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where to start if you want to do law in university?
still in high school
6 answers
Updated
Amber’s Answer
Hi Sophia, I went to law school so I think I can give you some pointers.
As another commenter posted, you'll need to earn a Bachelor's degree first (typically 4 years) before you can apply to a JD (law) program. This is assuming you're planning on getting your law degree in the U.S. Since you're still in high school, you have plenty of time before you need to worry about all that. That said, it doesn't hurt to be proactive and start laying the foundation for a career in law now. Keep in mind that law school is expensive and will require a significant amount effort and time commitment, so it's a good idea to figure out if a legal career is something you're really interested in before you invest too much resources into getting a law degree.
If you have the time now, I would encourage you to attend court hearings in your local courts as these are often open to the public, even if you're not planning on becoming a litigation attorney. You can just show up and sit in the audience section, but if you're unsure, you can always call the court clerk and check. If your current school or future college has pre-law organizations, you could also explore them as I imagine these organizations could provide opportunities for you to learn about the legal field and introduce you to the the law school application process.
One question I always get from aspiring law students is this: what should I major in in undergrad if my eventual goal is to go to law school? My advice is always the same--it doesn't matter, though it would be wise to major in something that could serve as a practical backup if you end up changing your mind about going to law school. Some majors are popular among law students (e.g., history, journalism, economics, government, PoliSci, etc.), but they are by no means guarantee of success. I have encountered a music major who graduated law school the top of our class, and I have also met pre-law folks who performed poorly in law school.
I hope all of that was helpful. Enjoy the rest of your high school and all the best with college!
As another commenter posted, you'll need to earn a Bachelor's degree first (typically 4 years) before you can apply to a JD (law) program. This is assuming you're planning on getting your law degree in the U.S. Since you're still in high school, you have plenty of time before you need to worry about all that. That said, it doesn't hurt to be proactive and start laying the foundation for a career in law now. Keep in mind that law school is expensive and will require a significant amount effort and time commitment, so it's a good idea to figure out if a legal career is something you're really interested in before you invest too much resources into getting a law degree.
If you have the time now, I would encourage you to attend court hearings in your local courts as these are often open to the public, even if you're not planning on becoming a litigation attorney. You can just show up and sit in the audience section, but if you're unsure, you can always call the court clerk and check. If your current school or future college has pre-law organizations, you could also explore them as I imagine these organizations could provide opportunities for you to learn about the legal field and introduce you to the the law school application process.
One question I always get from aspiring law students is this: what should I major in in undergrad if my eventual goal is to go to law school? My advice is always the same--it doesn't matter, though it would be wise to major in something that could serve as a practical backup if you end up changing your mind about going to law school. Some majors are popular among law students (e.g., history, journalism, economics, government, PoliSci, etc.), but they are by no means guarantee of success. I have encountered a music major who graduated law school the top of our class, and I have also met pre-law folks who performed poorly in law school.
I hope all of that was helpful. Enjoy the rest of your high school and all the best with college!
Updated
Mitchell’s Answer
While still in high school, focus on classes that require lots of writing and reading (especially AP classes). US history and government classes are beneficial. You ought to consider debate as a class or a club activity or both. Grammar, creative writing and other writing classes are a good idea, as is any class that requires logic or critical thinking. Good luck.
Updated
Tiffanie’s Answer
Hi Sophia,
I actually got my undergrad degree in Philosophy, Politics and Law. I did not do anything prior to getting my undergrad in pre-law but I would think that debate team, or possibly getting an internship or mentorship with a lawyer would have been beneficial to me, to make sure I wanted to go into law in the first place. You can also do lots of logic puzzles, lawyers practice logical thinking all of the time.
I would say find a mentorship program to connect you to with a lawyer, or maybe join Linkedin so you can find a lawyer that might provide you with an internship or some shadowing experience. Definitetly join the debate team at school and even the local toastmasters club, it's a public speaking club. Your local Rotary might have lawyers in the club that could volunteer their time with you.
All great places to check out!
I actually got my undergrad degree in Philosophy, Politics and Law. I did not do anything prior to getting my undergrad in pre-law but I would think that debate team, or possibly getting an internship or mentorship with a lawyer would have been beneficial to me, to make sure I wanted to go into law in the first place. You can also do lots of logic puzzles, lawyers practice logical thinking all of the time.
I would say find a mentorship program to connect you to with a lawyer, or maybe join Linkedin so you can find a lawyer that might provide you with an internship or some shadowing experience. Definitetly join the debate team at school and even the local toastmasters club, it's a public speaking club. Your local Rotary might have lawyers in the club that could volunteer their time with you.
All great places to check out!
Updated
A.’s Answer
Focus on strong reading, writing, and critical thinking skills during your time in high school and undergraduate years.
Updated
Michael’s Answer
Hi Sophia:
While in high school, one will need to focus on science and math classes to prepare for a career in law. Chemistry and biology will be the core science courses. For math, algebra, calculus and statistics will be needed. Other classes to take will be English, social studies, and American history and government. The combination of these concentrations will enable you to focus and refine your analytical skills for research; complex problem solving; investigative and innovative critical thinking; attention to detail; etc.
Other skills that will need to be built upon center around team building, team work and communication. In any work culture, collaboration among team members, staff and partner departments occur on a daily basis. As a Lawyer, communication is essential and critical when dealing with clients, legal staff, law enforcement, etc. A college course in public speaking, communications and English will help with one's communication and writing skills. While in high school, the debate team will provide the opportunity to sharpen communication skills which are backed with research and factual data and information.
The educational pathway to become a lawyer will be between 7-8 years. 4 Years will be to earn a Bachelor Degree. LSAT entrance exam will need to be taken. Law school will be 2-3 years to earn a Juris Doctor Degree. Then, there is the bar exam to take, to pass and to be earned in the state where you plan to practice law.
According to U.S. News & World Report, here is a link to the Best Colleges and Universities for Law school:
- Stanford University
- Yale University
- University of Chicago
- University of Pennsylvania (Carey)
- Duke University
- Harvard University
- New York University
- Columbia University
- University of Virginia
- Northwestern University (Pritzker)
- University of California (Berkeley)
- University of Michigan (Ann Arbor)
- Cornell University
https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-law-schools/law-rankings
When reviewing colleges and universities, it is best to check the following:
- In-State vs Out of State Tuition
- Internships
- Scholarships
- Career Placement upon graduation
- Course work and offered classes
- Post-Graduate Degrees - Master and Doctoral
There will be a application fee to pay for when submitting college applications. The amount of application fee will depend on the college that you are applying to. If there are questions about the college application process, please reach out to the college's Registrar Office.
College and scholarship applications can start to be submitted during your Junior year and will continue throughout your Senior year in high school. It is best to ask your Academic Advisor/School Counselor on the timeline process as well. College and scholarship applications will have specific deadlines and requirements to meet in order to be submitted for review and consideration.
You may want to start to compile your resume/portfolio since a majority of college and scholarship applications will require academic grade point average (GPA), academic accomplishments, school activities (clubs, sports, etc.), community involvement (volunteer, church, etc.), academic and personal recommendations, etc. There may be essay requirements on why you are a qualified candidate to receive the scholarship and to gain entry to the college of your choice, what your future goals are academically and professionally and other questions centering around who you are, your beliefs, etc.
Here are a couple of links for College Scholarships:
https://www.mometrix.com/blog/scholarships-for-college/
https://www.nchchonors.org/students/awards-scholarships/national-scholarships
Also, it will be best to check with the colleges and universities that you will be applying to. You can check with the School/Department of your desired major, the Campus Career Center and the Register's Office for additional information for college scholarships and grants and specific requirements for qualifications.
There should be no limit on the amount of scholarships that one can apply to. It will take time to fill out the scholarship applications and provide all of the necessary required information. Also, there should no fee and no cost to fill out and submit scholarship applications. If there is a fee or cost that is associated with a scholarship application, then please do not send this particular scholarship application in. It will be a scam and money will be lost.
Best wishes for your education and career path as a Lawyer!
While in high school, one will need to focus on science and math classes to prepare for a career in law. Chemistry and biology will be the core science courses. For math, algebra, calculus and statistics will be needed. Other classes to take will be English, social studies, and American history and government. The combination of these concentrations will enable you to focus and refine your analytical skills for research; complex problem solving; investigative and innovative critical thinking; attention to detail; etc.
Other skills that will need to be built upon center around team building, team work and communication. In any work culture, collaboration among team members, staff and partner departments occur on a daily basis. As a Lawyer, communication is essential and critical when dealing with clients, legal staff, law enforcement, etc. A college course in public speaking, communications and English will help with one's communication and writing skills. While in high school, the debate team will provide the opportunity to sharpen communication skills which are backed with research and factual data and information.
The educational pathway to become a lawyer will be between 7-8 years. 4 Years will be to earn a Bachelor Degree. LSAT entrance exam will need to be taken. Law school will be 2-3 years to earn a Juris Doctor Degree. Then, there is the bar exam to take, to pass and to be earned in the state where you plan to practice law.
According to U.S. News & World Report, here is a link to the Best Colleges and Universities for Law school:
- Stanford University
- Yale University
- University of Chicago
- University of Pennsylvania (Carey)
- Duke University
- Harvard University
- New York University
- Columbia University
- University of Virginia
- Northwestern University (Pritzker)
- University of California (Berkeley)
- University of Michigan (Ann Arbor)
- Cornell University
https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-law-schools/law-rankings
When reviewing colleges and universities, it is best to check the following:
- In-State vs Out of State Tuition
- Internships
- Scholarships
- Career Placement upon graduation
- Course work and offered classes
- Post-Graduate Degrees - Master and Doctoral
There will be a application fee to pay for when submitting college applications. The amount of application fee will depend on the college that you are applying to. If there are questions about the college application process, please reach out to the college's Registrar Office.
College and scholarship applications can start to be submitted during your Junior year and will continue throughout your Senior year in high school. It is best to ask your Academic Advisor/School Counselor on the timeline process as well. College and scholarship applications will have specific deadlines and requirements to meet in order to be submitted for review and consideration.
You may want to start to compile your resume/portfolio since a majority of college and scholarship applications will require academic grade point average (GPA), academic accomplishments, school activities (clubs, sports, etc.), community involvement (volunteer, church, etc.), academic and personal recommendations, etc. There may be essay requirements on why you are a qualified candidate to receive the scholarship and to gain entry to the college of your choice, what your future goals are academically and professionally and other questions centering around who you are, your beliefs, etc.
Here are a couple of links for College Scholarships:
https://www.mometrix.com/blog/scholarships-for-college/
https://www.nchchonors.org/students/awards-scholarships/national-scholarships
Also, it will be best to check with the colleges and universities that you will be applying to. You can check with the School/Department of your desired major, the Campus Career Center and the Register's Office for additional information for college scholarships and grants and specific requirements for qualifications.
There should be no limit on the amount of scholarships that one can apply to. It will take time to fill out the scholarship applications and provide all of the necessary required information. Also, there should no fee and no cost to fill out and submit scholarship applications. If there is a fee or cost that is associated with a scholarship application, then please do not send this particular scholarship application in. It will be a scam and money will be lost.
Best wishes for your education and career path as a Lawyer!
Updated
Michael’s Answer
Hi,
Law school is a graduate program you would study after getting your college degree. So, the great thing about it, is you can pretty much study what interests you, whatever that is at the moment, in high school and college. I majored in Political Science in college, because it interested me, and then applied to and went to law school after that.
Enjoy high school and college. In college, decide on a major that is in a subject that fascinates you. Whatever that is will be a great foundation for law school, and later, when you practice law.
All the best! You will do great!
Law school is a graduate program you would study after getting your college degree. So, the great thing about it, is you can pretty much study what interests you, whatever that is at the moment, in high school and college. I majored in Political Science in college, because it interested me, and then applied to and went to law school after that.
Enjoy high school and college. In college, decide on a major that is in a subject that fascinates you. Whatever that is will be a great foundation for law school, and later, when you practice law.
All the best! You will do great!
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