“Why are you interested in law school?”
Because law school requires a significant investment of time, money, and commitment, it is too expensive to use to explore careers or fill a gap after you graduate from college. We encourage you to do research and gain experience to explore whether law is a good fit for you and your career goals.
Choosing Your Majors and Concentrations
There are no prerequisite classes or required majors for law school. You should choose majors and/or concentrations that you enjoy and that you can do well in. By designating yourself as “pre-law,” all you are doing is signifying that you are preparing yourself for the legal field by developing skills through classes, extracurricular opportunities, jobs and internships. As a St. Olaf liberal arts student, your education is designed to give you a broad base of knowledge and the ability to think analytically and express yourself clearly. In other words, you are already on the path to becoming a successful law school candidate.
When choosing your majors and/or concentrations, think about….
- What you actually enjoy learning. You don’t have to be a political science and history major if you would rather study physics and environmental studies. (In fact, there is a demand for lawyers with a background in the sciences.) Furthermore, if you choose to study subjects that you actually like, you will probably excel more readily. Doing well academically – i.e. 300 level courses- is important because your GPA is heavily weighted in the admissions process.
- Whether your course work is challenging enough. More challenging course work will better prepare you for the demands of law school.
Choosing Your Courses
The American Bar Association suggests that you use your coursework to develop these skills:
- Analytic / Problem Solving Skills
- Critical Reading
- Writing Skills
- Oral Communication / Listening Abilities
- General Research Skills
- Task Organization / Management Skills
- Public Service and Promotion of Justice
Ask your academic advisor and the pre-law advisors for more help in finding classes that will develop the skills you need for law school.
You can begin exploring the law and law school by:
- Talk to as many attorneys as you can through informational interviews.
- Take a course to explore a topic in the legal field.
- Join a student organization related to your area of interest such as the Pre-Law Student Association or Mock Trial. These opportunities will help you make connections not only to law professionals, but also to other pre-law students at St. Olaf.
- Volunteer at a law office or seek a summer internship to gain experience and to explore to the daily tasks of attorneys and other law professionals.
- Observe a class at one of the local law schools (the University of Minnesota Law School, the Mitchell Hamline School of Law, or the University of St. Thomas School of Law) by contacting the admissions department.
You can start learning about the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) by attending a Pre-Law workshop, researching the test online, and/or exploring the LSAT preparation materials available in the Piper Center.
There are many careers in the legal industry in addition to becoming an attorney, and it’s important to explore before choosing to attend law school. Working as a mediator, crime scene investigator, paralegal, and corrections officer are a few of the many careers available. Before committing to the additional time and expense of law school, consider other opportunities that exist in the field of law
The best way to determine if law is the right career path for you is to gain some experience in the field. You don’t need to work at a law firm to get relevant experience. Many experiences relate to law in some way.
Some ideas you may want to explore are:
- Volunteer with an organization that works with legal issues through the U of M’s Center for Community-Engaged Learning.
- Explore experiential opportunities in law, prepare to apply for an internship only for St. Olaf students, or look for an internship or part-time job using Handshake. (Internships don’t need to be in law firms to be valuable!)
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- Business (Corporate Law)– Entrepreneurship, Finance, Management
- Civil Rights Law– Law, Societies and Justice, Ethnic Studies, History, Political Science
- Criminal Law-Psychology, Political Science, Sociology
- Education Law– Education, Higher Education, Early Childhood & Families
- Employment & Labor Law– Law, Societies and Justice, Policy, Political Science, Economics
- Environmental Law– Environmental Science, Biology, Geography, Civil Engineering
- Family & Juvenile Law-Psychology, Sociology, Early Childhood & Families, Social Work
- Health Law– Public Health, Biology, Biochemistry, Health & Human Sciences, Psychology
- Immigration Law– Law, Societies and Justice, History, Ethnic Studies, Diversity, Political Science
- Intellectual Property Law– Computer Science, Electrical/Mechanical Engineering, Business
- International Law– International Relations, Languages, Political Science
- Real Estate Law– Business, Management, Communications, Psychology, Economics
- Sport & Entertainment Law– Business, Communications, Management, Sociology
- Tax Law– Economics, Accounting, Finance, Entrepreneurship
Diversity & Demographics (NALP Research)
Occupational Outlook Handbook– Lawyers
American Bar Association Employment Data (2021-2023)
These resources explain what you can do with a law degree, connect you to Oles in Law, explain common areas of employment and salary details, as well as provide additional information about law school.
- Law School Toolbox: Law School 101 – Includes resources, blogs, a podcast, tutoring and courses for people considering law school.
- Thinking About Law School – Information and links from LSAC (Law School Admission Council)
- Career Opportunities in the Legal Field – other careers related to law in addition to becoming an attorney
- What Can I Do With a Degree in Law? – Includes areas of law, types of employers, and information/strategies for pursuing careers in various areas, as well as law specialties or practice areas to consider
- National Association for Law Placement (NALP) – In-depth research and statistics on legal employment and salaries
- Oles in Law (LinkedIn search link) – to connect and network with St. Olaf law alumni
- Law School Transparency Score Reports – Allows applicants to easily compare employment scores and industry details from specific schools