<p>What exactly is prelaw? Is it a major? Do you need to take prelaw to go to law school? </p>
<p>Before going to law school you can major in anything you want? like business, music, geosciences etc?</p>
<p>Pre-law basically just means that you intend to go to law school after college. Although I do believe some schools do have “pre-law” programs (I don’t really know anything about them), most schools do not (at least none of the top tier schools do). You can major in anything you want before going to law school, be it math, music, or history. There are no real requirement for applying to law school aside from a college education and taking the LSATs.</p>
<p>Pre Law is basically a track of courses that people interested in going to law school take. Law schools don’t require students to take any specific classes, but there are classes that are suggested that will help prepare you for the LSAT. I’m not sure, but I’ve heard that some schools have prelaw programs</p>
<p>You can major in anything you want and still go to law school.</p>
<p>I would guess that 99% of students who tell you that they’re “pre-law” mean that they intend to apply to law school after graduation, not that they’re pursuing a major by that name.</p>
<p>I don’t think anything really prepares you for the LSAT except a LSAT prep course! Study whatever you like in college.</p>
<p>At most top colleges, there is no distinct pre-law major, since law schools will accept students with any undergraduate major. However, many schools do have some sort of prelaw program that advises undergraduate students interested in applying to law school. This description of BC’s pre-law program is typical:</p>
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<p>it’s kinda like pre-med, except it’s even more useless. for pre-med, at least med school requires certain classes.
it’s anyone is dumb even to major in “pre-law”, they deserve to go to a TTT.</p>
<p>There are a few degrees that are helpful once you have your law degree…for example…I know someone that I went to law school with who got her undergraduate degree in drama…she got her law degree…and many years of hard work later…became a talent agent…this is what she always wanted to do…you don’t learn how to be a talent agent in law school or undergrad…but a law degree doesn’t hurt…or…patent lawyers make quite a bit of money…but you can’t just decide you want to do patent law…an engineering degree in undergrad is a serious help…or mining law…a geology degree, … etc…</p>
<p>The standard…is a degree is political science or history or criminology etc. None of which prepares you for law school or the LSAT… the LSAT is very similar to the SAT in that it does not test content…merely your ability to reason…and just like applying to college…admission to the “best” law schools is largely decided by a good LSAT score combined with other things…</p>
<p>It is true that you can major in whatever interests you as preparation for law school (and students generally do better in courses that interest them than in courses that don’t). One of my law school classmates majored in art history. I majored in business and economics because that is what interested me.</p>
<p>Regardless of your major, some undergraduate courses would be more helpful than others as preparation for law school. American history and political science courses would be helpful for constitutional law courses and other courses that involve constitutional law. (I took several political science courses but wish I had had a better American history background.) Business and economics courses would be helpful as preparation for Corporations, Labor Law and Antitrust Law. The ability to speak well on a variety of topics is helpful no matter which type of law you study, and is essential for litigators.</p>
<p>This is from a top-tier law school’s website…</p>
<p>ACADEMIC BACKGROUND</p>
<p>The Law School does not require applicants to have specialized in any particular academic majors or subject areas closely related to law during their undergraduate education.** However, potential law students should choose courses that will enhance their abilities in the areas of critical thinking, oral and written expression, and logical and analytical reasoning. Applicants considering law school are encouraged to enroll in a broad range of courses that will help develop these skills. **</p>
<p>So, I would think that a student who wants to do well on the LSAT and do well in law classes, should take some of the following courses (either as part of a major, part of general ed classes, or as electives)…</p>
<p>writing courses
critical thinking philosophy courses
deductive logic philosophy courses
maybe some business and econ classes
some science classes
some math classes
communication/speech class
literature courses</p>
<p>I like mom2collegekid’s list for general undergrad classes. As an atty of 30 years and frequent adjunct law professor I would also agree with the poster above who says that a “pre law” major is useless. Much better to major in a field that will add something special to your law degree when you get out of law school such as accounting, engineering, biology, computer science, etc. My accounting/finance majors & MBA have really added to my resume and opened doors throughout my legal career. The same would not have been true had I majored in “pre law”.</p>
<p>I also suspect that law school admissions look more favorably upon a major other than “pre law” - the major doesn’t really get much respect in the legal profession. D2 is a rising sophomore and thinking about law school. I have advised her to major in something that interests her, that she can get good grades in, and that has some marketability if she doesn’t end up in law school.</p>
<p>Whatever gets you the highest GPA.</p>