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Law or Geography then Law conversion?

Hello all, I'm having many problems at the moment with the whole UCAS process and have come to a bit of a crossroads which I would very much like some advice on!! I have an offer to study law at Sheffield yet have been rejected from nearly everywhere else - mainly due to the dreaded LNAT!! Anyway, I have been given an opportunity to do Geography at Kings and Nottingham have also kindly said that they would "strongly consider" my application even though I'm past the deadline - if I reapply by the end of Feb. I want to go into the legal profession, but not necessarily the law degree route if it means going to Sheffield, would it be better to do geo at a uni considered 'better' (in some senses) then do a 1 year legal conversion course? How well respected would this route be?

Many thanks for any advice!!! :smile:

Reply 1

JJ Jones

To be honest both routes are much of a muchness. A law degree from Sheffield will be fairly well regarded, as will a geography degree from Kings. Pick the subject you think you would enjoy studying most over your three years- I don't think you need to split hairs over which will give you the best chance of getting into the Law, as I imagine both will afford you roughly similar choices. Also, if you want to qualify sooner rather than later maybe law is the better option, given that it lets you cut out the CPE.

Reply 2

milly87

I think most people will say the same - it doesn't make much difference. The best reason for taking law over another subject I've ever heard is that you will get more of a chance to be involved in law at uni. So you can join the law society, meet and socialise with lawyers, debate and moot, whilst studying law, whereas, if you do the conversion course, there's not so much time for this stuff - you can still do it, I've just heard it's not quite the same. But again it depends which you'd rather study - I quite liked the idea of some of the optional modules on the law degree, which you won't get to study on the conversion, but also a lot of employers like a broader perspective on things, which a geography degree will give you - so long as that's what you want to do. As for the unis, a law degree from Sheffield will be just as well respected as a geography one from King's or Nottingham, so I shouldn't worry. Hope this helps.

Reply 3

Mr Glyn

I'm studying Geography in Aberystwyth at the moment (3rd and final year). I've applied to do a CPE conversion. The best advice I've had is to do as much shadowing/work experience as possible whilst you're at uni. Perhaps shadow a barrister/solicitor for a week or so over summer/xmas/easter breaks. I found it really helpful when filling in my application. Also try to get involved with societies (there's no reason why you can't join a university law society if you're not studying the subject). Hope this helps!

Reply 4

~ o ~

2

DO GEOGRAPHY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'm studying Law at Uni right now and I was in a similar problem - didn't know whether to do Geog or Law. I really do wish I opted for Geography instead and I'm actually considering changing courses next yr. I already know 1 girl that used to be on my course that dropped out and is returning next yr to do Geog instead. By doing Geog you get the best of both worlds as you can do the CPE and still do Law.

xxxx

Reply 5

ellewoods

10

Sheffield University is an excellent university, and well regarded for law, maybe not as well as you would have liked but certainly should not be written off if you really want to do law.

Everything that has been posted on here re: your career I agree with .... you won't be in any stronger / weaker position when applying to firms for jobs whatever you decide - firms like non-law grads, and the percentage of non-law grads recruited every year rises. :smile:

The only drawback will be that your education is a year longer (and so a year more expensive :rolleyes:

) but this may not be something you're bothered about.

On a personal note, while I am fully commited to law and always have been, should I have been fully aware of how "easy" it is to access law through alternative routes, ie, any good degree + conversion, I would have chosen to do a degree that I would have loved to do simply out of personal interest and enjoyment, probably History or English Lit, and done the conversion. I simply focused on the pure law route, and while I am loving my law degree, I wish I had made different choices and had the best of both worlds.

So do whatever is going to make you happiest, and maximise your enjoyment of university. :wink:

Reply 6

Ovid

OP

4

Thanks for the advice all, just one final question regarding the CPE (I apologise for my ignorance in this matter) but is it considered the 'equivalent' of an LLB, would all employers within the legal area recognise it as being of the same 'level' as a law degree, i.e could it hinder my chances of getting into a top firm?Thanks! :smile:

Reply 7

dragon_1706

Ovid

Thanks for the advice all, just one final question regarding the CPE (I apologise for my ignorance in this matter) but is it considered the 'equivalent' of an LLB, would all employers within the legal area recognise it as being of the same 'level' as a law degree, i.e could it hinder my chances of getting into a top firm?Thanks! :smile:

I really don't think it makes any difference - if anything, some skills and experience in another area can make you more attractive to a firm. I did see some statistics about the number of CPE graduates in firms and it really is quite high. Or maybe I'm just kidding myself, as I'm in the middle of the CPE... :eek:

Reply 8

ellewoods

10

dragon_1706

I really don't think it makes any difference - if anything, some skills and experience in another area can make you more attractive to a firm. I did see some statistics about the number of CPE graduates in firms and it really is quite high. Or maybe I'm just kidding myself, as I'm in the middle of the CPE... :eek:

No, you're not kidding yourself, firms I spoke to during the vac scheme / TC process loved conversion students, and there was an even split of law and non-law students actually present on the vac schemes I went on.

Like I mentioned earlier, I wouldn't hesitate to do a non-law degree and the the conversion with hindsight :smile:

Reply 9

Ovid

OP

4

It looks like I will now be doing a geography degree next year instead of law, but I was wondering if it is still possible to get fully involved in law realted things at uni even though i am not doing a degree in it? Cheers

Law or Geography then Law conversion?

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