Preparing for Law School Admissions

So you think you want to go to law school? Begin preparing for law school admissions as soon as you think you might be interested in becoming a lawyer. Most law programs prefer a broad liberal arts education, so you should plan your curriculum carefully. A pre-law curriculum or major is not necessary as long as you take a range of courses that impart breadth of knowledge and hone your reasoning skills. Writing and critical thinking skills are vital to law school admissions as well as success in law school.

Coursework
What courses should you take? Here are a few no-brainers:

• Expository writing
• Philosophy and/or logic
• History and government
• Business finance
• Speech or public speaking

Timing
An important part of planning for law school admissions is timing. In addition to excelling in your coursework, you must take admissions exams, seek additional experiences, request letters, compose essays and compile your application. This is no easy feat! Use this law school admissions timetable to guide your work.

Where to apply?
First, you must find programs. The Boston College Law School Locater is unique. Plug in your GPA and LSAT scores and it spits out a list of schools in your academic range. Also see this database of law schools.

Be prepared to pay substantial application fees. Law schools charge $50-100 to review your application. Narrow your list of programs to save money and to make the job of ultimately selecting a program easier. Much of this advice on choosing graduate programs also applies to law schools. money to burn.

Getting In
What factors determine admission?

• GPA. Obviously your grade point average is important, but the quality of your course work influences how committees weigh your GPA. A 3.8 GPA earned with difficult courses has more weight with an admissions committee than a 4.0 GPA earned with easy courses.

• LSAT scores. Your scores on the Law School Admissions Test are vital, especially if your GPA is not as high as you'd like.

• Letters of recommendation. Most schools require 3 or more letters of recommendation from professors or others in a position to know you, your abilities, and work habits well.

• Personal statement. The admissions committee wants to know what makes you special and qualified for law school. Carefully compose your admissions essay to highlight your strengths and unique abilities.

Application due dates begin in January (but check the application). Then the wait begins.... until Spring. Good luck!