Academic Preparation for Law School
Coursework
Although there is no single set of required courses for admission to law school, it is recommended that potential applicants choose courses that emphasize writing. This includes a year of humanities or civilization studies and a year of social science, plus relevant major and elective courses. In addition, consider courses that develop close reading, analysis, argument, and quantitative skills, which include, but are not limited to American history and government, economics, mathematics, statistics, world politics, literature, linguistics, foreign languages, and philosophy.
Finally, students who choose to pursue study of a foreign language in college will benefit from analysis of the basic elements of verbal and written communication and from cross-cultural insights. For these reasons students are encouraged to study abroad for at least one quarter, and preferably longer.
Majors and Minors
Acceptance to law school has nothing to do with undergraduate major or minor . Select a major or minor that reflects your interests and ability to do well. Acceptance in to law school has nothing to do with the number of major or minors that one has declared. Having completed a double- or triple major does not compensate for a lower overall grade point average, and can limit the number of elective courses one can take. Choose a second major because it suits your interests and is illustrative of your intellectual path.
Faculty
It is critical for applicants to any post-graduate study program to get to know the faculty well. Faculty are a valuable source of advice, plus they alone write the all-important academic letters of support. Law school applicants should plan on submitting at least one faculty letter of recommendation and more if possible, although second or third letters can come from advanced graduate students, employers or others as appropriate. Because students often do not begin to make connections with the faculty until years three or four, it can be difficult to forge strong relationships if one intends to graduate after only 9 quarters.
Grade Point Average
Law schools do not stipulate minimum applicant (undergraduate) grade point averages, although they do provide statistics sufficient for candidates to evaluate their competitiveness. GPA is used in conjunction with the LSAT score to compute an index number which each institution uses in a different fashion.
GPA is computed by the LSDAS from all undergraduate transcripts. This figure may differ from the one reported on the University of Chicago transcript because of scaling, or (in some cases) if the applicant studied abroad. The LSDAS reports GPA distribution for all applicants by undergraduate institution. This permits the law schools to evaluate GPA in the context of the institution from which it is earned. For this reason, applicants from the University of Chicago should not be as concerned about differences in grading between different undergraduate institutions.
The Law School Admission Test (LSAT)
The LSAT evaluates applicants in the areas of reading comprehension, critical reasoning, logical analysis and writing. The exam is offered in February, June, October, and December. Take the LSAT only when you are ready, but try to avoid doing so for the first time in October or December of the year of application. This is because it is extremely time consuming to study for the exam and apply to graduate school, and work/take classes, etc. It is also better to have an actual score to help with the selection process. December scores arrive late in the process, so check the application deadline.
Applicants should expect to prepare for the exam for 1-2 quarters in advance of the test date. Since the LSAT does not test knowledge of a particular subject, the goal of studying is to become familiar with the test format, and to develop methods to answer questions with efficiency and accuracy. The best way to study, therefore, is directly from old exams. These are available from the LSAC at www.lsac.org. In order to have enough time to study, consider taking three classes during the quarter in which the exam is offered. Candidates should plan on taking the exam once, although nationally nearly 2 in 10 will take it a second time. Since most schools average multiple scores, do not take the test if you are not ready.
LSAT prep courses are available to students who need the reassurance such courses can provide. They are not necessary for an applicant to do well, but they can help some students. These classes are expensive in terms of time and money, so it is important to take enough prep tests beforehand to determine if a prep class is necessary. The University of Chicago does not recommend any one company or program; in fact students tend to report that the instructor is the most important factor in determining the success or failure of a class. Six options follow, plus the Habeas Corpus Society occasionally sponsors an on-campus LSAT preparation program.
Get Prepped: www.getprepped.com
Home LSAT: www.home-lsat.com
Kaplan: www.kaplan.com
PowerScore: www.powerscore.com
Princeton Review: www.review.com
Test Masters: www.TestMasters180.com
Standardized tests for graduate school
LSAT registration and information
Note: Students in the College should pick up a copy of the current LSAC & LSDAS Registration and Information Book from the wall rack near the advising reception desk.
