Pre-Law Preparation
Chris Shortell, Political Science, 503-725-3920, shortell@pdx.edu
Law schools in the United States, unlike medical, dental, and other professional schools, do not require specific pre-law majors or particular courses of study in preparation for law school. Pre-law students are generally free to select their own undergraduate programs (there is no “pre-law” major as such), but they are advised to choose broad cultural fields in which they have keen intellectual interests, such as economics, history, literature, mathematics, philosophy, political science, science, or sociology, to suggest only some examples. Business administration and criminology and criminal justice, when supplemented with work in arts and letters, science, or social science, are also suitable. Law schools do recommend that the prospective law student acquire a broad liberal arts education providing a sound basic understanding and appreciation of arts and letters, science, and social science.
All three Oregon law schools, Lewis & Clark, Willamette, and the University of Oregon, and the major law schools in other states, now require that applicants for admission have a bachelor’s degree. Valuable information about pre-law study and law school admissions can be found on the Law School Admission Council’s website at http://www.lsac.org - or on PSU's prelaw advising website at www.pdx.edu/political-science/pre-law-advising.
3+3 Accelerated and Direct Admission Programs
PSU maintains 3+3 Accelerated Baccalaureate and Juris Doctor agreement with Lewis and Clark Law School along with a Direct Admission program with Willamette University College of Law. More details about these programs, including eligibility criteria can be found on the PSU prelaw advising website.
Preparing for Law School
Students are cautioned not to have a large number of ungraded or pass/no pass credits. Law schools also advise against concentration in courses given primarily as vocational training. Whatever the undergraduate program, pre-law students should develop as fully as possible the ability to read with understanding, to think logically, and to express themselves clearly and cogently in written and oral work. The importance of analytical skills in dealing with concepts, abstract ideas, and complex fact situations, and of communications skills, cannot be overemphasized, for lawyers must be able to research, analyze, and communicate.
And since law is a part of the larger social order, the pre-law student should seek to understand the political, social, economic, and cultural institutions within which the legal system functions. As illustrative of specific subjects (with PSU course numbers) which may be helpful toward that end, the following are suggested with a reminder that they are not prerequisites for law school admission: introductory economics (Ec 201, Ec 202); ethics (Phl 308U, Phl 445, Phl 446, Phl 447); U.S. history (Hst 201, Hst 202, Hst 203); political theory (PS 208, PS 483); constitutional interpretation, constitutional law, the judicial process (PS 221, PS 421, PS 422, PS 423, PS 424); criminology and criminal justice (CCJ 420 and CCJ 310); psychology (Psy 202Z); and general sociology (Soc 200). In addition, many law schools recommend taking a course in accounting principles. PSU does offer a Law & Legal Studies minor for those who wish to concentrate their study in the area of law, but should note that this is not required for admission to law school.
Completion of the Law School Admission Test (LSAT), administered nationally by the Law School Admission Council, is required by nearly all law schools. You can find information about the exam, and about the law school admissions process, at www.lsac.org. The exam is offered at least eight times a year, but should be taken at least one year before you plan to start law school since the admissions process starts the fall term prior to when you want to enroll. According to the Law School Admissions Council, the LSAT “is designed to measure skills that are considered essential for success in law school: the reading and comprehension of complex texts with accuracy and insight; the organization and management of information and the ability to draw reasonable inferences from it; the ability to think critically; and the analysis and evaluation of the reasoning and arguments of others.” It does not test knowledge of specific subjects, and is in no sense a test of knowledge about law. There is no standard “passing score” on the test, for each law school makes its own evaluation of an applicant’s admissibility, using the LSAT score, GPA (grade point average) and such other factors as it deems relevant.
Competition for admission to law schools can be very keen; thus high grade point averages and high LSAT scores are very desirable. Many law schools use the LSAT score and the GPA in computing a total numerical score which constitutes one important factor in determining admissibility. In such a computation a higher score on the LSAT can help to offset a lower GPA or vice versa. Although the LSAT may be repeated, it is generally advisable to prepare for the test as if it can only be taken once. Retakes should be reserved for situations where you are confident that you can increase your score. Information concerning the exact test dates is available from the Law School Admission Council’s website. Students interested in attending law school are strongly encouraged to meet with one of the pre-law advisors listed above for more specific guidance about the application process.