We've Got Answers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Pre-Law Advising Services at SMU are designed to help students prepare for and make choices about law as a career. Your undergraduate studies at SMU can provide a strong and balanced foundation upon which such an important decision can be made.
Overview of Pre-Law Advising Services
The decision to study law is one that should be made after thoughtful
reflection upon your interests, aptitudes, and life goals, as well as an
exploration of the multitude of career paths open to college graduates. To
assist you in defining your ambitions, the following pre-law services are
offered:
- Individual pre-law counseling.
- Pre-Law Services office staffed full-time to address your pre-law questions and needs.
- Email listserve to keep pre-law students informed about campus events, speakers, and seminars.
- Programs and workshops dealing with the application process, recommendation letters, and LSAT preparation.
- Sample LSATs available for practice use.
- Biannual law fair bringing 80+ law schools nationwide to the SMU campus.
- Application and admission data on 180+ ABA-approved law schools referenced from The Official Guide to ABA-Approved Law Schools, produced by the American Bar Association and the Law School Admission Council.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How do I know if I have the skills to be successful in law school?
- How can I know if law is right for me?
- What courses should I take to prepare myself for law school?
- What's the best undergraduate major for law school?
- How can I strengthen my academic record prior to law school application?
- What factors are considered in law school admission?
- What LSAT score and GPA would make me competitive?
- Are there specific undergraduate courses required for entry into law school?
- What factors are considered in law school admission?
- When should I take the LSAT?
- Should I take the official LSAT once for practice?
- When should I apply to law schools?
- What about recommendation letters?
- What's the job market like for lawyers?
- How much does law school cost?
- Is it possible to transfer from one law school to another?
- So what should I be doing now?
How do I know if I have the skills to be successful in law school?
The short answer is -- you don't know. The long answer is that you will
need strong reading, critical thinking, writing, and analytical skills, and
these skills will develop as you take challenging and interesting courses during
your undergraduate career. You will continually enhance these fundamental
abilities that are imperative for success in law school, and beyond.
How can I know if law is right for me?
People pursue law careers for a variety of reasons. Regardless of the
motive, law should be a genuine and enduring commitment. The decision to
study law is one that should be made after thoughtful reflection upon one's
interests, aptitudes, and life goals. Listen to what lawyers say about
their work. Gather as much information as possible so that you can make an
informed decision about whether to pursue a legal career. Summer jobs in
law firms can help you gain insight into the culture, technical language -- and
workload -- of the legal environment.
What courses should I take to prepare myself for law school?
Students with a sound liberal arts education tend to perform well in law school
because they have developed strong analytical and writing skills. Keep in
mind that the spoken and written word are the principal tools of the legal
profession. Students who intend to study law must develop an excellent
knowledge and grasp of the English language as well as a clear and concise style
of expression. Courses in political science, history, economics,
statistics, and anthropology aid in understanding the structure of society and
the issues of social ordering with which the law is concerned.
The study of philosophy, literature, fine arts, foreign languages, religions,
and other cultures will strengthen familiarity with traditions of universal
thought and trends that have influenced or tend to influence legal developments
nationally and internationally. Sociology and psychology will aid in
understanding the types and effects of human behavior.
Studying logic and
the sciences will add to the capacity to analyze, understand and rationally
organize one's thoughts.
What's the best undergraduate major for law school?
Law schools don't prefer a particular undergraduate major.
What is more important is that you major in an area that interests you most and
that you do well in that major. As you explore areas of study during your
undergraduate career, you will discover where your interests lie. If you
have a major that you truly enjoy, it follows that you will perform well
academically. SMU pre-law students are in virtually all academic programs
throughout the University. In a typical year, SMU's approximately 100+ pre-law seniors include roughly 60% liberal arts majors, 25% business majors,
10% fine arts and performing arts majors, and 5% engineering majors. While
there is no "best" major for students intending law school, pre-law
students share some traits: a desire to analyze and solve real problems
and disputes, strength in both written and oral expression, a logical approach
to problem-solving, and fascination with the complexities of societal
structures.
How can I strengthen my academic record prior to law school application?
Take challenging courses and don't be afraid of hard work. Law school
admission committees will carefully review your transcript for grade trends,
strength and rigor of curriculum, major/semester/cumulative GPAs, whether or not
you have an excessive
number of course withdrawals, and anything else that is indicative of your
academic abilities. It is vitally important to start strong and
stay strong academically, starting from the first day of your undergraduate
career. Why is this important? Your application to law school
occurs in the FALL of the SENIOR year, which means that you have only SIX
semesters to establish your academic credentials. In order to be a
competitive applicant, you must stay focused and keep your "eyes on the
prize" of law school entry.
What LSAT score and GPA would make me a competitive applicant?
In general, a score of 160+ on the LSAT and a cumulative GPA of 3.5+ will likely
be viewed as competitive statistics.
Are
there specific undergraduate courses required for entry into law school?
There are no specific undergraduate
courses required for entry into law school.
What factors are considered in law school admission?
The top two factors that admission committees consider are your academic record
and your score on the LSAT (Law School Admission Test). Subjective
factors, such as faculty recommendations, extracurricular interests, and work
experience, are also considered by law schools, but they typically do not
compensate for mediocre academic performance.
When should I take the LSAT?
The LSAT should be taken in June (preferably) after your junior
year or on the October test date of your senior year.
Should I take the official LSAT once
for practice?
Absolutely not! When you apply to law school, all of your
official test scores are reported, and many law schools will average multiple scores
rather than taking the highest of multiple scores.
You should, however, become familiar with the LSAT by practicing with sample
LSATs and by using commercial workbooks or review courses. The most
effective preparation is to take practice tests under simulated, timed conditions so that
you become thoroughly familiar with the content, format, and timing of the test.
Your wisest strategy is to prepare vigorously for the LSAT and give it your best
one-time effort.
When should I apply to law schools?
Law school application is made during the fall of the senior year.
Although published application deadlines are often spring dates,
early applicants have a distinct advantage in admission decisions and
scholarship consideration. Submit your completed applications by
the November 1 Early Application Deadline (at most schools) or by mid-November
(Thanksgiving latest).
What about recommendation letters?
Most law schools expect 2-3 letters. You need not solicit
these recommendations until the senior year, but you can begin now seeking out
courses and teachers for whom you are motivated to do your best work.
What's the job market like for
lawyers?
The market for law graduates varies widely depending on several factors:
the law school's ranking, the graduate's rank in class, the area of the country,
the type of law you wish to practice, and so on. In general, the
higher-paying jobs with large city law firms go the the top graduates from
well-known and highly-respected national or regional schools. When
gathering information about law schools, be sure to notice bar passage rates and
the placement results of their graduates.
How much does law school cost?
Law school is expensive. Available financial
resources include low-interest educational loan programs, some federal funding,
and school-specific scholarships (which generally go to the early applicants).
Many law students rely on loans to cover tuition and other school-related costs.
It is not uncommon to incur a debt load of $100,000 for three
years of law school!
Before entering law school, pay off (or significantly reduce) credit
card debt and other forms of consumer debt. Save as much money as possible
to apply toward tuition and related costs. Don't rely on borrowing any
more money than you absolutely must to finance your legal education. Keep
lifestyle expectations consistent with your financial resources -- don't expect
to live like a well-paid lawyer while in law school. Check your credit!
It's easy, inexpensive, and will save you lots of time later. Knowing what
is on your credit report will give you the opportunity to correct any
discrepancies, and could mean a significant difference in student loan rates.
Is it possible to transfer from one
law school to another?
It is possible, but not easy. Law schools make a
commitment and an investment in you by accepting you into their entering class.
They expect a similar commitment from you, and they want you to complete your
legal education where it began. The transfer process is very selective
and, in general, transfer applications are accepted at another school only from
the top students in the law school class. Those students must also have a
very compelling reason to transfer, such as, for example, a spouse's job
relocation or other family issues; special programs offered at a different law
school, etc.
So what should I be doing now as an
undergraduate?
Concentrate on your academic performance! This
factor is extremely important in determining your later options for law school.
Now is the time to correct any academic performance issues. Explore your
interests to determine if law holds a genuine and strong connection for you.
There are, after all, plenty of attractive alternative careers. Keep
informed of upcoming events and important pre-law information by subscribing to
the pre-law listserve -- go to the pre-law homepage (www.smu.edu/prelaw); enter
your SMU email address and click Subscribe. For specific details about pre-law
activities, access the Special Events link on the pre-law website.
CONTACT FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Judy McMaster, Pre-Law Services
Southern Methodist University
PO Box 750272 108 Clements Hall
Dallas TX 75275-0272
214-768-3533 phone 214-768-3056 fax
jmcmaste@smu.edu
www.smu.edu/prelaw
