The largest and most significant part of your law school preparation is your undergraduate coursework. You have four years in which to ready yourself for the academic rigors of law school. If you take your coursework seriously, study hard and produce quality work, you'll be ready for anything that law school may throw at you.

What should I major in?

• You can major in anything you'd like. There is no pre-law curriculum and there is no major that will give you a strict advantage over any other major. Choose something you have an intrinsic interest in. You want your coursework to be interesting, stimulating, and, yes, fun.
• Choosing a major you like has added benefits. There is a strong correlation between students' grades and their interest in the subject matter. Put simply, students do better in courses they like. You'll also be a better thinker, a better writer, and a more knowledgeable person if you have fully engaged with your coursework.
• Choosing a major you like also provides you with a built-in safety net: you may choose not to go to law school. If you change your mind about law school, having a major you like under your belt will carry you one step further into a career you'll like.

What about a minor?

• Much like a mini-major, and usually a little over half the number of units required for the major, minors provide another concentration in a particular area of study. Whether or not a student chooses a minor will depend upon her/his individual circumstances.
• A student who has chosen to pursue a Bachelor of Arts degree will probably have plenty of room in her/his academic program for a minor. Usually the Bachelor of Arts degree has fewer courses required in the major department; therefore, the student will be able to take more courses outside the major department. The philosophy behind the Bachelor of Arts degree is that a person will become intellectually well-rounded, taking classes from a breadth of disciplines.
• A person who has chosen a Bachelor of Science degree (or a professional bachelor's degree such as a Bachelor of Music or a Bachelor of Fine Arts, for example) may not have room in her/his academic program for a minor. Usually the Bachelor of Science degree has more courses required in the major department. The philosophy behind the Bachelor of Science degree is that the person will become more of a specialist.
• The basic rule for choosing a minor is the same as for choosing a major: choose something you like and do well in it.

So I can take anything and it won't matter?

No, not exactly. What you take for coursework as an undergraduate matters very much. In fact, pre-law students have a tremendous burden of responsibility for planning their coursework wisely, a much higher burden than that shouldered by other students, including other pre-professional students. Unlike your counterparts in pre-med, for example, no one will tell you which courses to take and no one will tell you when to take them. You will structure your academic program based upon your individual skills and needs.

Here are some general guidelines to follow:

1. Law schools are biased in favor of the liberal arts.

Law schools look favorably upon students who have had a broad base of coursework in the liberal arts. Our legal tradition is a product of our society's historical and philosophical traditions. Therefore, successful students will have a fundamental understanding of U.S. history and of western philosophy. The law is firmly rooted in economic and political context. Therefore, successful students will have a working knowledge of economic structures and of political and governmental structures. Clearly, then, courses in history and philosophy and economics and political science are good choices.

2. Legal work is about how people behave and interact.

Students need to be grounded in theories of human behavior, both at the individual level and at the community or societal level. Courses in anthropology, psychology, and sociology provide this kind of information.

3. Law schools expect no background in the law.

Some colleges and universities have pre-law programs, which may be labeled majors, minors, or concentrations. Almost all colleges will have law-related courses. These courses are not necessary as background for success in law school. Every law-related course a student takes is one fewer course he or she can take in other areas, and law schools are inclined to look less favorably upon a transcript full of law-related courses. Law schools expect that a law school student will get her/his legal education in law school, not prior to entering law school. One exception: students who are uncertain about whether or not law is of interest to them are advised to take at least one law-related course as exploration.

4. Law schools look for particular skills.

• Law schools expect that students will be able to read and understand extraordinarily large quantities of information. Law schools expect that students will be able to think critically and to reason through problems. Law schools expect that students will be able to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.
• Students also must be able to research efficiently.
• Courses in the humanities and social sciences, particularly history, literature, and philosophy, often require a heavy reading and writing load as well as assignments requiring critical analysis.
• Courses in logic, mathematics, and the natural sciences also train a student in analytical thinking.
• Certain communication courses emphasize written and oral communication, and research opportunities can be found across the curriculum.

So how do I integrate all of this?