“Why are you interested in law school?”
The law can be a very fulfilling career, and there are many ways to engage with the law other than by being a lawyer. We encourage you to do your research and gain experience to explore whether law is a good fit for you, especially if you are thinking about law school, which requires a significant investment of time and money.
Choosing Your Major (and Concentration)
There are no prerequisite classes or required majors for law school. Choose a major that you enjoy and that draws on your academic strengths and skills. If you decide that you’re “pre-law,” you are signaling that you are interested in 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 to express yourself clearly. In other words, you are already on the path to becoming a successful law school candidate.
When choosing your major, think about
- What you actually enjoy learning. You don’t have to be a political science or history major if you would rather study physics or 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 is important because your GPA is heavily weighted in the admissions process.
- Whether your course work is challenging enough. More challenging course work, especially 300-level courses, which strengthen your analytical skills, 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 Ability
- Writing Skills
- Oral Communication / Listening Abilities
- General Research Skills
- Task Organization / Management Skills
- Interest in Public Service and Promotion of Justice
Ask your academic advisor and the Piper Center’s 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 taking the following steps:
- 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 the daily tasks of attorneys and other law professionals.
- Observe a class at one of the Minnesota 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.
- Visit a law school and attend a class in your home U.S. State.
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 field other than being an attorney, and it’s important to explore before choosing to attend law school. Working as a mediator, crime scene investigator, paralegal, or corrections officer are a few of the many careers available. Before committing to the additional time and expense of law school, consider other opportunities 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:
- Explore experiential opportunities in law
- Prepare to apply for an internship only for St. Olaf students
- Look for an internship or part-time job using Handshake. (Internships don’t need to be in law firms to be valuable!)
The legal fields below are related to the subject matter of particular majors and areas of study:
-
- 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 (2022-2024)
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.
- Discover Law – Information and links from LSAC (Law School Admission Council)
- 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