Preparing For Law School
Unlike many other professional schools, law schools do not recommend or require specific undergraduate courses. This does not mean, however, that preparation is unnecessary. Rather, the absence of firm course requirements presents both a challenge and an opportunity: pre-law students should work closely with advisors to build the skills essential for success in law school and beyond.
The American Bar Association Section of Legal Education and Admission to the Bar has identified the following skills, values, knowledge, and experiences as critical to law school preparation:
Problem Solving
Critical Reading
Writing and Editing
Oral Communication and Listening
Research
Organization and Management
Public Service and Promotion of Justice
Relationship-Building and Collaboration
Background Knowledge
Exposure to the Law
Pre-law students are encouraged to use these as guiding principles when planning their undergraduate career. These competencies can be cultivated through a combination of courses within the major, elective coursework, extracurricular involvement, independent study, and internships. Particular emphasis should be placed on developing strong writing skills, as law schools consistently identify writing as an underdeveloped area among applicants, while legal employers rank it among the most essential abilities for new attorneys.
Many academic majors can provide excellent preparation for law school. When selecting a major, students should consider:
Their ability to be academically successful
Genuine interest in the subject matter
Opportunities to develop core skills, values, knowledge, and experiences
Connections between the discipline and areas of legal interest (such as business, environmental issues, employment, or intellectual property)
While law schools do not favor any one major, they do evaluate an applicant’s academic program in terms of rigor. Students who excel in majors perceived as especially demanding (such as engineering, sciences, or finance) may gain some advantage. However, this benefit does not outweigh academic performance itself; strong grades remain the single most important factor in demonstrating readiness for law school.