Choose College Classes Wisely for a Well-Rounded Law School Application
A large number of future law school students can be categorized as atypical by virtue of their undergraduate major. Not everyone who plans to attend law school has the same interests or takes the same route.
Certain majors such as political science, philosophy, history or government are typically thought of as unofficial prelaw majors. However, a student's actual area of study is less important than developing and displaying certain abilities and strengths that make good law students and ultimately, good lawyers.
If you decide to take an unconventional route to law school, or realize during college that law school is your next step, there are certain factors to keep in mind when building your student profile. Course selection and GPA are two factors that will help you appeal to the law school admissions committee.
[Learn how to balance college classes and law school applications.]
Whether your passion is theater or economics, choose your undergraduate classes purposefully. Consider the strengths and weaknesses of your area of study in the eyes of a law school admissions committee.
Law schools want students who can read complex texts, research thoroughly and write well. It is also imperative to present your ability to think critically. You will want to show that you can examine and understand nuances of complicated ideas and cases, especially when those distinctions can be convoluted.
The plan you employ will be largely dependent on your major. It is important to balance out the courses you choose.
[Get tips on explaining an undergraduate major change in law school applications.]
Traditional areas of study for prelaw school students include a curriculum of classes that display these skills. A theater major might be very adept at carefully reading words and texts, and he or she would be able to demonstrate the ability to parse details and comprehend structure. However, a theater major might be less experienced with research or constructing valid arguments.
I've previously worked with a prospective law student in that situation by recommending that she build up her theoretical and research portfolio with a philosophy class, such as a logic elective, or a government class that includes a rigorous term paper.
That theater major balanced out skills she possessed, like reading scripts that required astute attention to detail and a deep understanding of complex material, with new ones garnered from those electives. Those skills included becoming a more established researcher and critical thinker.
You need academic training that complements and counterbalances the aspects of these you are already getting in your major.
[Understand common reasons law school applications are rejected.]
Conversely, I have worked with economics majors who may have systematic, linear methodical thinking that is great for evaluating facts and data. However, I have advised them to read more prose and expand their ability to digest heavy amounts of reading material. I typically recommend they take one or two English courses, particularly those that focus on textual analysis, or perhaps a political science course with a research paper.
No matter your major or the classes you take, your grade-point average will be an important component of your application. As I mentioned in a previous article, the grades you get during undergrad are the primary gauge of your college career, so admissions committees see GPA as a good bellwether for future academic performance and a prediction of how you might maintain your scholarly motivation over the long term.
GPA is only one component of a comprehensive law school application, but students should keep in mind that the recognized difficulty of certain majors will not be accepted as a valid justification for a significantly lower average.
When it comes to course selection, forethought to create a balanced transcript goes a long way. If you choose strategically, you will be well positioned to begin your law school application.
By rounding out your academic profile, you will learn a number of new ideas and techniques to which you may not have been exposed. That general widening of your perspective may be the most helpful preparation of all.
