Exploring & Preparing for Law School

Law schools have a vested interest in enrolling not only good students, but good people who they think would excel as lawyers. Below is some information to consider on making yourself a holistically competitive applicant.

Academics

Study what interests you

“The American Bar Association does not recommend any undergraduate majors or group of courses to prepare for a legal education. Students are admitted to law school from almost every academic discipline. Whatever major you select, you are encouraged to pursue an area of study that interests and challenges you, while taking advantage of opportunities to develop your research and writing skills. Taking a broad range of difficult courses from demanding instructors is excellent preparation for legal education.”

A great way to start building knowledge and exposure to legal systems is by taking an undergraduate course taught by the UW School of Law.
Consider how minors can complement what you’ve chosen as your major.

Take courses that involve a lot of reading, writing, research and critical thinking

Core skills, Values, Knowledge and Experience that are recommended by the American Bar Association are:

Problem Solving
Critical Reading
Writing and Editing
Oral Communication and Listening

Research
Organization and Management
Public Service and Promotion of Justice

Relationship-building and Collaboration
Background Knowledge
Exposure to the Law

Maintain a high GPA

Your GPA is one of the many important components of your law school application. Make sure you have a well-balanced schedule that allows you to maintain a good GPA.
Make sure your transcript and grades will also demonstrate academic rigor.

Explore Your Interests

Law schools don’t require you to know what type of law you want to study prior to starting classes, but it can be valuable to have an idea of what topics/issues interest you so you can pick schools that have the best offerings for you. Consider what legal field you want to learn more about and take some classes in these disciplines*:

Type of Law	Course Subjects
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
Sports & Entertainment Law	Business, Communications, Management, Sociology
Tax Law	Economics, Accounting, Finance, Entrepreneurship

*The various disciplines do not indicate what you should major in. Remember, there is no “right” major for Law School. Law School accepts any and all majors. This list suggests classes you could possibly take or explore to learn more about that field. This list does not include all areas of law.

Read about more types of law on the LSAC website.

Outside the Classroom

Participate in extra-curricular activities that interest you

Law schools look for a “well-rounded” student who has participated in activities outside academics. You are encouraged to do volunteer work, community service, philanthropy, and/or an internship during your undergraduate education.
In order to have a significant impact on the law school, the chosen activity should indicate meaningful involvement and not act as a “resume filler”.
To start, consider joining a student organization, volunteering, and/or service learning (Carlson Center).

Get exposure & experience (legal and non-legal)

Get Information

UW Law School JD Admissions offers tours and group Q&A sessions
Look over our Gaining Experience as a Pre-Law Student handout to get started.
Set up career conversations with folks you’re interested in learning from. Talk/shadow with attorneys, other legal professionals, and current law students about their work, path, and journey to where they are now.

Get Experience

Internships/Volunteer work
- This is a great way to get first hand experience in the field you are interested in and what practicing law looks like in a firm.
- It is not necessary to complete a legal internship, since most legal internships are reserved for current law students.
- You’re encouraged to find internships in various areas that relate to your interests.
Jobs
- Common jobs that students get to gain more experience include becoming a legal assistant, legal clerk, paralegal, and/or admin jobs that are in law firms.
- You’re encouraged to also seek jobs that are not legal-related that are be more interest/passion-related. Finding a balance of both can be ideal.
Where to find opportunities
- Handshake
- UW Undergraduate Community Based Internship (UCBI)
- Idealist (non-profits)
- Government Jobs (local government)
- USA Jobs (federal government)
- Indeed and LinkedIn (general job boards)
- Washington State Legislator: offers Washington college students the opportunity to gain paid work experience while studying the state legislative process up close. Please contact a Political Science Academic Advisor for more information.
- The Law Societies and Justice (LSJ) department has compiled a list of prior internship sites of their students.

Assess your values and reflect

If you are feeling stuck with your decision or simply want to talk about the prospects of attending law school with someone, meet with a Career Coach! We can discuss your interests, values, and goals, while helping you decide whether law school is a good fit.