If I plan to go to law school a few years after graduation and I am a rising senior now, what should I be doing now to prepare for applying?

Work experience is not required for law school; however, if you want to work before going to law school, I would suggest trying to work at a law firm as you will gain lots of knowledge and experience in the actual practice of law. I worked at a law firm during the summers while in college and that experience gave me a deeper understanding into what was taught in law school. I would also recommend taking a prep course for the LSATs as the LSAT score and your GPA are two of the top factors of being accepted into law school.

I think a year or two is fine, but I wouldn't wait longer than that. I went straight to law school from undergrad. However, my friends that took a year or two off first seemed more focused and determined. They knew why they were there and they really wanted to be there. You can do any sort of job - law schools really look at grades and scores. I would recommend taking a course to prep for the LSATs. I know that it helped me. Good luck!