Impact of majors assumed as "fluffy"

[Mori]

I was a Biological Sciences AND Sociology major....however, i ended up getting my Bio degree first and graduated with a 3.5ish GPA...my Sociology degree on the other hand, which I completed in a year, I ended up getting close to a 4.0 GPA. So that is proof enough to me that Sociology is a bit of a fluff major. Even though I pwned my Socio. classes, none of it will be counted in my LSDAS GPA (boo!!!!). SOOO, I really hope some weight is given to what are conventionally known as tougher majors.Even though that is probably wishful thinking.

[blueskies6]

They definitely give some leeway to the "hard science" majors, like bio (as well as chem, engineering, etc.).  It is especially helpful if you're going to a tech school, like Georgia Tech or MIT, with little grade inflation, but really those science majors are highly looked upon and schools will let you slide no matter what school you go to. 

In terms of sociology- if I could put money on it, I would imagine that it's not going to matter if it's a "fluff" major unless you do poorly in it.  Getting a 3.0 (or whatever) as a sociology major will be poorly looked upon, but they won't care that its your major as long as you do well, IMHO

[Mori]

Really?  Your one experience is strong enough to qualify as proof?

How many bachelors in Sociology do I need to get to prove to myself?? I took at least 15 classes in Sociology, and got 1 -A and the rest A's. Those of us who get degrees in a science have to take not just our major courses, but also other science courses too like, Physics, Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Calculus to satisfy our degree requirements. Sociology majors at my university didnt have to take these level courses, instead were able to take courses like applied statistics and business math to fulfill their requirement.

Like I said before, "That is proof enough to me" that a Sociology degree is "fluffier"...If I compared the difficulty of my advanced microbial genetics course to my concepts in sociological theory class, well...the later was just cake in comparison.

I took Sociology courses bc I was genuinely interested in it, and that probably reflected in my performance in the coursework.

Also, just want to point out that I am sure there are people who were Sociology majors who also had a hard time writing declarative sentences and couldn't perform qualitative research. As I am sure there were Sociology & Biology majors who have no clue how to apply the Hardy-Weinberg equation. 

[officeguy]

Really?  Your one experience is strong enough to qualify as proof?

How many bachelors in Sociology do I need to get to prove to myself?? I took at least 15 classes in Sociology, and got 1 -A and the rest A's. Those of us who get degrees in a science have to take not just our major courses, but also other science courses too like, Physics, Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Calculus to satisfy our degree requirements. Sociology majors at my university didnt have to take these level courses, instead were able to take courses like applied statistics and business math to fulfill their requirement.
Like I said before, "That is proof enough to me" that a Sociology degree is "fluffier"...If I compared the difficulty of my advanced microbial genetics course to my concepts in sociological theory class, well...the later was just cake in comparison.

I took Sociology courses bc I was genuinely interested in it, and that probably reflected in my performance in the coursework.

Also, just want to point out that I am sure there are people who were Sociology majors who also had a hard time writing declarative sentences and couldn't perform qualitative research. As I am sure there were Sociology & Biology majors who have no clue how to apply the Hardy-Weinberg equation. 

You wouldn't need multiple degrees in Sociology, but your anecdotal experience isn't necessarily reflective of all experiences of all majors at all levels of university.  If anything, it's proof that the major at your school is fluffier.  For what it's worth, my university did require calculus of Soc majors, in addition to statistics (same stats class required of the science majors), as well as an upper division fieldwork or advanced statistics course. 

In any event, it's obnoxious to criticize anyone's major choice, so I'll just leave it all at that.

My poli sci program required stat, calc, two quantative anylsis classes,macro and micro economics, and a science class within the major. I woudln't consider that fluff. But that's just me... Some schools might have fluff social science programs, but not all.

[Mori]

Some people need to work on their reading comp skills.


It is proof enough to me. I never made any judgments or assumptions about anyone else's university. This was the experience at mine, and at mine alone. How can I possibly make a reasonable assessment of all Sociology degrees in the country?? I can't. Again, my experience was that it was fluffy major (for me). My experience.


I am not here to offend anyone, I responded honestly with my own experience, which appears to be unique thus far.  I haven't seen anyone here posting a reverse of my experience: The science major being fluffy and the non-science being rigorously tough. Correct me if I am wrong.

[sheltron5000]

Some people need to work on their reading comp skills.


It is proof enough to me. I never made any judgments or assumptions about anyone else's university. This was the experience at mine, and at mine alone. How can I possibly make a reasonable assessment of all Sociology degrees in the country?? I can't. Again, my experience was that it was fluffy major (for me). My experience.


I am not here to offend anyone, I responded honestly with my own experience, which appears to be unique thus far.  I haven't seen anyone here posting a reverse of my experience: The science major being fluffy and the non-science being rigorously tough. Correct me if I am wrong.

There are three things you have to consider:

1. Perhaps by the time you had taken the sociology classes you had "grown up" a little which made ALL of school easier, and

2. You might just be naturally good at sociology and naturally crap at the hard sciences. I know that I was in a similar situation with my second major. I thought it was REALLY easy, only to find out that it was hard enough for other students that some of them actually CRIED about it. Everyone knows someone who just seems like they were born to do math, it all comes easy and without study to them. In my experience that is true for every field.

3. Maybe at YOUR school sociology is a fluff major, every school and every department is different. I don't believe that there is and major that is, in and of itself, "fluffy". Anything can be made diffcult, even underwater basket weaving, by the demands and rigor of the department. That also goes in the other direction; anything can be made fluffy.



All that being the case, if the OP is really worried about it, they can ask someone from their sociology department to praise the rigor of their class selection or the department at their university as a whole.

[Mori]

1. Very possible
2. I don't think I am crap at the hard sciences (I have a PhD in molecular & cellular pharmacology)
3. I definitely think at my school Sociology ended up being a fluffy major for me. Maybe not so for my other classmates.

I think what it boils down to is that if you get a 3.0 in Underwater basket weaving vs. a 3.0 in Chemistry, all else being equal, the law school may favor the Chem degree due to diversity and assumed difficulty of the major.

OP needs to just focus on packaging his/her application in the best way possible. Meaning, LSAT scores have to be high, excellant PS & LOR.

[nooyyllib]

From reading all your posts, I'm just going to get my A's in classes, get a BA in sociology and try to get my LSAT up.

thanks.

edit_________-

all i wanted to know was if my "sociology" major will hurt my chances in admission. (I go to UVa btw).

[bloomlaw]

On a side note, the liberal arts majors, including sociology, political science, psychology, english, literature, whatever, if you look at it, could be argued that they prepare you much better to be a law student because the basic pricniples of law study are the basic principles of study in those majors, the contemplation and interpretation of ideas that have no true correct answers, but need to be analyzed, understood, and explained.

[008]

From reading all your posts, I'm just going to get my A's in classes, get a BA in sociology and try to get my LSAT up.

thanks.

edit_________-

all i wanted to know was if my "sociology" major will hurt my chances in admission. (I go to UVa btw).

Good idea.  Get A's and focus on the LSAT.  that's all you need.