I’m not trying to use it as an edge in law school admissions! It’s just something I’d be personally interested in studying 
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Thank you!
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Yep, I’m definitely going to narrow it down. Based on the info shared here I think I might add 2-3 more likelies/targets that offer merit and then see how I do with the others!
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Williams was on my “maybe” list before but it looks like I should move it up 
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It’s very rural - just know that. But if it’s the right school for you…
Yeah…I talked with my parents and we agreed we could try for merit at some similar schools and see how it goes. Now that people here have shared many other awesome programs at similar schools it’s nice comparing them and noting their unique points!
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Thank you! My mom and I are going to sit down this Saturday to finalize my school list and try out the Net Price Calculator - if there’s any big updates I’ll let you know updates 
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I think you might be mixing my points up here. I am aware that every law school covers multiple types of law. However, I would really jump at the chance to take a deep dive - really deep, as in spending several years focusing primarily on it - into corporate/business law in my undergrad years, regardless of the fact that it is covered in law school.
Williams is also very difficult to get into, with around an 8% admissions rate.
There’s a couple rural schools that I would love going to! Williams has a nice program in Political Economy, as well as a minor in Justice & Law. I would be totally fine with a rural college if it had a good program for me!
(One thing that’s harder is when schools have ugly campuses…for instance UC Irvine just makes me shudder 
Of course this is a lesser concern that can be easily overcome. But aesthetics, IMO, are still important - if you’re going to be somewhere for 4 years ideally the learning environment should make you feel as productive and inspired as possible.)
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Interesting thing - yesterday I found out more info about my friend in the grade above me. She’s crazy talented at writing, has a ton of awards, etc. but not much leadership, volunteer work, etc. (she had leadership roles in 2 writing school clubs). Her essays were definitely really good though. However, she wasn’t in the top 10% (she did have a 1530 SAT, but also did poorly on several AP exams) when she applied to Yale SCEA. She got deferred and denied. Then, in RD, she applied to many schools with her new senior year grades putting her in the top 10%. She got into UPenn, Brown, Dartmouth, Georgetown, JHU, etc.
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Absolutely correct. Many will disagree but I think they are critical items because it sets your daily mood. Food - another under rated metric - both my kids struggled til they didn’t. They just had to find their way food wise - and I think there’s been a lot of parental pressure at many schools due to bad food.
Your top for food are UMASS, UCLA, and Va Tech - that seems universal in any ranking.
Campus and food are both rated for every school by niche (from surveys).
Of course, campus (and food) is subjective - you hate UCI and it’s blah. I hate UIUC. Dreary and depressing. But - others love them. So it’s awesome you’ve been to so many.
I think Va Tech is the nicest big school in America. The other week someone said it’s gray and dreary - so we all think differently.
But that you like the environment - that you walk out of the dorm and look around - yep, I’m so glad I’m here. It’s beautiful here. if it’s important to you (not us), it’s important!!!
I think you’ll like W&M if I had to guess. Maimi Ohio is a safety for you, it’s like a giant W&M. I think W&M is strong in areas you like and I’m glad you added it - because it’s more realistic - but unfortunately, it’s not cheap.
Have fun exploring!!! But yep, eventually you’ll have to narrow in - a lot of apps seem easy as a thought at the beginning, but those essays pile and pile up and it gets long in the tooth.
Then again, most rue writing essays. You’re the maestro of writing - so maybe essay torture will be essay heaven for you
PS - it’s summer - I hope you have a job or activities and that you are being a kid too!!
Too much College Confidential isn’t good for anyone…I know first hand (I’m on way too much).
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I am not sure how much of an understanding you have about business/corporate law. I can’t imagine a very worthwhile undergrad program for this in the US. Most US undergrad law/law adjacent majors are almost technical/vocational training (might prepare you to be a paralegal) whereas good law school programs are more akin to courses in the philosophy of law. I say this as a poli sci major who went to a T14 law school and practiced at Big Law. Business/corporate law covers a variety of disparate subjects, including corporate governance, securities laws/regulations, debtor/creditor, commercial codes, banking laws/regulations, and basic contract and property law. I am not including areas that corporate lawyers need to have familiarity with, such as tax, accounting, employer/employee, real estate, IP and environmental. IMO, you will be better off majoring in something that will challenge and develop your critical thinking and writing skills, be it English, Econ, Poli Sci, PPE and wait for law school to study law.
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I’m also a practicing attorney, and I am also unaware of any notable undergrad programs like this. Our whole system is set up to study that stuff in law school, and the more selective law schools would rather you get a more general education and develop more fundamental skills before starting to study that stuff.
In fact, I note increasingly law schools are also shifting a bit in the MBA direction in the sense they see a real benefit in actually working a bit after college before law school. I think this not at all least applicable to people who want to go into business law–it is awfully valuable to have actually worked at a business first.
And for that matter, as the other poster was explaining, even the typical 1L year is mostly still foundational stuff. You might have an elective you can use to start focusing, but the bulk of your area focus will be done through 2L/3L electives.
So even if getting started on all that 5-7 years early sounds appealing personally, that is just not the way our legal education system works.
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Yes, I hope to go somewhere with good food!!! Thanks for all your help 
I am at home more now since I got back recently from a summer program at Notre Dame, and I’m currently doing an internship (corporate law lol). Also watching tons of Olympics. My friends and I did go to the boardwalk a little ago, and last week I watched the new Despicable Me movie with my boyfriend. But it’s still definitely a lot - in between researching colleges, writing essays for both US and UK schools, prepping for my piano and writing portfolios (my teacher is making me practice 2 hours a day 
), doing a ton of summer assignments from school, learning Calc on my own, going to PT for my ongoing knee injury…my mom somewhat unhelpfully continues to remind me that this is the final stretch and if I slack off now I’ll waste all the hard work. So I guess I’m just going to grind now/in the first part of the year and hopefully get into a good college, then relax and take it easy (not in terms of school grades!). My UPenn friend is having the time of her life right now, going shopping, on vacation, and sleeping all day without a care in the world. I’m so envious. But I’ll be able to relax more once it gets done 
and College Confidential is so helpful but also killing me lol. Thank you once again!
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I see! I just thought it would be a super unique program I hadn’t seen at a ton of schools. I’ll keep your advice in mind - whenever possible I would like to pick PPE, EPE, PPL, etc. to major in. The caveat is that my parents are urging me to major in something “of substance” that has “practical applications” - they think a major like PoliSci won’t get me a job. Not my own opinion, but you as you might be able to tell there’s a LOT of pressure from the parental side and it’s getting to me 
Thank you - I am still trying to go for PPE and similar programs when they are available 
A “law” undergrad degree will also not have much practical application value in the US. I suspect in your parents’ home country a legal degree undergrad is the traditional gateway to a legal career.
Majors with practical applications (i.e. learned knowledge or skill that is directly applicable to a job) are pretty much limited to certain STEM, nursing, business and accounting majors. However, there are a lot of industries that just look for smart hard working kids (“best available athlete” approach) where the technicalities of the job and business are learned on the job, including some very high paying paths. Consulting and finance are 2 such examples (some quant or computer courses advisable). Many Main Street entry level positions are also this way. Government, public service and NGO’s are another path. This is why good LACs have little difficulty placing their grads in careers or grad and professional schools.
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I love your parents.
Mine majored in engineering and is employed.
My 2nd is in Poli Sci and IR and had two good internships…but it’s scary.
But here’s the thing - those interest her.
Accounting is bullet proof - but it doesn’t interest her - and didn’t me either!!
And I have two impractical majors and an MBA with a marketing focus - sort of the impractical of the MBAs.
But somehow, you get through - and you will too.
Some of us just don’t have the skillset, aptitude or interest for those boring majors We gotta go for the more fun ones!!!
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Um….some of us don’t think those majors are boring!
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