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For a student who would like to become a lawyer, what are the good majors for preparing for the LSAT?
I'm a high school student who wants to become a lawyer. I know that the LSAT requires a lot of critical thinking/analysis skills, and I know that there's a lot of different majors which you can take in order to do well, not just Political Science. That leaves me with a question; what are other strong majors in order to build the skills that are necessary to do well on the LSAT, and if someone is a lawyer now who didn't take a law/pre-law focused major, which one did you take?
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DENNIS A’s Answer
Hi Naglis:
Unless I am mistaken I answered one of your questions the other day! That said, as a high school student I'd suggest you get involved in sports, take history and english classes and logic if the school offers it. Why? Law is very competitive. Sports teaches you how to compete and how to win and lose. History because no case is ever born in a vacuum - every case has a history and legal precedent plays a big part in law. Finally, English because you spend a lot of time writing.
Will that get you through the LSATs - no but they will help. When you get close to taking the LSATs take a class to prepare and you will be fine! Good luck!
Unless I am mistaken I answered one of your questions the other day! That said, as a high school student I'd suggest you get involved in sports, take history and english classes and logic if the school offers it. Why? Law is very competitive. Sports teaches you how to compete and how to win and lose. History because no case is ever born in a vacuum - every case has a history and legal precedent plays a big part in law. Finally, English because you spend a lot of time writing.
Will that get you through the LSATs - no but they will help. When you get close to taking the LSATs take a class to prepare and you will be fine! Good luck!
Updated
Amber’s Answer
I went to law school without a law/pre-law focused major (I majored in art). I would say it doesn't really matter which major you pick; what matters more is the kind of classes you enroll in within your major or as part of your general education/foundational requirement. Ideally, you would want to have taken classes with a strong focus on reading, writing, and research.
Also, taking the LSAT is a learnable skill, so you don't really need specialized knowledge in any particular field to do well. If you're able to dedicate some time and resources to prepare for it, I would encourage you to so. I personally bought a bunch of past exams to practice at home, but I know some of my law school peers signed up for prep courses for a more structured study regime and that seems to have worked well for them.
I think the more practical approach is to consider which major you would have picked if law school is not part of your plan. You may think of this as a sort of contingency plan in case law school doesn't pan out--at least you would be doing something you enjoy and would hopefully have marketable skills to set yourself apart in this competitive job market.
All the best!
Also, taking the LSAT is a learnable skill, so you don't really need specialized knowledge in any particular field to do well. If you're able to dedicate some time and resources to prepare for it, I would encourage you to so. I personally bought a bunch of past exams to practice at home, but I know some of my law school peers signed up for prep courses for a more structured study regime and that seems to have worked well for them.
I think the more practical approach is to consider which major you would have picked if law school is not part of your plan. You may think of this as a sort of contingency plan in case law school doesn't pan out--at least you would be doing something you enjoy and would hopefully have marketable skills to set yourself apart in this competitive job market.
All the best!
Updated
Martha D.’s Answer
Hi Naglis - this is an excellent question.
According to the American Bar Association (professional association for lawyers), pre-law undergraduates can major in whatever they want. Along with Political Science, the fields of Philosophy, Economics, and History often are mentioned because of their high emphasis on critical reading, logical reasoning, and intensive writing. Depending upon your courses, Politics and History can also give you deeper understanding of our governmental and legal systems.
If you are interested in a particular part of the law, such as environmental or corporate, you may want to take courses in those areas as well. This could make you more competitive for internships and eventual jobs. I hope this helps and wish you good luck!
According to the American Bar Association (professional association for lawyers), pre-law undergraduates can major in whatever they want. Along with Political Science, the fields of Philosophy, Economics, and History often are mentioned because of their high emphasis on critical reading, logical reasoning, and intensive writing. Depending upon your courses, Politics and History can also give you deeper understanding of our governmental and legal systems.
If you are interested in a particular part of the law, such as environmental or corporate, you may want to take courses in those areas as well. This could make you more competitive for internships and eventual jobs. I hope this helps and wish you good luck!
Updated
Joseph’s Answer
Make sure you have an LSAT account. Taking previously administered LSATs is the best way to prepare for test day. You can get started with the free Official LSAT PrepTests ® available in a LawHub account. However, most test takers will benefit from taking additional practice tests under actual, timed conditions.