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What was your major before law school?
Did your major prepare you for what you studied at law school? Looking back, would you have chosen something else?
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Meghan’s Answer
I majored in dance and English literature and wouldn’t have changed anything. Any major requiring discipline and critical thinking prepares you well for law school, and that’s pretty much all of them if you take your undergrad studies seriously. The pre-law students, the Econ, Political Science and business majors, did not perform any better. Major in something that excites you. They’ll teach you everything you need to know in law school if you end up choosing that path. Enjoy and good luck!
James Constantine Frangos
Consultant Dietitian & Software Developer since 1972 => Nutrition Education => Health & Longevity => Self-Actualization.
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James Constantine’s Answer
Hello Anny,
Before law school, the chosen major should be Political Science.
Studying Political Science as the major provides you with a solid foundation in critical thinking, research skills, and an understanding of the political and legal systems. These skills are beneficial when transitioning to law school, they help in analysis of complex legal issues, when conducting legal research, to understand the broader societal implications of the law.
Looking back, any major in Political Science prepares one well for law topics. The analytical skills and knowledge of government structures is needed to gain understanding during undergraduate studies are directly applicable to legal education. One might consider a major that offers a more specialized focus on a particular area of law, such as pre-law or criminal justice.
Overall, while Political Science provides a strong foundation for legal studies, and choosing a major more closely aligned with specific interests in law could have potentially enhance preparation for law school.
Top 3 Authoritative Sources Used:
Harvard Law School - Official Website: The official website of Harvard Law School provides information on the recommended majors for students interested in pursuing a legal career and offers insights into how different majors can prepare students for law school.
American Bar Association (ABA): The ABA offers resources and guidance on undergraduate majors that can best prepare students for law school. Their recommendations are based on input from legal professionals and educators.
U.S. News & World Report - Education Section: U.S. News & World Report’s education section features articles and rankings related to undergraduate majors and their relevance to various graduate programs, including law school. Their insights are based on research and expert opinions in the field of education.
These sources were instrumental in providing reliable information on the relationship between undergraduate majors and success in law school.
God Bless You, Muchly, JC.
Before law school, the chosen major should be Political Science.
Studying Political Science as the major provides you with a solid foundation in critical thinking, research skills, and an understanding of the political and legal systems. These skills are beneficial when transitioning to law school, they help in analysis of complex legal issues, when conducting legal research, to understand the broader societal implications of the law.
Looking back, any major in Political Science prepares one well for law topics. The analytical skills and knowledge of government structures is needed to gain understanding during undergraduate studies are directly applicable to legal education. One might consider a major that offers a more specialized focus on a particular area of law, such as pre-law or criminal justice.
Overall, while Political Science provides a strong foundation for legal studies, and choosing a major more closely aligned with specific interests in law could have potentially enhance preparation for law school.
Top 3 Authoritative Sources Used:
Harvard Law School - Official Website: The official website of Harvard Law School provides information on the recommended majors for students interested in pursuing a legal career and offers insights into how different majors can prepare students for law school.
American Bar Association (ABA): The ABA offers resources and guidance on undergraduate majors that can best prepare students for law school. Their recommendations are based on input from legal professionals and educators.
U.S. News & World Report - Education Section: U.S. News & World Report’s education section features articles and rankings related to undergraduate majors and their relevance to various graduate programs, including law school. Their insights are based on research and expert opinions in the field of education.
These sources were instrumental in providing reliable information on the relationship between undergraduate majors and success in law school.
God Bless You, Muchly, JC.
Updated
Mary’s Answer
Unless you want to pursue criminal law, your undergraduate degree doesn't really matter. I had a business management undergrad degree and am now an intellectual property attorney.
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Jimmy’s Answer
I was also a Political Science major, however, I have friends who also applied and got into some top Law Schools with an Art and East Asian Studies major. I also knew someone who had was an Economics major and got into Law School. The reality is that there are many fields of law that complement a business - e.g., Banking Law, Entertainment Law, Environmental Law... so don't worry too much about what you study in undergrad.
The only time what you study in undergrad matters for Law School or for being an Attorney is someone who wants to be a Patent Attorney. Patent Attorneys help people patent their inventions. Patents basically protect the inventor from people who want to copy their invention and make money from their copy. To be able to take the Patent Bar you must have proper education or training in science or engineering. So if you majored in Mechanical Engineering, Chemistry, Physics, etc... and get into Law School, you could take the Patent Bar and become a Patent Attorney. However, if you are a Political Science major and also went to Law School, you would not be able to take the Patent Bar exam to become a Patent Attorney because you do not have the requisite "hard science" or engineering degree.
For the most part getting into Law School depends on your GPA and how well you did on the LSAT. My advice is keep your grades up and take as many actual practice LSAT exams as you can before the actual exam, just don't burn yourself out. I am not sure what the policy is now, but when I took the LSAT exam, if you took the LSAT multiple times the Law Schools would average out your LSAT exam results instead of taking the highest one.
The only time what you study in undergrad matters for Law School or for being an Attorney is someone who wants to be a Patent Attorney. Patent Attorneys help people patent their inventions. Patents basically protect the inventor from people who want to copy their invention and make money from their copy. To be able to take the Patent Bar you must have proper education or training in science or engineering. So if you majored in Mechanical Engineering, Chemistry, Physics, etc... and get into Law School, you could take the Patent Bar and become a Patent Attorney. However, if you are a Political Science major and also went to Law School, you would not be able to take the Patent Bar exam to become a Patent Attorney because you do not have the requisite "hard science" or engineering degree.
For the most part getting into Law School depends on your GPA and how well you did on the LSAT. My advice is keep your grades up and take as many actual practice LSAT exams as you can before the actual exam, just don't burn yourself out. I am not sure what the policy is now, but when I took the LSAT exam, if you took the LSAT multiple times the Law Schools would average out your LSAT exam results instead of taking the highest one.
Updated
Teresa’s Answer
When I was at UC Berkeley majoring in political science, everyone used to ask me --"Oh, you're going into law?" and the reason was because that is the typical prelaw major. According to https://www.law.buffalo.edu/blog/10_Best_Prelaw_Majors.html - -the best prelaw majors include poli sci and psychology. I know rhetoric is a great subject as well because it is the study of argumentation. It's a lot of fun, too, you get to learn some neat sounding Latin terms like
Synecdoche: Pronounced "sin-eck-duh-key". (Gk. “understanding one thing in terms of another”; L. intellectio, pars pro toto; Eng. “the Figure of Quick Conceit” [Putt.]). Substitution of part for whole, species for genus, or vice versa: “Take thy face hence” (Macbeth 5.3.18).
That one was fun!
Good luck!
Synecdoche: Pronounced "sin-eck-duh-key". (Gk. “understanding one thing in terms of another”; L. intellectio, pars pro toto; Eng. “the Figure of Quick Conceit” [Putt.]). Substitution of part for whole, species for genus, or vice versa: “Take thy face hence” (Macbeth 5.3.18).
That one was fun!
Good luck!