do you have to have pre law to get into law school?

Question

i want to be a lawyer ive already decided this i know its going to be a little of a challenge but im up for it. ive been in debate in high school for 2 yrs im fixing to start taking the law classes my high school offers. im wondering if i MUST have pre law in order to get into law school? sources would help thanx.

Answer 1

nope, you don't.

personally, i recommend english and philosophy as two useful areas to pursue. english so you can be comfortable writing a lot, philosophy so you can get used to being questioned about everything.

here's a helpful table:

http://www.uic.edu/cba/cba-depts/economics/undergrad/table.htm

and for more on the majors and admission:
What is the best prelaw major?

No particular major, course of study, or kind of bachelor's degree is required for admission to law school. Virtually all law schools will consider a variety of majors and look closely at an applicant's overall background before reaching an admission decision. What matters most is that you do progressively well in challenging courses, courses that require you to synthesize information and to write. Keep in mind that the kind of skills you must develop for law school include effective oral and written communication, analytical reasoning, and problem-solving skills. Your undergraduate education should include courses in which those skills were required.

In general, you should use your undergraduate education as an opportunity to explore and work on your intellectual development. It's not necessary to take law-related courses as an undergraduate. Law schools don't care what you know about the law when you arrive; they care about how well you can write and analyze problems.

http://www.lsac.org/LSAC.asp?url=/lsac/faqs-and-support-minority-applicants.asp

Answer 2

As people have already stated, the most important factor is your overall academic importance. Although some majors might be helpful with regards to writing and argumentation (english, political science, pre-law), one thing you may want to consider is the type of law you would like to study in law school. For example, if you plan on studying cyberlaw (internet law) or biotech intellectual property law, it would be very helpful to have a background in computer engineering or biology. Also, since law schools don't typically receive many applicants with hard science/engineering backgrounds, this may make you a much more attractive candidate, as law schools try to maintain an academically diverse student body.

Answer 3

No, you do not! You can do ANYTHING, so long as you receive a bachelor's degree from an accredited university. Quite frankly, taking prelaw classes can hurt you as much as help you. Often, those who teach prelaw are not attorneys and have no legal education. They teach you some interesting things, but they don't teach you how to survive in law school. If you wish to take some undergraduate law classes, take a hard look at who is teaching the class first.
I personally recommend that you take as many Writing Intensive classes as you possibly can. A few classes in Logic are quite helpful as well, as can be Philosophy. Critical reading is a necessary skill for law school. When you are in law school, only those that can write very well actually do well. Learn to write critically, concisely, and technically.

If you want more information, please look at:
http://www.aba.net
http://www.lsac.org

Answer 4

An academically-challenging curriculum is more important than the specific courses that you took. My undergrad is in Psychology. I graduated with a 4.0 gpa and had an LSAT of 161. While I wouldn't have gotten into Harvard by any means, my qualifications gained me acceptance to all 4 schools that I applied to. Two offered me full-tuition scholarships, 1 offered full-tuition + $15K stipend, and the 4th school (the highest rated of the 4) offered $13K per year scholarship.

I did not take one single law-related course, though I agree that it would be helpful to you if you actually do go on to law school.

Answer 5

The key point is you msut be ADMITTED to a school of law- and that is a LOT easier if you complete a course in prelaw in college. It is possible to do it, but it does require a great deal more effort and skill on your part, as you must not only insure you obtain the education and knowledge you will need, you will also have to convinve the admitting body that you have done so, without the credentials that come with completing a degree with prelaw noted.

Answer 6

No. Law schools generally do not require any particular undergraduate course of study as an entry requirement.

Some specific programs in some schools may have a preference, but it's your overall academic performance that is the predominant factor in admittance.

That being said, taking some paralegal classes as an undergrad helped me a lot as a 1L, because I was already familiar with the basic concepts and terminology.

Answer 7

I was an English major. My college didn't even offer pre-law as a major. You can major in anything but English will help you become a better writer. Business majors also have an advatage in law school clases like federal tax and corporations. Major in whatever interests you!

Answer 8

duh, what do you think? Watch Legally Blonde 1 & 2
Take Pre - Law classes, Ethics, and Criminal Justice Courses for starters!