You need to at least take some paralegal classes so you know the law and the process. Beyond that, you could major in something that could be useful to the kind of paralegal work you want to do. A business degree if you want to work in business. Something to do with biology/medicine if you want to do personal injury/medical malpractice. Even nursing or paramedic can help in that area. Study the business of music or entertainment if you want to be an entertainment paralegal. You get the idea.

If you want to do international or import/export law, learn another language (Spanish is really helpful) and learn politcial science or cultural anthropology.

Lots of options.

Certificates of paralegal studies often don't mean much unless they are from a regular school like a CC. But attorneys will look for that paralegal knowledge but also something extra for the field they practice in. I'm sure my extensive medical knowledge meant as much as my law degree. Also best to take classes in the state you want to practice in, since legal work is very specific to state and a national "certificate" program, while often not itself certified, can't tell you what the litigation rules are in your state and really don't mean anything.

I would stick with a degree in paralegal studies. General studies will not help you much at all

There is no "easy" route for paralegals wanting to get their bachelor's degree. The answer is dependent on what you long-term plans are.

If you are looking to work as a paralegal while you finish your bachelor's degree, I would most definitely recommend getting an associate's degree from an ABA approved program. There are certain courses that you would benefit from. My program had family law, civil litigation, legal technology, legal research and tort law classes. These courses are crucial as they build an understanding of what your attorney is doing and why. You will also begin to get a feel for what type of law you want to practice in. Without these courses, you will go out into the job force with your bachelor's degree blind. You aren't going to know what area of law suits you and your personality if you don't take the basic law classes. A paralegal associate's degree will prepare you for the paralegal field more so than just getting some random degree and hoping to get hired. Hiring attorneys want to know you are familiar with the law.

Once you have your associate's, you can find work. You don't NEED a bachelor's degree. I don't care what people tell you. Getting a bachelor's degree prior to finding paralegal work is NOT smart. You will be underpaid and probably under utilized because you have no experience. Hiring attorneys do not go off of education alone. You need experience. The higher paying paralegal positions that require bachelor's degrees usually require 4-5 years experience. Why? Because hiring attorneys know most paralegals get their associates, start working, and finish up their bachelor's within a few years after that.

Being a paralegal is very "work your way up the ladder." Education alone isn't going to get your foot in the door any faster. An attorney very much depends on what practical knowledge you possess. While education is important, you need to have the corresponding experience.

My suggestion is get an ABA approved associate's degree in Paralegal Studies. Most programs require an Internship. Cross your fingers and hope you get hired. Then slowly work on a bachelor's degree. Your legal classes will most likely NOT transfer. Universities do not offer legal research or any of the law classes to undergraduates. You will just have to eat those credits, but remember that even though they don't transfer you have a degree that will make you employable.

Get your undergraduate in any major that you want. I don't know why you are turning your nose up at a General Studies degree. It is a wonderful degree because you can tailor your classes to suit the needs of the area of law you work in. I am currently working on a Bachelors of Applied Science. My degree allows me to basically take anything I want. I am taking a lot of writing courses, English courses and humanities courses. These courses will help me in law school.

Society forces you to think you need a "specific" degree for things, and in some instances, it is true. For a paralegal, it is about how well you can demonstrate to the hiring attorney that you are capable, through a COMBINATION of education and experience. Good luck.