problems. That is a skill that translates very well to learning the law.

What percent of law school applicants are STEM majors?

Data from the last two admissions cycles, however, suggests that other measures are working. The percentage of STEM-focused students admitted to the Law School increased to around 12 percent in the 2014-2015 cycle, according to Soban, who projects that this cycle's proportion will hover around the same percentage.

What degrees look best for law school?

As you select your undergraduate major with the intent to apply to law school in the future, these are some of the leading majors to consider.
  • History. ...
  • Business. ...
  • English. ...
  • Philosophy. ...
  • Political Science. ...
  • Economics. ...
  • Arts and Humanities. ...
  • Psychology.

What degree do most law students have?

Best Undergraduate Majors for Law School. According to the LSAC report mentioned above, the most common undergraduate major for law school applicants was political science.

The BEST College Degrees For Law School (Spoiler: NOT Political Science)

35 related questions found

What major has the highest acceptance rate to law school?

Some of the most popular are chemistry, biology, ecology, animal sciences, natural sciences, and others. Applicants who've majored in these courses have a law school acceptance rate of around 80 percent (but it can vary anywhere from 76% – 90% depending on the science).

What majors score the highest on the LSAT?

Here are some of the results:
  • Mathematics/Physics: 160.0.
  • Economics/Philosophy/Theology: 157.4.
  • International Relations: 156.5.
  • Engineering: 156.2.
  • Government/Service/Chemistry: 156.1.
  • History: 155.9.
  • Interdisciplinary Studies: 155.5.
  • Foreign Languages: 155.3.

What is a decent GPA in law school?

Among the 191 ranked law schools that submitted grade data to U.S. News in an annual survey, the average median GPA of entering law school students in 2021 was 3.55. But at the 20 highest-ranked law schools, the average median GPA is much higher – 3.86.

What degrees do best on LSAT?

The Top 10 Most Popular Majors of Law School Applicants
  • English. ...
  • History. ...
  • Economics. Average LSAT Score: 158.93. ...
  • Philosophy. Average LSAT Score: 157.53. ...
  • Sociology. Average LSAT Score: 150.71. ...
  • Communications. Average LSAT Score: 151.2. ...
  • Science. Average LSAT Score: 148.4. ...
  • Other Arts and Humanities. Average LSAT Score: 154.19.

How smart do you have to be to get into law school?

Obtain High GPA & LSAT Scores

According to the Law School Admission Council (LSAC), students need a GPA of at least 3.59 and an LSAT of 162 or more to get into any top 10 law schools. However, that is the bare minimum, and you should aim higher if you want to increase your chances of getting into the top 3.

What is the average GPA of STEM majors?

Students in the above-listed STEM departments have a mean GPA of 3.39; higher than the campus-wide average. First-year students campus-wide have lower average cumulative GPAs than seniors, almost without fail. The average grades in STEM courses tend to be higher in upper-level courses.

How many people drop out of STEM majors?

In a post she wrote for the Greatschools.org blog on March 10, 2014 (“Does our approach to teaching math fail even the smartest kids?”) Carol Lloyd notes that according to a study conducted by UCLA, as many as 60% of all college students who start a STEM major in college drop out.

How many students drop out of STEM majors?

For various reasons, a significant proportion of students who initially intend to study STEM fields abandon them several years later. A recent study found that a total of 56 percent of postsecondary students who declared STEM majors in their freshman year left these fields over the next 6 years (Chen 2009).

What bachelor's degree do most lawyers get?

Bachelor's in Criminal Justice

Criminal justice is a best degree for lawyer work because law and criminal justice studies overlap. A bachelor's degree in this subject serves as good preparation for a law degree. Here's how. A good lawyer course focuses on case study and interpretation.

What is the hardest subject in a law degree?

Law and engineering have different academic expectations. That varies tremendously depending on the student's interest in a subject and the professor's skill in teaching. In general, I have heard more students and lawyers say that Evidence and Constitutional Law were their most difficult subjects.

Are STEM majors more successful?

With the public increasingly skeptical of the value of higher education, new data show STEM majors still get the most lucrative jobs. Critics say future earnings aren't all students care about. A computer science lecture at Harvard University, part of the program that topped the College Scorecard in median earnings.

How realistic is it to get a 170 on LSAT?

However, it is possible. Despite what many people believe, there is no trick or shortcut to getting a 170 or more on an LSAT score. Very few people can walk into the room on test day with very little or no practice and be able to score that highly. It takes a lot of hard work to be able to score up to 170 or higher.

Do law schools look more at GPA or LSAT?

Most law schools tend to give LSAT scores a bit more weight, but some schools care more about grades. The admissions process is inevitably subjective, and some admissions officers might be more forgiving of a gap than others.

What is the top 2% LSAT?

No. However, scoring a 170 or higher on the LSAT will place you in the top 2-3% of exam-takers and ensure you are a highly competitive candidate at the top law schools in the U.S. In fact, only Yale, Harvard, Stanford, and Columbia currently have median LSAT scores above 170.

What is the average LSAT score in Canada?

4. What LSAT score do I need for law school in Canada? For most law schools in Canada, you should have an LSAT score above 150. To get into the most competitive schools, your LSAT score should be above 160 at least.

Is med school harder than law?

One student may say that medical school is tougher while another says that law school is tougher. In reality, it really depends on you, how you learn, and your natural abilities and aptitude of being a student.

What is a good 1L law school GPA?

The list. No mandatory curve; 3.1 to 3.3 mean for 1L courses, except First-Year Rhetoric. 3.25 to 3.45 mean for most upper-level courses.

Is there math on LSAT?

No, the LSAT does not explicitly test math. You may see some questions about percentages in the logical reasoning (arguments) section, and some analytical reasoning questions (i.e., logic games) may resemble math problems, but these questions are designed to test your logical reasoning, not your mathematical knowledge.

How much math is in the LSAT?

The short answer is no. Within the Logical Reasoning section, there are sometimes questions that require you to take into account percentages and numbers. Ultimately, the LSAT does not include any reference to formulas or equations that you'd be expected to know in order to ace the test.

What percent of LSAT takers get a 170?

170 score: Scoring a 170 on the LSAT is almost always considered a good score — that means you are in the 2-3% of test-takers.