September 19th, 2022
How to Choose a Pre-Law Major
You’re going to be a great lawyer someday! But before you make the kind of difference you know you can, you need to attend law school. And before law school, you need to get your undergraduate degree. So, what’s your major going to be? Don’t worry. There is no one path to law school—you can choose any major you want. In fact, the American Bar Association does not recommend any particular major or courses to pre-law students. What the ABA does recommend is that you pursue what interests and challenges you and take advantage of opportunities to hone your reading and writing skills.
Follow Your Interests to a Pre-Law Major
The ABA recognizes that the most successful lawyers come from diverse backgrounds and majors. Political science may be the most popular major for pre-law students, but psychology, criminal justice, English, history, and economics are also at the top of the list. The first step to finding the right major is to follow your strengths and interests. Do you like history or science? Computers or the arts? Consider what will interest you the most and what you’re willing to explore deeply.
Choose Challenging Pre-Law Courses
As you pursue your bachelor’s degree, consider what you want your future law school to learn about you. The courses you choose can say much about your passion, work ethic, and ability to think critically. Law school admissions officers look at the rigor of your coursework in addition to your test scores and GPA. Easy courses might boost your GPA, but challenging courses tell a better story that can help you stand out against other applicants.
You’ll also want to choose elective courses that are different from your major. The ABA recommends that you take a broad range of difficult courses to prepare for law school. They also encourage pre-law students to focus on these core values, skills, and areas of knowledge:
- Critical reading
- Problem solving
- Writing and editing
- Oral communication and listening
- Research
- Organization and management
- Public service and promotion of justice
- Relationship-building and collaboration
- Background knowledge
- Exposure to the law
Keep these core values and skills in mind as you search for a major and select elective courses.
Consider Possible Pre-Law Specializations
Your major can also build the foundation for your career. As an English major, you’ll be well-prepared to write legal briefs, comprehend judicial opinions, and interpret state statues and other important documents. As a political science major, you’ll get a head start on the American legal system, and if your major is psychology, you’ll be better able to understand how people think and why they behave the way they do. But if you hope to pursue a specific type of law, your undergraduate degree can help you there, as well. For example, if you want to work in corporate law, a business administration degree is a solid start. Or maybe you want to work in the legal system defending or prosecuting accused criminals. A criminal justice degree is a jumpstart for law school and your legal career. But don’t stop there! Whether you want to protect intellectual property, negotiate contracts for sports heroes, or be on the side of a nonprofit, you can begin your specialization as an undergrad.
You don’t have to have your career completely figured out right now. But as you give it some thought, you could discover the undergraduate major that’s the right fit for your law career. At Limestone University, we offer a variety of pre-law majors including criminal justice, history, and business administration, and a range of other degrees that might suit your passions and your future. Click the button to learn more.
Limestone University offers three Pre-Law program options for students who have an interest in law school or a law-related career.
