The path to becoming a lawyer in the US to a long one. You go to school for seven year and you need at least two degrees, one from undergrad and one from law school. You have to pass around three standardized tests along the way. And then after all of that, you have to pay whatever State Bar you belong to each year hundreds of dollars to maintain your license.
It’s a lot.. and there is not “right” way to get into law school. Unlike other career paths like medicine or veterinary medicine (pretty much any type of medicine..), there aren’t course requirements or internship hours you have to fulfill to enter law school or take the bar exam. Rather, you can study whatever you want, , go straight out of college or wait until later in life, all that jazz. But you still have to walk through certain steps to become an attorney.
But I’m still in Kansas. I’m not in law school yet. I’m currently applying to law school right now. I took the LSAT, wrote my LSAT writing portion, asked for and submitted my letters of recommendation, wrote my personal statement, and typed my credit card information in for the first $105.00, and finally clicked “send” on my first application. Whew!
So let’s focus on the beginning of the whole sha-bang, shall we?
I’m going to walk through that arduous pre-law process for you guys who may be at any of those points in your journeys.
One of the first questions some of you 0Lers may have is about your course of study in college. You may be thinking about the best major you can pursue to increase your chances of getting into a great law school. Unfortunately, there is no straight answer.
Simply, law schools don’t care too much about your major.
You could study chemical engineering, economics, theater, or Russian Literature. Law schools do not require specific majors or courses.
However, your GPA, along with your LSAT score, make up the most important aspect of your application. So whatever major you end up choosing, make sure its something you can swing a 4.0 in while maintaining strong extra-curricular activities and work experience. Seriously, getting a high GPA is way more impressive to an Admissions Committee (Ad Com).
THE BEST PRE LAW MAJOR WILL HELP YOU GET THE HIGHEST GPA
Also, a degree in under-water basket-weaving or some other discipline that is considered mind-numbingly easy won’t yield a lot of points for you either. Ad Coms seek candidates who can withstand the rigors of law school. Do you think all your easy courses that you will sleep through and barely work in will prepare you for law school, the bar, and the practice of law? Ad Coms don’t think so in the least bit.
THE BEST MAJOR FOR LAW SCHOOL (ALSO) WILL BE THE MOST CHALLENGING
You have to strike a balance between challenging coursework and playing to your strengths. This will ensure that you can get the highest GPA in the most challenging major combination possible.
But beyond law school admissions, consider if you don’t go to law school at all. I know this is blasphemous, but hear me out. A lot more people think they want to be lawyers than those who actually become lawyers. Some of you may decide that this path isn’t for you. In reading this blog or talking to actual attorneys, you may learn that you don’t like the lifestyle. Or you take a class that excites you in a way that the law doesn’t and you change course entirely.
There is a huge possibility that you may not go to law school.
So you have to prepare for that possibility. A lot of other sites will tell you to pick whatever major you like so you can get a 4.0. But I want you to pick the degree that will benefit you beyond the admissions process.
What’s the point of getting a degree in a subject you hate? And are you really going to get great grades if you dislike the coursework? What are your interests outside of the law? Pick a major that you can spend 4 years of your life studying and in an area that you can work in after you graduate. And if you do not know what that are a is yet, you should cast your net wide during your first two years when you are completing you general requirements to graduate. If you need a development as a prereq and you wonder if you would like to work in elder law, why not take a class in aging, for example?
THE BEST MAJOR FOR LAW SCHOOL IS INTERESTING (TO YOU)
However, that degree in Comparative Literature may sound like oodles of fun, but your Russian proficiency is why your LinkedIn profile is getting views so why not major in Russian or at least minor in a language? If you can achieve great grades in Computer Engineering or Supply Chain Management and you enjoy those subjects, why not major in those subjects over a History degree that won’t net you high-paying internships or post-grad job? You need to prepare yourself for other career paths or for those few years in between college and law school if you choose to take time off (like I did!). Your higher paying consulting or accounting job will also prepare you financially for the real and opportunity costs of three years of law school and will help you minimize your eventual debt burden.
THE BEST MAJOR WILL TRANSLATE INTO A VIABLE ALTERNATIVE CAREER PATH.
You should also consider what value your undergraduate degree will bring to your practice when you do become an attorney. There is a huge need for attorneys who speak other languages and who can service those communities. A degree (or at least a minor) in a foreign language(s) makes sense if you envision practicing in “Mr/s. Average” practice areas. Also, your marketing degree may come in handy if you decide to hang your own shingle and you need to generate leads for your business. Many attorneys run their own firms and have to apply business skills every single day. Further, the legal industry is fundamentally a service industry so having people skills is a must. Majors that emphasize business and people skills may help you become a better attorney.
THE BEST MAJOR WILL ENHANCE YOUR LEGAL CAREER
My undergraduate major is Healthcare Administration. I first majored in something else, but transferred to that program because I wanted to learn business skills, I wanted some type of health degree, I could get great grades with this major, and if I decided against law school, I had a good career path to fall back on. If I didn’t want to be a lawyer, I would be trying to profit from our terrible healthcare system. Duh. Jobs in healthcare administration also pay decently, so that’s a bonus. You can learn more about me here
In short, the most beneficial majors will enable you do that you:
-can get the highest grades
-take challenging courses
-enjoy your coursework
-leverage the major into an alternative career (if needed)
-learn business and people skills to advance your legal career
See you around, OLers.
