Preparing for Law School

Introduction
There is no single path that will prepare you for a legal education. Students who are successful in law school and will become accomplished professionals come from many walks of life and educational backgrounds. Some law students enter law school directly from their undergraduate studies without having had any post-baccalaureate work experience. Others begin their legal education significantly later in life, and they bring to their law school education the insights and perspectives gained from those life experiences. Legal education welcomes and values diversity, and you will benefit from the exchange of ideas and different points of view that your colleagues will bring to the classroom.

Undergraduate Education

The American Bar Association (ABA) does not recommend any particular undergraduate majors or group of courses to prepare for legal education. Students are admitted to law school from almost every academic discipline. You may choose to major in subjects that are considered to be traditional preparation for law school, such as history, English, philosophy, political science, economics, or business, or you may focus your undergraduate studies in areas as diverse as art, music, science, mathematics, computer science, engineering, nursing, or education. Whatever major you select, you are encouraged to pursue an area of study that interests and challenges you while taking advantage of opportunities to develop your research and writing skills. Taking a broad range of difficult courses from demanding instructors is excellent preparation for legal education. A sound legal education will build upon and further refine the skills, values, and knowledge that you already possess.

Prelaw Advisor

Undergraduate institutions often assign a person to act as an advisor to current and former students who are interested in pursuing a legal education. Your prelaw advisor can help you find ways to gain exposure to the law and the legal profession and assist you with the law school application process. If you are still pursuing your undergraduate degree, your prelaw advisor can be a resource in selecting courses that can help you achieve your goal. For more information about prelaw resources see the American Bar Association at http://www.americanbar.org/groups/legal_education/resources/pre_law.html

Prelaw Advising at Texas State

The Student Learning Assistance Center (SLAC) Director, Dr. Carol Dochen, is the sole/coordinating Law School Admission Council (LSAC) prelaw advisor for Texas State University and is assisted by her colleague, René LeBlanc, also an LSAC prelaw advisor. Together they help prelaw students create individualized Law School Admission Test (LSAT) preparation plans using SLAC materials, research and select appropriate law schools, and complete personal statements, addenda, and resumes for their Credential Assembly Service (CAS) file. To schedule an initial advising appointment, please fill out the Prelaw Intake Form.

SLAC’s prelaw advisors recommend that students considering law school seek guidance from faculty members on choosing rigorous academic courses that will help prepare them for law school, finding internship placement, for sharing their personal law school experiences, and for help locating places to gain experience with practicing attorneys.