Courses and Content to Consider for Students Interested in Law School
See Also: List of Courses to Consider
“Law is more art than a science. The reality is that lawyers seek in analyzing a case is not always well defined. Legal study, therefore, requires an attentive mind and a tolerance for ambiguity” ABA LSAC Official Guide to ABA Approved Law Schools, Chap. 2, page 7.
There is no specific undergraduate major/degree required for entrance to law school. Therefore, the degree you choose should be based on your desire to study and excel in a certain field.
Law schools consider many factors as they evaluate a potential candidate: course selection, entire academic record, grade point average, writing skills, LSAT scores, personal statements, and recommendation letters.
As a student thinking about law school, you should consider taking courses that will enhance your intellectual skills and provide you the opportunity to strengthen and enhance the following skills:
- Analysis and Synthesis
- Reading and Listening Comprehension
- Writing in a Concise Manner
- Critical thinking
All of these skills will assist you in developing the abilities necessary to learn how to decipher information in a more deliberate manner.
If you have the time and inclination, adding a minor in a heavy writing or reading comprehension area, such as English, History, or Philosophy, can be a good idea.
Why Should You Develop These Skills as an Undergraduate?
A law professor will rarely explain precisely what the rule of law is in a particular case or area, often because it is impossible to do so. Instead, you are expected to develop and organize your own understanding of the shape and trend in precedent as you digest hundreds of appellate cases.
Your classes, as well as examinations (which are in essay form and usually offered once in each course at the end of a semester), will require extensive reading and preparation. Therefore, accomplishment will most certainly depend far more upon skill at rapid analysis and articulation than upon memory and regurgitation.