Columbia vs duke for prelaw? (maybe dartmouth?)

I agree with everything that’s already been posted in this thread. There is no prelaw major, what matters is your gpa + LSAT, and the name of your undergraduate college doesn’t matter. Case in point would be Jack Smith, the Trump prosecutor with a renowned career, who went to Harvard Law from SUNY Oneonta.

Since your intended major is Economics, I’d look at which college offers the most opportunities in Economics. Just speaking for what I would prefer, that would be Duke. First of all, Duke offers both a B.A. and a B.S. in Economics as well as a B.S. with a concentration in Financial Economics. The difference is that the B.A. program is less math heavy; the major can be completed with as little as a single math course. Fir someone who is pursuing this major primarily as prep for law school, this might be the way to go. However, when you get to college and actually start taking courses, you might fall in love with Economics and change your goals, so it’s good to have the other options available.

The other reason why I like Duke is that they have a certificate program (equivalent to a minor) called Philosophy, Politics, & Economics. This is a highly valued concentration for law school. Fewer than 100 colleges offer it as a major or a minor. Neither Columbia nor Dartmouth offer it. Originated at Oxford a century ago and brought to this country by Harvard half a century later, it brings together the key elements of the disciplines and kinds of thinking that law school will emphasize. It’s a rare opportunity and I’d take advantage of it. But that’s just me. Reflect on your own interests and get into the weeds a little bit on what the programs that each of these colleges offer. That’s where you’ll find what will enrich your experience there.

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