The Pre-Law Process at a Glance
Although there are many roads to law school and although some students will begin the process earlier and later than others, this page is meant to provide students with a general outline for how their four-year Pre-Law journey may unfold.
Freshman Year
- Focus on classes and begin building a strong GPA
- Set up an initial meeting with a Pre-Law Advisor
- Get plugged in with some Pre-Law Programming
Sophomore Year
- Continue to build a strong GPA
- Declare a major about which you are passionate
- Keep in touch with Pre-Law advising and programming
- Consider a summer internship and/or Wake’s Summer Pre-Law Program
Junior Year
- Continue to excel in classes and build relationships with potential recommenders
- Talk to a Pre-Law advisor about preparing for the LSAT and identifying prospective law schools
- Register for the LSAT during the Spring and take LSAT during the summer
- Consider a summer internship and/or Wake’s Summer Pre-Law Program
Senior Year
- Finish your courses strong
- Complete and submit Law School Applications during Fall Semester
- Keep your Pre-Law Advisor apprised of your progress.
The LSAT and the Law School Application Process
What is the LSAT?
The Law School Admissions Test, or LSAT, comprises four multiple choice sections on reading comprehension, analytical reasoning, and logic games and is scored on a scale of 120-180. The Test also includes a writing component that does not contribute to your score but is nevertheless shared with law schools.
Although some law schools are beginning to accept the Graduate Record Examination, or GRE, for admissions purposes the LSAT remains the standard. This is true not only for purposes of admission, but also for predicting success in the first year of law school.
To learn more about the LSAT contact a Pre-Law Advisor and visit the Law School Admissions Council’s Website.
What does the law school application process entail?
For whatever fall semester that you intend to enter law school, applications for that cycle become available in or around September one year prior. Because law schools use a rolling admissions process, meaning they start evaluating and deciding on applications in fall, we recommend that applicants apply sometime between September and the end of November one year before they wish to start law school for the best results.
A law school Application has four basic parts
- The Application Forms: these are generally self-explanatory. Nevertheless, students should take care to ensure that they are completed accurately.
- The Personal Statement: typically 2-4 pages, this document gives students a chance to introduce themselves to the admissions team and differentiate themselves from other applicants. No less than any other part of the application, the personal statement should be completed with diligence.
- The Resume: Like the personal statement, this document provides applicants with a chance to share or highlight information that may not be found on their transcript or LSAT. Resumes might include information about research opportunities, internships, campus leadership positions, &c that they believe have helped prepare them for Law School.
- Letters of Recommendation: Most law schools require 2-3 letters of recommendation. Students are encouraged to seek letters from Professors (or professional references) who can speak to their qualities in detail.
For nearly all ABA accredited law schools, the law school application process is handled by the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) through their Credential Assembly Service. To learn more about the application process, or to begin it, students should visit their website.
How should I pick potential law schools?
Students are strongly encouraged to begin assembling their list of potential law schools in consultation with a Pre-Law advisor. Although the US News and World Reports’ rankings are one place to start, in general, a “good” law school is one that gets students to the career they want. We will recommend thinking about schools in light of four criteria:
- Location: Although it is not exclusively the case, many law students go on to practice in the states where they study. Therefore, students should consider schools in parts of the country where they hope to live and work.
- Fit: Students should consider what bodies of law most interest them and look at schools with faculty, clinics, journals, joint degree programs and other opportunities that will allow them to deepen their engagement with these interests.
- Bar Passage and Job Placement: Although many law schools offer scholarships, legal education is, nevertheless, an expensive process. To ensure that they will get a good return on their investment of dollars, time, and energy, students should consider a prospective school’s bar passage and job placement statistics.
- Admissions Statistics: There is no magic number of law schools to which a student ought apply. However, students are encouraged to construct a list comprising several schools that they might consider “reaches,” a few where admission will be relatively likely, and a few “safe bets.” Considering the average uGPA and LSAT scores of students in the 25th-75th percentile of a school’s incoming class will help students set goals and determine where a school might fit on their list.
To begin learning more about law schools, students should make use of the LSAC’s Find a School page and consider reaching out to the admissions teams for schools of particular interest.