How to Get Into Law School
Pick the right major., Focus on your GPA., Integrate extracurricular activities., Take an internship., Mind the timeline.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Pick the right major.
Unlike medical school, there are no prerequisites for law school so choosing a major can be particularly tough.
In fact, The American Bar Association itself does not recommend any undergraduate majors or group of courses to prepare for a legal education and says so on its web site.
Choose a major with a higher degree of law school acceptance.
Consider majoring in philosophy, economics or journalism--in a recent review of data from the Law School Admissions Council (LSAC) those majors have a high rate of acceptance.
Think twice about prelaw.
While the name seems to suggest that it would be a good path to follow on your way to law school, not everyone agrees.
Check to see how much of the coursework in the prelaw program at the school you're considering seems related to the work you'll do in law school.
Undergraduate majors that involve lots of reading and stress critical thinking offer good foundations for law school.
Critical thinking, logic, and good writing skills are crucial to success in law.
Don't just pick a major because it sounds like a law school will approve of your choices.
Many different undergraduate majors feed well into law, and the fact that you're passionate about something can and will show up in the way you portray your experiences. -
Step 2: Focus on your GPA.
Getting the best possible grades is essential for a strong law school application.
Whatever major you choose, focus on excelling in all of your classes.
The median GPA for law school acceptance is
3.42.
Higher tier schools have much more rigorous requirements.
For example, the median GPA for acceptance to Yale Law School is
3.9, Harvard is
3.89 and Stanford
3.85.
Start strong.
Since a good GPA is so important, plan to work on your grades right away.
Attend classes regularly, set aside ample time to read and study and if you need help, work with a tutor.
GPA isn't the only consideration for law school acceptance, but it's extremely important and should be your main focus during your undergraduate years.
Whether or not you do take on graduate school (before or during your law degree), your undergraduate GPA still matters.
Law schools look at everything
- be prepared. , While good grades are essential, you want to present yourself as a well-rounded candidate, so plan to get involved in some extracurricular activities.
Get involved right away.
Admissions committees will want to know how long you have been involved in each activity and what meaningful contributions you've made.
If you wait until senior year to join a group, it may be perceived as a move you're making purely to increase your chances of acceptance rather than an involvement that sprang from a genuine passion or interest.Limit the number of groups you join.
The depth of your involvement is much more important than the number of activities in which you are involved.
Explore all of your options--affinity clubs, intramural sports, service organizations--then commit to two or three that you really connect with.
Keep track of your hours of involvement because the applications often ask you to specify how many hours you spent on each activity per week.
Consider larger, more established organizations.
Many prestigious nonprofits, like UNICEF and Habitat for Humanity, have college chapters on campuses all over the country.Take on a role in student government or on a school publication (newspaper or journal).
These are highly valued by law school admission's committees.
Secure a leadership position.
Whatever organization you choose to become involved in, be sure to step up and take a leadership role.
It's essential that you be seen as someone who can take charge, manage multiple responsibilities and people and achieve results.
Again, don't just pick something because it sounds good.
Get involved and get passionate about something because you can, as these areas of interest can also be considered by law firms as you're looking for a job later. , Working as an intern can help familiarize you with life in a law firm or other relevant business, give you valuable skills and introduce you to professionals whose advice and guidance can benefit you.
You don't have to intern at a law office.
Look for internships in related fields such as government, community activism or journalism.
A law firm internship may sound great, but if all you did was answer phones and make coffee it won't give you much to talk about on your applications.
Search for internships online or at your school.
There a lots of sites that list internship openings, and the career guidance office at your university should also have listings that you can use.
Plan ahead.
Internship positions fill quickly.
Apply for summer positions in the winter; submit applications for fall and spring term positions at least one semester in advance.
If you cannot afford to go unpaid, try for a part-time or summer job in an area that you're interested in.
Law schools do want applicants who have experience, but they do understand that not everyone can afford to get it for free.
In the same vein, search for stipends and programs that have extra time allotted, so that you can get the experience while not going into debt preemptively.
These are great experiences to learn if something is really right for you, but don't close other doors in the process. , If there's one piece of advice that merits attention when it comes to getting into law school, it's the importance of planning ahead.
Not only must you be thinking about grades, activities and internships right from the start of your college career, you must also be thinking about the multiple requirements and deadlines of the law school application process.
According to Assistant Dean for Admissions and Financial Aid at UCLA School of Law Rob Schwartz, “It’s best to start thinking about getting recommendations and preparing for the LSAT at least a year in advance and preferably even as much as two years in advance because the recommendations are a very critical part of the admissions process...." Take the LSAT early.
For a fall admission, plan to take the LSAT by December of the previous year.
If you think you may want to take the exam more than once, make your first testing date in June or October. -
Step 3: Integrate extracurricular activities.
-
Step 4: Take an internship.
-
Step 5: Mind the timeline.
Detailed Guide
Unlike medical school, there are no prerequisites for law school so choosing a major can be particularly tough.
In fact, The American Bar Association itself does not recommend any undergraduate majors or group of courses to prepare for a legal education and says so on its web site.
Choose a major with a higher degree of law school acceptance.
Consider majoring in philosophy, economics or journalism--in a recent review of data from the Law School Admissions Council (LSAC) those majors have a high rate of acceptance.
Think twice about prelaw.
While the name seems to suggest that it would be a good path to follow on your way to law school, not everyone agrees.
Check to see how much of the coursework in the prelaw program at the school you're considering seems related to the work you'll do in law school.
Undergraduate majors that involve lots of reading and stress critical thinking offer good foundations for law school.
Critical thinking, logic, and good writing skills are crucial to success in law.
Don't just pick a major because it sounds like a law school will approve of your choices.
Many different undergraduate majors feed well into law, and the fact that you're passionate about something can and will show up in the way you portray your experiences.
Getting the best possible grades is essential for a strong law school application.
Whatever major you choose, focus on excelling in all of your classes.
The median GPA for law school acceptance is
3.42.
Higher tier schools have much more rigorous requirements.
For example, the median GPA for acceptance to Yale Law School is
3.9, Harvard is
3.89 and Stanford
3.85.
Start strong.
Since a good GPA is so important, plan to work on your grades right away.
Attend classes regularly, set aside ample time to read and study and if you need help, work with a tutor.
GPA isn't the only consideration for law school acceptance, but it's extremely important and should be your main focus during your undergraduate years.
Whether or not you do take on graduate school (before or during your law degree), your undergraduate GPA still matters.
Law schools look at everything
- be prepared. , While good grades are essential, you want to present yourself as a well-rounded candidate, so plan to get involved in some extracurricular activities.
Get involved right away.
Admissions committees will want to know how long you have been involved in each activity and what meaningful contributions you've made.
If you wait until senior year to join a group, it may be perceived as a move you're making purely to increase your chances of acceptance rather than an involvement that sprang from a genuine passion or interest.Limit the number of groups you join.
The depth of your involvement is much more important than the number of activities in which you are involved.
Explore all of your options--affinity clubs, intramural sports, service organizations--then commit to two or three that you really connect with.
Keep track of your hours of involvement because the applications often ask you to specify how many hours you spent on each activity per week.
Consider larger, more established organizations.
Many prestigious nonprofits, like UNICEF and Habitat for Humanity, have college chapters on campuses all over the country.Take on a role in student government or on a school publication (newspaper or journal).
These are highly valued by law school admission's committees.
Secure a leadership position.
Whatever organization you choose to become involved in, be sure to step up and take a leadership role.
It's essential that you be seen as someone who can take charge, manage multiple responsibilities and people and achieve results.
Again, don't just pick something because it sounds good.
Get involved and get passionate about something because you can, as these areas of interest can also be considered by law firms as you're looking for a job later. , Working as an intern can help familiarize you with life in a law firm or other relevant business, give you valuable skills and introduce you to professionals whose advice and guidance can benefit you.
You don't have to intern at a law office.
Look for internships in related fields such as government, community activism or journalism.
A law firm internship may sound great, but if all you did was answer phones and make coffee it won't give you much to talk about on your applications.
Search for internships online or at your school.
There a lots of sites that list internship openings, and the career guidance office at your university should also have listings that you can use.
Plan ahead.
Internship positions fill quickly.
Apply for summer positions in the winter; submit applications for fall and spring term positions at least one semester in advance.
If you cannot afford to go unpaid, try for a part-time or summer job in an area that you're interested in.
Law schools do want applicants who have experience, but they do understand that not everyone can afford to get it for free.
In the same vein, search for stipends and programs that have extra time allotted, so that you can get the experience while not going into debt preemptively.
These are great experiences to learn if something is really right for you, but don't close other doors in the process. , If there's one piece of advice that merits attention when it comes to getting into law school, it's the importance of planning ahead.
Not only must you be thinking about grades, activities and internships right from the start of your college career, you must also be thinking about the multiple requirements and deadlines of the law school application process.
According to Assistant Dean for Admissions and Financial Aid at UCLA School of Law Rob Schwartz, “It’s best to start thinking about getting recommendations and preparing for the LSAT at least a year in advance and preferably even as much as two years in advance because the recommendations are a very critical part of the admissions process...." Take the LSAT early.
For a fall admission, plan to take the LSAT by December of the previous year.
If you think you may want to take the exam more than once, make your first testing date in June or October.
About the Author
Kathleen Butler
Professional writer focused on creating easy-to-follow practical skills tutorials.
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