LAW (PRE-LAW Preparation)

The information in this guide is subject to change. Please review a current catalog of the campus of your choice and consult with a counselor.

Last updated 12/15/18

General Information

Extensive information is available at http://www.lsac.org. The following is taken from that website:

The Juris Doctor (JD) degree is required to practice law in the United States.
A bachelor's degree is required for admission into a JD program.
The LSAT is required for admission into law school programs.
JD programs are generally three-year, full-time academic programs.
All US states accept graduation from an ABA (American Bar Association)-approved law school as meeting that state's education requirement for eligibility to sit for the bar examination.

Statement on Prelaw Preparation

Prepared by the Pre-Law Committee of the ABA Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar. You can find the entire statement at http://www.americanbar.org/groups/legal_education/resources/pre_law.html.

"There is no single path that will prepare you for a legal education. Students who are successful in law school, and who become accomplished professionals, come from many walks of life and educational backgrounds. Some law students enter law school directly from their undergraduate studies without having had any postbaccalaureate work experience. Others begin their legal education significantly later in life, and they bring to their law school education the insights and perspectives gained from their life experiences.”

"The ABA does not recommend any undergraduate majors or group of courses to prepare for a legal education. Students are admitted to law school from almost every academic discipline.”

"There are important skills and values, and significant bodies of knowledge that you can acquire prior to law school and that will provide a sound foundation for a legal education. These include analytic and problem-solving skills, critical reading abilities, writing skills, oral communication and listening abilities, general research skills, task organization and management skills, and the values of serving faithfully the interests of others while also promoting justice.”

Recommended College Preparation

A bachelor’s degree is a basic requirement for application to law school. Undergraduate courses that develop the ability to communicate effectively and clearly, think logically and analytically, and understand one's own and other cultures. Examples include (but not limited to):

English Language and Literature	English History	Public Speaking
Political Science	Logic and Scientific Method	Accounting
Economics	Philosophy	Mathematics
American History

Other Information

The Law School Admission Council, Inc (LSAC) is a nonprofit corporation founded in 1947 to coordinate, facilitate and enhance the law school admission process and to provide programs and services related to legal education. All law schools approved by the American Bar Association (ABA) are LSAC members.

The Law School Admission Test (LSAT) is a standardized test administered four times each year at designated testing centers throughout the world. All ABA approved law schools require applicants to take the LSAT.

The Credential Assembly Service (CAS) summarizes candidate information such as undergraduate work and combines all documents with LSAT score and writing sample to create a report that is sent to the law schools to which candidates applied.

Up-to-date and extensive information about the LSAC, LSAT, and CAS and information about how to find out more about law schools can be found at http://www.lsac.org.