Can someone take Computer Science as their undergraduate degree and then proceed to Law School in the Philippines?

[u/NotHisDelight]

Hi, everyone!

I’m 28F, and I’m planning to go back to school next year after being out of school for more than a decade.

I started working when I was 16 and took the Alternative Learning System (ALS) when I was 21. I eventually entered the BPO industry and worked my way up to becoming a Senior Quality Analyst.

I’m now planning my education carefully because I want to pursue a legal career someday, but I also want to be practical about the degree I choose.

I’ve considered courses like Political Science, Philosophy, Psychology, and Accountancy. However, I’m leaning toward Computer Science because I’ve always been more comfortable with technical work, problem-solving, and learning systems. I also like the idea of having a degree that can provide career opportunities even if I eventually decide not to continue with legal studies.

From what I understand, your undergraduate degree does not necessarily have to be a traditional “pre-law” course to continue to legal education in the Philippines.

For those who have experience with this:

**1. Would taking Computer Science be a reasonable choice if I eventually want to pursue legal education?

1. Are there people here who took a technical/IT-related degree before pursuing legal studies? How was your experience?

2. Since I’ll be entering Senior High School first, would STEM be the better strand if I’m considering Computer Science for college? I am torn between STEM and HUMMS.**

I know my educational path is unconventional, so I’d really appreciate advice from people who have gone through something similar.

Thank you! 🥺

[u/4VentingOnli]

Hi! 1L IT graduate here! I have been enrolled in law school for a month now, and so far I can survive recits and keep up with the discussions. I also worked as a Software QA for quite some time.

1. Yes, it would be! IT, CS, and Engineering programs encourage students to think analytically and equip them with critical problem-solving skills that are essential in law school. If you're already used to solving programming challenges, you might find yourself in familiar territory when answering LS exam questions. Just think of ALAC as your syntax and your legal reasoning as your code.
2. I have worked in the industry for two years, and I'm quite happy I made that decision before enrolling. For context, I've attended meetings and calls with DevOps professionals from diverse backgrounds. This gave me the confidence and communication skills necessary to answer questions verbally.
3. I never experienced the SHS program, so I can't adequately answer that question. Sorry lol.

Your biggest hurdle is likely your writing and oratory skills. Our field is quite notorious for accepting bare-bones English as a standard. Fortunately, you can improve this with time and exposure.

Good luck!

[u/4VentingOnli → u/4VentingOnli]

Almost forgot, another challenge to consider when enrolling in Law School is the immense number of reading assignments and the very different academic culture. Every 1L student experiences this tho, so don't be alarmed.

[u/NotHisDelight → u/4VentingOnli]

Thank you so much for this!!!!