I think want to study law....?

Question

...so I don't get screwed over by anyone... or at least make it harder for them to screw me over...
How do I get started? What do I need?

Answer 1

Ok, first things first.

Do you have a B.A. or B.S. degree from an accredited four year institution? That is what it will take to get into almost any ABA accredited law school.

If you have that already, go to the Law School Admission Council website and register there, as you'll have to do that because all the schools demand your information be channeled through LSAC.

Third, register for the Law School Aptitude Test (LSAT) which you can find via google search.

If you haven't got your B.A./B.S. yet, but are working on it, you'll want to take the above steps at the beginning of your last year of undergrad.

Remember, law schools, like any other institution vary from one another, but almost all require registering with LSAC and every one of them require the LSAT test. Further, you'll need to get a good LSAT preparation kit (like Princeton Review) and do many practice tests to get you used to taking it.

Also note that the applicant pool for law school admissions is rising steadily, and with it the undergrad GPA and LSAT curve. Again, schools vary greatly. You'll want to pick several schools, ranging from the ones you are almost certain to get in (based on your scores) and those 50/50 schools, as well as a couple of "reach" schools (those you are unlikely to get into, again based on your scores.)

Remember, all this costs money. Registration with LSAC will cost you abou $100, and additional charges may be imposed for listing over a certain number of law schools you wish your information sent to. The LSAT will cost you around the same, again with additional fees for any number of schools beyond their maximum you want your scores sent to. Also, almost all schools will charge an application fee ranging from $40 - $150, although many schools waive this if you apply via their website.

Lastly, getting in is a big pain in the ***. Getting through can be murder. I just graduated, and it was the most painful, transformative, eye-opening, and brutal experience I have ever undergone. They reconfigure your thinking, a shocking experience for the unprepared (which is almost everybody!) It is also stressful, and more work than you can imagine.

It is also extremely expensive, with $100,000 being average for tuition and books, not including living expenses, in many cases...

Then there is the bar examination (which costs several hundred dollars) a moral character application process that all states require (also costing several hundred dollars) and don't forget a bar examination prep course (costing around $3,000 for BarBri, the most popular course.)

Is it worth it?

That depends. Only 1% of the population holds a J.D., and often times it is, along with the Rhodes Scholarship or an MBA, a ticket to the establishment, if that is what you seek. It also empowers you with knowledge that everyday folk have no clue about...

Good luck!

Answer 2

Pre-Law programs are crap.
If I was going to design a program for myself. I would take classes in economics, mathematics and philosophy. You will note that I did not say political science. As that will not help your analytical reasoning skills. Laywers really need their logic. In case I changed my mind before I graduated I would major in one of the first two. A foriegn language minor might help differentiate you from the pack when applying for jobs in the "real world." If you "don't want to be screwed over" these are the classes to take.
The LSAT (the test you need to get into law school) consists of 5 parts. Logical Reasoning, Reading Comprehension, Analytical Reasoning, experimental (which is not graded) and a writing sample. The writing you learn in english classes is not how lawyers write so as usual a hummanities major is completely useless, but fun I you like to do drugs, make friends, get laid etc.
Make sure you read something about what being a lawyer is like, before you commit yourself to the three additional years of school and the student loans that go along with that. Having student loans sucks. Being a laywer is tedious and morally challenging, you will more than likely end up having to fight on what you think is the wrong side of the issue more than once in your career and working pro-bono means you don't make any money. It is not like TV. Very few lawyers actually go to court.
getting a part time job at a law firm as a runner might help you figure out if thats what you want to do with your life.

Answer 3

Prepare to pay out lots of money for that particular education. I'm a legal assistant and started out by working as a secretary in a law office. I found my niche and still work in the law without the liability or responsibility of an attorney.

Answer 4

i took some crimina justice classes a few years ago, i realy enjoyed it. good place to start. most schools will have it