Undergraduate Preparation
What should I major in?
Are there any specific classes that are recommended?
What should I do to prepare during my Freshman and Sophomore years?
What should I do to prepare during my Junior and Senior years?
How do I know if the law or law school is right for me and how should I prepare myself?
What should I major in?
You should major in anything that you find interesting and are passionate about. Don't choose a major based on what you think law schools may or may not be looking for. There is no particular major that has proven to be the best for preparing students for law school. You will likely get your best grades and excel in subject matter that you find enjoyable. By studying what interests you, you will take your course-work that much more seriously, be that much more disciplined in your studies, and thus earn the best grades possible. There are no required classes to get into law school, but try to take a challenging broad based schedule. Law schools can easily recognize if your transcript is padded with "blow-off" classes.
Are there any specific classes that are recommended?
Although there are no requirements, students should take classes that will help hone and develop the necessary skills to thrive in law school. Striving to obtain a strong background in the liberal arts should be your primary goal. Courses in philosophy, economics and business, psychology, public speaking, government and the Constitution, and classes with heavy reading and writing components are all beneficial.
Philosophy
A class in philosophy will help develop your analytical and critical thinking skills. Studies have been done that list philosophy majors as the highest scorers on the LSAT. Now, I wouldn't recommend everyone go out and switch majors but a course or two would definitely be helpful.
Economics and Business
You will be exposed to many concepts in law school that require you to have a basic understanding of economics and the business world. Regardless of what type of law you ultimately decide to practice, a grounding in the fundamentals of business and economics will serve you well.
Government and the Constitution
Law professors are often amazed at how so few law students understand the basic structures of government and the Constitution. Make sure you look at the courses offered in Political Science and take one that interests you and will give you a solid introduction to the U.S. system of government.
Public Speaking
Effective communication skills, both written and verbal, cannot be underestimated. A lawyer's primary tools remain the written and spoken word. A class in public speaking provides a means to become comfortable and efficient at speaking in front of an audience.
Literature and Advanced Writing
Literature courses stress close reading and critical analysis. They also require students to write extensively and support their claims. Students who take advanced composition courses, which emphasize essays, learn to think critically and support their claims, two necessary skills to thrive in law school.
What should I do to prepare during my Freshman and Sophomore years?
First and foremost get the best grades you can. Attend any pre-law activities that you may be interested in and introduce yourself to the pre-law advisor. Also, take a pro-active role in getting to know your professors, participate in class, and attend extracurricular activities that relate to your major. When it comes time to ask for recommendations, you want to be sure that the professors in your department know what type of person you are and the work that you've done. Try to find an internship that will put you in contact with lawyers, you'll get an excellent perspective of what it's like to be a lawyer by working with them on a day-to-day basis.
What should I do to prepare during my Junior and Senior years?
During the spring of your junior year, assess whether or not you'll have the appropriate amount of time to prepare for the June LSAT. If yes, register with LSDAS as well as for the June LSAT. Since all of you will be dealing with final exams in June and do not return to school until late September, it may be best to take the October LSAT. You should give yourself at least 8 weeks to prepare for the LSAT. During the summer after your junior year or early fall of your senior year, begin the research process. Request catalogs and admission materials from all the law schools you are thinking of applying to and begin to think about where in the country you want to go to school.
During the fall of your senior year arrange a meeting with the pre-law advisor to discuss your selection of schools, review your application preparation, as well as any other necessary details. Request letters of recommendation from professors and possibly an employer, begin to draft your personal statement, and request financial aid materials.
How do I know if the law or law school is right for me and how should I prepare myself?
Speak to as many lawyers as you can in a variety of different disciplines and work environments. Attend live panel discussions where attorneys and law students describe their experiences, try to get a summer job at a law firm, and read as much as you can about law school and legal careers. The following reading list will give you a good perspective:
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ABA/LSAC Official Guide to ABA-Approved Law Schools
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Law School Confidential: The Complete Law School Survival Guide by Students, for Students, by Robert H. Miller
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Proceed With Caution: A Diary of the First Year at One of America's Largest, Most Prestigious Law Firms, by William R. Keates
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Presumed Equal: What America's Top Women Lawyers Really Think About Their Firms, by Suzanne Nossel, Elizabeth Westfall
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The Lawyer's Career Change Handbook: More Than 300 Things You Can Do With a Law Degree, by Hindi Greenberg
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Planet Law School : What You Need to Know (Before You Go)…but Didn't Know to Ask, by Atticus Falcon
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The following Web sites also have a list of valuable books and resources relating to law school and the law.
www.nku.edu/~chase/library/chasereadinglist.htm
www.nyls.edu/docs/insight.pdf
www.law.arizona.edu/Library/internet/publications/library/guides_research/intro_law_bib.htm
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