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A brief overview of common topics relevant to PSEO students interested in law school.
Overview
Overview
What is Law School?
What is Law School?
Law school is (usually) a three-year program to study the law and earn a J.D. degree. Law school comes after finishing an undergraduate bachelor's degree.
Most law schools do not require you to take any specific courses or majors in college. Pre-law at the University is not a major or minor, but rather a general set of skills and experiences to build up while working towards your bachelor's degree.
Law School Admissions Criteria
Law School Admissions Criteria
Three core criteria law schools will consider:
GPA: A strong GPA is important, but each law school has different expectations. There's no hard minimum GPA required to attend law school.
Experiences: Law schools value a diverse array of experiences - and not just in legal settings. Jobs, research, study abroad, volunteering, and more can all impact your strength as an applicant.
LSAT: A standardized test for law school applicants. Usually taken on or approaching your senior year of college.
Courses
Courses
The Pre-Law Services put together this Pre-Law Course List. This is not a list of requirements, but rather a set of courses that may be of interest to common topics relevant to law school.
A few PSEO-specific notes:
High school requirements: Some of these may align with your high school graduation requirements, such as introductory economics (ECON 1101), psychology (PSY 1001), or public speaking (COMM 1101).
Caution around upper-level (3000-5000) courses: Even if there are no prerequisites, approach these courses cautiously, after some college experience. See the course planning overview for more.
LAW 3000, "Intro to American Law": A popular course to explore law generally.
⚠️OUE 3205, "Law School Exploration": Intended for students getting ready to apply to law school in the near future. Can be good if you're very certain about attending law school and often have 30+ college credits completed, but overwhelming otherwise.
Pre-Law Services
Pre-Law Services
The University's Pre-Law Services office is your main guide on the path to law school. PSEO students are welcome to use many of their services, such as:
Pre-Law Advising Newsletter: monthly updates on events, news, deadlines, and more
Stop by drop-in hours: discussion of pre-law as a path and the timeline
Their advising and resources are fantastic from your time now as an interested PSEO student through your selection of a law school at the end of college. Take advantage of this vital aid!
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