4 answers
Bhavishnakumar
Student
Harrisburg, North Carolina
3
Questions
Updated
516 views
How hard is it to become a lawyer after majoring in computer science. And is the last very competitive? Also what is a good school for computer science, and what can I do to promote my chances for top law schools with cheaper prices? ?
I'm in 10 th grade and I have interests in talking about that's within my group not out side, I m not good at public speaking.
Login to comment
4 answers
Kirthi KN
Computers
35
Answers
Hyderabad, Telangana, India
Updated
Kirthi’s Answer
Hello Bhavishnakumar,
This is a brilliant, "high ROI" (Return on Investment) plan. You are thinking 10 steps ahead, which is great for a 10th grader.
Here is the straightforward reality for you:
1. The "Introvert" Advantage (Patent Law)
Since you don't like public speaking, you don't need to be a "TV Lawyer" arguing in court. With a CS degree, you can become a Patent Lawyer.
What they do: You read technical documents and write legal filings to protect software inventions. It is quiet, desk-based work.
Why it fits you: You talk to engineers (your group), not juries.
The Pay: It is one of the highest-paying fields in law because very few lawyers understand code.
2. The Hard Part (The GPA Trap)
The Challenge: CS is a very hard major. It is easy to get a 3.0 or 3.2 GPA in CS.
The Problem: Law schools care mostly about your GPA number. A 3.8 in History often looks better to them than a 3.2 in Computer Science.
Advice: If you do CS, you have to work twice as hard to keep your grades up. You cannot afford C's.
3. Best Schools (Value for Money)
Since you are in North Carolina, you have access to some of the best value education in the US.
Top Choice (Prestige): NC State. Incredible engineering reputation, but very competitive. Hard to keep a high GPA.
Smart Choice (Balance): UNC Charlotte. rapidly growing CS program, very good connections in Charlotte, and slightly easier to maintain a high GPA than NC State.
Money Saver Choice: Look at Western Carolina University. Under the "NC Promise" plan, tuition is only $500 per semester. You save all your money for Law School.
4. How to get "Cheaper Prices" for Law School
Law school scholarships are almost 100% based on your numbers.
High GPA + High LSAT Score = Full Ride Scholarship.
If you get a high score on the LSAT (the entrance exam), schools will pay you to attend.
Your job in 10th grade: Focus on your Math and Science grades. If those drop, the CS path gets much harder.
Best of luck! You have a solid plan.
This is a brilliant, "high ROI" (Return on Investment) plan. You are thinking 10 steps ahead, which is great for a 10th grader.
Here is the straightforward reality for you:
1. The "Introvert" Advantage (Patent Law)
Since you don't like public speaking, you don't need to be a "TV Lawyer" arguing in court. With a CS degree, you can become a Patent Lawyer.
What they do: You read technical documents and write legal filings to protect software inventions. It is quiet, desk-based work.
Why it fits you: You talk to engineers (your group), not juries.
The Pay: It is one of the highest-paying fields in law because very few lawyers understand code.
2. The Hard Part (The GPA Trap)
The Challenge: CS is a very hard major. It is easy to get a 3.0 or 3.2 GPA in CS.
The Problem: Law schools care mostly about your GPA number. A 3.8 in History often looks better to them than a 3.2 in Computer Science.
Advice: If you do CS, you have to work twice as hard to keep your grades up. You cannot afford C's.
3. Best Schools (Value for Money)
Since you are in North Carolina, you have access to some of the best value education in the US.
Top Choice (Prestige): NC State. Incredible engineering reputation, but very competitive. Hard to keep a high GPA.
Smart Choice (Balance): UNC Charlotte. rapidly growing CS program, very good connections in Charlotte, and slightly easier to maintain a high GPA than NC State.
Money Saver Choice: Look at Western Carolina University. Under the "NC Promise" plan, tuition is only $500 per semester. You save all your money for Law School.
4. How to get "Cheaper Prices" for Law School
Law school scholarships are almost 100% based on your numbers.
High GPA + High LSAT Score = Full Ride Scholarship.
If you get a high score on the LSAT (the entrance exam), schools will pay you to attend.
Your job in 10th grade: Focus on your Math and Science grades. If those drop, the CS path gets much harder.
Best of luck! You have a solid plan.
Thanks for your encouragement!
Bhavishnakumar
David Allen
Consultant
84
Answers
Dallas, Texas
Updated
David’s Answer
Choosing a Computer Science (CS) major before applying to law school is an excellent and often advantageous path, especially if you're interested in fields like Intellectual Property (Patent Law) or technology regulation, as your technical background makes you a highly sought-after applicant. However, law school itself is extremely competitive, particularly at the top-tier institutions (T-14), where acceptance rates can be as low as 5-15% and the median undergraduate GPA and LSAT scores are exceptionally high. The difficulty lies less in your major and more in achieving the highest possible undergraduate GPA and LSAT score; CS majors often perform well on the logical reasoning section of the LSAT. The key is to secure these metrics while building a compelling narrative that connects your analytical CS skills to your motivation for pursuing law, all while mitigating the high cost of education.
To maximize your chances for top law schools while aiming for cheaper tuition, you must focus on strategies that lead to substantial merit scholarships. First, choose an undergraduate CS school that offers an excellent education at a relatively lower cost, such as a highly-ranked in-state public university (like UC Berkeley, UT Austin, or University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign) where you can aim for a top-of-the-class GPA ($3.9+$) without accumulating high debt, thus maximizing your ability to pay for law school. Second, address your reluctance for public speaking by finding low-pressure extracurriculars that still develop strong analytical communication skills, which are essential for law. Focus on Moot Court or Mock Trial preparation/logistics, academic research in AI ethics or data privacy, or competitive coding/math clubs, where you present complex ideas within a small group or in highly structured written reports, demonstrating the core analytical and reasoning skills valued by law schools without the broad audience component.
To maximize your chances for top law schools while aiming for cheaper tuition, you must focus on strategies that lead to substantial merit scholarships. First, choose an undergraduate CS school that offers an excellent education at a relatively lower cost, such as a highly-ranked in-state public university (like UC Berkeley, UT Austin, or University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign) where you can aim for a top-of-the-class GPA ($3.9+$) without accumulating high debt, thus maximizing your ability to pay for law school. Second, address your reluctance for public speaking by finding low-pressure extracurriculars that still develop strong analytical communication skills, which are essential for law. Focus on Moot Court or Mock Trial preparation/logistics, academic research in AI ethics or data privacy, or competitive coding/math clubs, where you present complex ideas within a small group or in highly structured written reports, demonstrating the core analytical and reasoning skills valued by law schools without the broad audience component.
Thank you for the advice.
Bhavishnakumar
Jackie Davis
lawyer
1
Answer
Bethesda, Maryland
Updated
Jackie’s Answer
Great question! You've got an engineer and lawyer teaming up to provide our thoughts on your question. Our first piece of feedback is it is not hard, you can definitely pursue a computer science degree and then later go to law school. We know many professionals who followed this path, spending a few years (or many years) as engineers before going to law school. Some of these individuals became patent lawyers where there is a tight connection between their technical training and legal path, but there are many others who pursued other types of legal careers.
Whether you go straight through or choose to work in the software engineering field first, both are paths open to you. One observation we have is that if you do choose to work in the engineering field first before going to law school, you have the benefit of some practical training and perspective that can enhance your law school education.
Getting into law school can be very competitive depending on what school you apply to, regardless of what your undergraduate degree is. Your undergraduate degree matters less than your performance in that program (ie, your grades) and the other skills and talents you have through work, volunteer and other life experiences. If you know you want to go to law school and pursue a legal career with a computer science undergraduate degree, try for the best computer science program you can get into where you will thrive from an academic perspective. You want to have good grades and teacher recommendations that will help you with your law school application.
On your question on costs, you could take a look at state university programs. There are many good law school programs (and computer science programs!) at state universities where the costs will be lower (compared to private universities), especially if it is in your state and you get the benefit of in-state tuition.
Good luck!
Whether you go straight through or choose to work in the software engineering field first, both are paths open to you. One observation we have is that if you do choose to work in the engineering field first before going to law school, you have the benefit of some practical training and perspective that can enhance your law school education.
Getting into law school can be very competitive depending on what school you apply to, regardless of what your undergraduate degree is. Your undergraduate degree matters less than your performance in that program (ie, your grades) and the other skills and talents you have through work, volunteer and other life experiences. If you know you want to go to law school and pursue a legal career with a computer science undergraduate degree, try for the best computer science program you can get into where you will thrive from an academic perspective. You want to have good grades and teacher recommendations that will help you with your law school application.
On your question on costs, you could take a look at state university programs. There are many good law school programs (and computer science programs!) at state universities where the costs will be lower (compared to private universities), especially if it is in your state and you get the benefit of in-state tuition.
Good luck!
Thanks for your encouragement!
Bhavishnakumar
Katherine Lee
Attorney
4
Answers
Madison, New Jersey
Updated
Katherine’s Answer
Hello! While there's no specific pre-law major like pre-med, your background in computer science can open exciting doors in the legal world, especially in privacy and security. These areas are in high demand, and your technical skills are incredibly valuable because privacy and security challenges often arise from system and personnel gaps. Consider applying to a variety of law schools to see where you get accepted and what scholarships you might receive. Many schools offer scholarships to attract talented students. Also, look for programs that offer courses or certifications in privacy and security to enhance your expertise.
Thank you so much for the advice.
Bhavishnakumar