What to major in? (CPA, PhD, degree, reputation)

[treat]

So I am trying to declare a major...

I have taken a lot of paralegal classes, as I was going to declare that as a minor. I haven't declared it as a major as I was thinking that many get hired with an associate's degree, so I think possibly I could hired as a paralegal with it as a minor? Also, it isn't something I want to do for the rest of my life, though I would like to be a paralegal when I graduate.

My ultimate goal is to go to law school, though I need a "fallback" in case that doesn't happen (for example, an art history major isn't going to cut it if I don't go on to school after my BA.)

I was thinking of doing accounting as a major, with paralegal as a minor, but I am wondering if it would be too difficult to study for both the CPA and LSAT and paralegal exams at the same time.

What about majoring in communications with a minor in paralegal? Do you think that would help me get jobs, or no.

Any advice? Any reccomendations of recession-proof majors (that aren't nursing)?

[Croye22]

Well, you need to ask yourself what do you want to do?

And don't let the recession scare you from getting the major you want.

[Sandpointian]

what is in your blood? In your heart? Something you are willing to fight for? Compete for? Have the confidence for?

Accounting and actuarial science are good fall backs. Library Science. Pharmacology?

Less keen on paralegal or any degree which is a limited pre-professional degree.

S.

[Rei]

And don't let the recession scare you from getting the major you want.

Recession? I thought we're in a depression?

[drsmiley06]

Go into Biology or something science-related and then go into dentistry, that's what I do. Dental school was 10x harder than undergrad but it was sure worth it at the end. Now I'm just living the dream!

[Croye22]

Originally Posted by Rei

Recession? I thought we're in a depression?

Media gets a kick out of this. There are still people working. It's nowhere as bad as it was during the Great Depression.

And places like Michigan with 15% unemployment doesn't surprise me seeing as how the Big 3 are there and how they had to cut so many jobs.

[uptown_urbanist]

I wouldn't do paralegal as a degree or as a minor. Too limiting. If you're thinking law school I wouldn't do communications, either; admittedly I'm not the law field and don't sit on admissions committees, but communications sometimes has a reputation (and I'm not commenting on whether this is fair or not) as a little lightweight. I was a history major as an undergraduate, and a lot of my fellow majors went on to law school.

Accounting sounds like a useful degree. If you also have a love for art history, to use your example, then go ahead and pursue a double major or a minor in that subject, too. It could help set you apart from the crowd.

[nicet4]

Originally Posted by drsmiley06

Go into Biology or something science-related and then go into dentistry, that's what I do. Dental school was 10x harder than undergrad but it was sure worth it at the end. Now I'm just living the dream!

yeah, I know, I just paid one of your cohorts $2.900 for a grand total of 8 hours work for two root canals and crowns. I don't care, I was in so much pain the dentist could have emptied my bank account if he had wanted to.

I might be over 60 but I still have all of my own teeth.

Engineering outside of computers is also a good one.

[tpk-nyc]

Law is about reading and writing well. Focus on something that teaches you to read closely and write clearly: English, history or philosophy. Any of those would give you a good background for general law.

Math or economics would be good for certain types of corporate law, accounting is good for tax law. A minor in acting would be useful if you want to go into litigation.

In my law firm there are people with all sorts of backgrounds. I know a partner who has a PhD in nuclear physics. A number of people an MBA an well as a JD. There's no one path.

[Randomstudent]

If you really want to go to law school my advice would be to major in something legitimate (i.e. not basket weaving.) that you will do well in grade-wise. GPA is very important when applying to law school, second only to LSAT scores, and without a reasonably high GPA (3.25 or preferably higher) you will have slim pickings as to what schools you could reasonably get into.

Essentially if you really want to be a lawyer majoring in something legitimate that will get you a 3.5 GPA is much more desirable then majoring in something that might be considered a more useful major, but only leaves you with a 3.0 or lower GPA.