In fact, the ABA notes that students gain admission to law school from nearly every area of study, ranging from political science to mathematics. Common undergraduate majors for prelaw students include English, political science, economics, business, philosophy, and journalism. There’s no correct major to pursue to get into law school.
Since the test doesn’t actually test for legal understanding, but rather reading, writing, and critical thinking skills, then your choice of an undergraduate degree is up to you to decide. That said, law schools tend to prefer students that have a wide range of coursework.
Steps to Becoming a Lawyer. Becoming a lawyer takes a certain amount of academic skill. To become a lawyer you must complete five core steps: Step 1 – Acquire Undergraduate Degree. Step 2 – Write and Pass Law School Admission Test (LSAT) Step 3 – Acquire Juris Doctor Law Degree. Step 4 – Write and Pass Multistate Professional ...
Oct 20, 2021 · A bachelor's degree is required for admission into law school. Although the American Bar Association (ABA) notes that there are no specific undergraduate majors that best prepares aspiring lawyers for law school, it suggests that students complete coursework that stresses problem-solving, writing, critical reading, research, and oral communication.
Jun 20, 2016 · Coursework should include English, history, foreign language, public speaking, government, philosophy, economics, mathematics and computer science among others are useful. With that in mind, certain majors do seem somewhat common among pre-law students including Political Science, History, Philosophy and Business.
Top 10 Best Pre-law Majors (see also: what did most law school students major in?)Political Science - 9,612 admitted. ... Other - 2,917 admitted. ... Psychology - 2,960 admitted. ... Criminal Justice - 2,220 admitted. ... English - 2,564 admitted. ... History - 2,657 admitted. ... Economics - 2,373 admitted. ... Philosophy - 1,858 admitted.More items...•Jun 23, 2018
Common undergraduate majors for prelaw students include English, political science, economics, business, philosophy, and journalism. There's no correct major to pursue to get into law school. But according to legal educators, prospective J.D. students who take classes they enjoy report better GPA scores.Feb 17, 2022
The most popular major of law school candidates is political science. There's a reason why many successful politicians are lawyers—the link between law and political theory is very strong. Political science is the study of government systems, political behavior, and how the judicial system works.
Myth # 2: If I attend University X as an undergraduate, then I will have a more competitive chance to gain admission into University X Law School. Many students also believe that their chances are diminished if they attend University X as an undergraduate. The truth is that it does not matter.Jul 8, 2013
From a practical standpoint, history majors are also tasked with lots of research and writing and must learn to draw conclusions based on historical documents, a great precursor to the work you'll do in law school.
A business major is a good option for those who plan to go into corporate law. That said, be sure to supplement business fundamentals with humanities and liberal arts electives so you can train your analytical and critical thinking muscles, as well as practice research and writing, too.
Philosophy majors delve deep into the study of logic, ethics, and morality —areas of thought that also happen to be the cornerstones of law. You'll debate with classmates, present arguments and do a lot of research to support your case, which is not all that different from what lawyers do to prepare for court.
Political Science. Of all majors, this may be the closest to a "law school" curriculum as you can get. In this major, you'll study political systems, public policy, international relations and the relationship between government, the law, and individual rights, among other things.
Not only are economics majors trained to think logically and analytically, but economic policies and procedures, as well as how resources are distributed and managed, are topics closely connected to the legal issues you'll encounter as a lawyer.
Many career paths are open to an aspiring lawyer. Although some students follow a Pre-Law curriculum in college, law schools approve of a wide range of majors. Focus on subjects and experiences that will sharpen your skills in reading, technical writing, research, data analysis, logic and persuasion. Before embarking on a legal career, potential ...
Bar Examination. Even after completing law school, you cannot practice as a lawyer until you pass the state bar exam. The examination process varies by state, but according to the Law School Admissions Council most exams include the Multi-state Bar Examination.
There is no prescribed set of courses required for admission to law school, so you are free to study an undergraduate degree of your choice. But according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are certain courses in high school and college that are helpful to a career in law. These include English, political science and economics.
The LSAT is a standardized test that measures your reading comprehension, analytical reasoning skills and logical reasoning skills. You must register to take the LSAT, which is offered four times per year. According to the Law School Admissions Council, most law schools require you to complete the LSAT by December at the latest. LSAT scores are just one factor law schools consider when making admission decisions, but your scores should be comparable to the average scores of students enrolled at the law school you wish to attend.
When people say “pre-law,” they simply mean that they approached college with the plan that, after graduating, they would one day apply to law school. While there is no pre-law major or set of required classes, you can still prepare for law school while in college. Here are just a few ways you can do that:
Graduates go on to be judges, prosecutors, professors, legislators, mediators, and so much more. But getting into law school is no easy matter.
Beyond taking these steps, there is no single best major for law school. You can major in absolutely anything and apply to law school. However, there are schools and programs that do a better job of preparing you for graduate study.
in History and Classics. After graduating, she joined CollegeVine serving as the Curriculum Development Manager. She currently lives in Cambridge, MA and is writing her debut novel.
A business major, in particular, covers many subjects that a student will encounter in law school. Courses within this major include reading, writing, speaking, and learning about contracts, all skills that will provide a solid foundation for students ultimately seeking a law degree. Many business courses also cover basic analytics skills.
Michelle Fabio is a licensed attorney, an award-winning blogger and writer, and the author of "The Art of the Law School Personal Statement.". Law school applicants should have a variety of courses on their transcripts, including studies in the areas of business, logic, and social studies, among others. While most colleges do not ask students ...
Political science degrees are designed to expose students to the intricate nature of a complex judicial system. Politics and law go hand in hand, and these courses teach students about how our laws are both structured and carried out. As a political science major, the pre-law student will learn how to speak in public.
A legal education will build on writing and analytical thinking, so courses that showcase a candidate's ability to excel in these areas will look good on an undergraduate transcript. Students must show a strong command of the English language through writing, reading, and speaking. While most students will find that their writing styles will ...
Disciplines that study human behavior can also be useful, including both psychology and sociology. They involve critical thinking and analysis, two valuable legal skills. Many students will also benefit from exploring courses in criminology, anthropology, and even religion.
The LSAT tests for critical thinking skills rather than subject matter expertise. Law schools look for candidates with abstract thinking skills, the ability to interpret written texts, and high reading comprehension. They want candidates that have fine reasoning abilities, the ability to think logically. Notice how all majors have students that ...
Criminal justice is a natural fit for law school since coursework focuses on criminal justice topics. These programs often include courses on court proceedings, the correction systems, and many other aspects of the legal system. Criminal justice degrees emphasize strong research, analysis, and writing skills which are a necessity in law school. Yet despite this being a natural fit for law, many law schools prefer specializations in other areas of study. In fact, some schools scrutinize academic records far harder in the criminal justice major than any other major.
Political science is the study of government systems, political behavior, and how the judicial system works. This is where a political science degree shows its advantage in law school. Students in this field often have a better understanding of how laws are created and executed as well as the history behind them.
The granddaddy of all mind-stretching mental exercises, philosophy is a fantastic major that builds a student’s ability to think critically and argue. Law is heavily based on philosophical elements like ethics, and human nature—subjects that are commonly taught in a philosophy major. Philosophy is a difficult major. It requires students to think analytically and form logical arguments. It also examines moral, political, and legal issues with no clear right or wrong while asking students to render judgment. Because of the difficulty level, some law schools may look more favorably at a degree in philosophy than a degree in a field like Criminal Justice.
In this light, the critical thinking skills required of English majors mirror the skills required by law students.
Legal studies focus on topics that are rooted in economic analysis—torts, contracts, property rights, antitrust, business organizations, and regulations. In short, a study of economics is a study in the financial impact of the law. Because of this, economics is a great area of specialization for many potential law students because it remains ...
An ecology major might take up residence in environmental law. Science majors are challenging and require students to learn complex subject matter, analyze data, and arrive at provable conclusions.
Lawyers might work in any of the following capacities: 1 Private practice 2 District attorney or prosecuting attorney 3 Public defender 4 Legislative drafter 5 Law professor 6 Non-profit, charity attorney 7 Advocacy and lobbying for a client 8 Advocacy and lobbying for a charity on behalf of underrepresented groups 9 Judge in the judicial system 10 Administrative law judge 11 Magistrate 12 Research assistant for a judge 13 In-house counsel for a corporation 14 Attorney for a government agency
They must be able to look at a situation and determine if the rule applies and whether any exceptions apply to the rule. They need to use their logic skills in order to find fault in the other side’s arguments. There’s a reason that logic games make up a good portion of the Law School Admission Test. Attorneys have to be able to create logical arguments, reason and evaluate the arguments of others.
Law schools have their own requirements for admission and graduation. Admission to law school is selective. Most law schools admit students who have an undergraduate degree and a good grade point average. Applicants typically must submit scores from the LSAT.
The MPRE is a two-hour, 60-question multiple-choice examination developed by NCBE that is offered three times a year. It is a prerequisite for writing the bar exam in all but three U.S. jurisdictions (Maryland, Wisconsin, and Puerto Rico).
Most schools will require that the LSAT be taken by the month of December in order to be admitted to law school for the following fall semester.
The bar exam isn’t easy. In some states, the passing rate is only 40 percent. The bar exam usually consists of multiple choice and essay questions that evaluate your knowledge of state law and your ability to apply the law critically to various fact scenarios.
Time Management. Writing. Lawyers do require a wide range of academic and interpersonal skills. While most people likely know that attorneys need analytical and debating skills, there are a few key skills that are crucial to an attorney’s success which may not be as obvious.
Political science offers an in-depth understanding of government, from its formulation to its implementation. As governments are the source of laws, this has wide applications to the legal field. Any lawyer will be working within the legal framework developed by the government of the nation in which they practice, and an intimate understanding of both the government and the philosophical values by which it governs is beneficial. For this reason, political science has long been regarded as one of the top areas of study for future lawyers, and it remains a strong choice for those looking to enter the profession.
Laws have material consequences on every person and structure. They influence outcomes across the life course, making the field extremely important to the stability and progress of society. The work done by law professionals is competitive and pays well. Because of these things, students wishing to pursue a career in law are faced ...
A bachelor’s degree in business administration is well suited for law school, especially those applicants considering a corporate law track where knowing business fundamentals is helpful . The coursework is rigorous in reading, writing, and quantitative analysis, which is also helpful in preparing for the LSAT.
Psychology and law intersect well, as both deal with human thought and behavior. Psychology experts are relied upon heavily as witnesses and experts in many different legal cases and contexts. Having an understanding of psychological theory and its application can be helpful when it comes to preparing for law school.
Many argue that it doesn’t matter what you study for your undergraduate degree, and it is true that your grades and score on the LSAT play a larger role in getting into law school than your specific area of undergraduate study.
Because the criminal justice and legal systems are so intertwined, a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice serves as an excellent undergraduate major in preparation for law school. Those considering work as a prosecuting or defense attorney may find the degree especially helpful, as the coursework and internships will give students a strong familiarity with the criminal justice system. Potential law students can also form helpful relationships with current lawyers that can provide insight into what it’s like to work in the criminal justice system. Helpful courses include criminology, criminal psychology, law & the criminal justice system, and social science research.
Economics is an excellent major for aspiring lawyers, especially for those intending to work in corporate law, intellectual property, or another niche where an understanding of economic theory and the levers that drive capitalism can be useful.