Undergraduate Preparation

You will need to complete your baccalaureate degree before entering law school. Any major is acceptable. Law schools are looking for students who have a variety of majors. Common majors include political science, history, English, psychology, sociology, economics, finance, philosophy, business engineering, and foreign language. Because the law is such a broad field, any major will work as preparation for the study of law. Law schools encourage students to major in the field that most interests them based on the belief that students will be more academically successful when they are pursuing a major that most interests them. Students should consider taking courses that will give them a broad-based knowledge to build their studies upon. Law school admissions committees also look at the level of difficulty of courses taken, how many courses are taken at the upper levels, and how many classes are taken Pass/No Pass. Students should avoid a series of W's on their transcripts.

Back to top

Required and Recommended Courses

There is no prescribed course work for law schools. The following UNL courses are suggested in the skill areas necessary for law school applicants:

Back to top

Application and Admission

The Law School Admission Test (LSAT) ideally should be taken in June of the last school year before you hope to be admitted into law school. The test is given four times a year: June, October, December and February. Taking the LSAT in June allows a student to re-take the LSAT in October and still be on track for most law school admissions cycles. However, law schools view multiple LSAT scores differently. Registration information can be obtained from the Arts & Sciences Advising Center or from the Law School Admissions Council, www.lsac.org. The LSAT measures logical reasoning, analytical reasoning, reading comprehension, and student's writing ability through a writing sample. There is also an experimental portion to the LSAT to assist in future test development. Students are encouraged to take practice tests as much as possible to familiarize them with the test and develop the skill areas the test is designed to measure. There are many study guides and books available to help you with this process.

The Law School Data Assembly Service (LSDAS) is a standardized reporting service that prepares a report on you for distribution to law schools. The registration material for LSDAS is available through the Arts & Sciences Advising Center or at www.lsac.org. LSDAS will compile your LSAT score(s), undergraduate transcripts, and letters of recommendation (if you utilize the optional service) and send out to law schools interested in you a Master Law School Report summarizing the above information. You will also receive a copy of this report. You should register for the LSDAS service sometime in the early fall of the school year prior to entering law school or at the same time you register for the LSAT. The subscription to the service is good for five years.

In addition to the LSDAS report, law schools will want a school specific application submitted to each school. This application will include submission of a personal statement/essay. If you choose not to use the LSDAS Letter of Recommendation service, letters from faculty, staff, employers, or personal contacts, will be sent as part of the secondary application process. School applications are available directly from the school or students can simplify the application process by subscribing to the LSACWeb to complete applications on line. To determine what applications to complete, students must choose where to apply. There are many different law schools to choose from and there are many different reasons why one law school might be a better fit for you then others. Some of the decision factors to use in choosing a particular law school are your LSAT scores, GPA scores, geographic location, cost, faculty to student ratio, reputation, career services, and many other factors. Most law schools have rolling admissions usually starting in the fall. This means the earlier you can apply to a particular law school the better your chances will be of being accepted. To determine what schools you might apply to, use the ABA-LSAC Official Guide to ABA-Approved Law Schools published by the Law School Admissions Council and updated annually. A searchable version of the book is available at www.lsac.org. It is advisable that students apply to multiple law schools as time and expenses will allow.

Back to top

Beyond Academics

Pre-Law students are encouraged to participate in extracurricular experiences such as leadership roles, volunteer work, research, and shadowing, which will help prepare them for the legal profession. Extracurricular experiences play a significant role in a student's application to a professional school program and exploration of the profession. Such experiences demonstrate a commitment to and knowledge about the profession. In particular, shadowing legal professionals and involvement with clubs such as the Pre-Law Club, Mock Trial Club, or Phi Alpha Delta will help students to learn more about the legal profession.

Back to top

Freshman-to-Senior Timeline

Freshman and Sophomore Years

• Written and oral communication skills, analytical skills, and reading comprehension skills will all be important factors contributing to your success in law school. Use this time to take courses which will allow you to develop and strengthen these skills. There are a vast array of course choices, such as courses in written composition, the Humanities, the Social Sciences, Mathematics and the Natural Sciences to help you develop these skills. For example, you may choose to take Mathematics courses or Philosophy courses to develop your analytical skills.
• Gain experience and take courses in areas which will allow you to develop awareness of human institutions, social values, and the world at large, such as courses in Anthropology, Sociology, Psychology, Political Science, History or Philosophy.
• Use the time during your first two years of school to explore your interest in the - law and to develop a realistic view of legal careers. Interview members of the legal profession. Obtain law-related experience through employment, internships, or volunteer work. Research the variety of legal careers.
• Discuss your academic plans and course selection with the Pre-Law Adviser, 107 Oldfather Hall, and your Major Adviser. Remember, any major is appropriate for Pre-Law students. To declare or change a major, come to 107 Oldfather Hall and complete a College-Degree-Major-Adviser Form.
• Get to know your professors on an individual basis. Develop and maintain relationships with your professors. They will be good people to ask for letters of recommendation for your applications to law school.
• Work diligently to get good grades. Your GPA (Grade Point Average) and your LSAT (Law School Admissions Test) scores will be the two most important factors of your law school applications. Strive to keep your GPA high so that you will be a competitive law school applicant.
• Law school is an expensive investment; most students take out loans to complete their legal education. Plan now to have no personal debt (e.g. credit card debt) when you finish your undergraduate education.

Junior Year

• Plan on taking the LSAT at the end of your junior year. The LSAT is typically offered in the early Summer, early Fall, late Fall, and midwinter. Allow enough time to prepare well for the exam.
• Register and submit the LSDAS (Law School Data Assembly Service) forms. AII .United States law schools require the LSDAS. The LSDAS is responsible for sending your transcripts and LSAT scores to all of the law schools to which you are applying.
• Start conducting your law school search (see "Choosing a Law School" handout for search suggestions). Compile a list of your choices and contact each school for additional information. The Arts & Sciences Advising Center has resources available to help you conduct your search, such as The Official Guide to U.S. Law Schools, law school catalogues, and our CD-ROM program "College Source." If possible, visit the campuses of the schools in which you are - interested. Prioritize your choices.
• Contact all law schools in which you are interested for applications and admissions information no later than the Summer following your Junior year. You must contact each school directly for this information.
• Consider alternatives to law school; it is a good idea to have a "Plan B." Why? You may change your mind about going to law school, your personal circumstances may change, or you may not get into your choice of law school.

Senior Year

• Take the LSAT in the early Fall if you did not take it in the Summer.
• Make a schedule and checklist for each of your applications. Photocopy all of your blank applications; you will want to use them for drafts. Provide necessary information to and confirm application deadlines with the writers of your letters of recommendation.
• Complete and submit your applications in the Fall of your Senior year.
• Expect to hear admissions decisions from late Fall through Spring.
• If accepted, start making plans (e.g. housing, financial aid, moving, etc.) for your first year of law school.
• If you are not accepted the first time you apply to law school(s), decide on a course of action. Speak with law school admissions officers and your Pre-Law Adviser.

Back to top