High School to Law School: The Ultimate Guide
All rise! Court is now in session!
A lot of my clients come to me with well-formed ideas about what they want to pursue in college, so I decided a series of newsletters addressing some of the more common majors would be helpful. This one is for all of my future lawyers!
For those aspiring to a legal career, it's never too early to start preparing. This newsletter provides insights into selecting the right undergraduate major, engaging in impactful extracurriculars, identifying colleges with strong law school acceptance rates, exploring accelerated 3+3 law programs, and securing scholarships for law school. Plus, more tips and tricks straight from the Magnolia Method! Let’s get started.
Choosing the right under graduate Major
Law schools do not mandate a specific undergraduate major. The American Bar Association emphasizes that students should pursue majors that align with their interests and strengths.
However, certain majors have shown higher acceptance rates into law school: English, History, Political Science, or any major that emphasizes analytical writing, communication, critical thinking, and reading comprehension skills, which are essential for law school success.
I have many successful attorneys as former clients, and they majored in a broad spectrum of things—from engineering to environmental science to finance to the liberal arts! Follow this podcast produced by the Dean of Admissions at UVA Law, Natalie Blazer to find excellent material for any aspiring law school student!
Another great resource is this blog post (while a few years old, still very good advice) by Kristen Mercado, who is assistant dean of admission and financial aid at UC Davis School of Law, King Hall. Ms. Mercado earned her law degree at The University of Chicago.
She emphasizes exactly what I emphasize for college admissions—go deep in areas where you have considerable interests, make great grades in hard classes, nail standardized tests, and be open to attending a school that might not be at the forefront of your list! Great advice from an incredible resource!
high school activities that strengthen law school applications
Regardless of your major, you’ll need to complete the prerequisite courses, typically including:
Biology
Chemistry (General & Organic)
Physics
Biochemistry
Math (Statistics and/or Calculus)
English/Writing
Social Sciences (Psychology/Sociology are helpful for the MCAT)
Additionally, focus on:
Strong GPA & MCAT Scores: Medical schools consider both heavily. Some classes (like organic chemistry) have the reputation of being “weed-out” classes - classes intended to get you to drop out of the pre-med or pre-health track. If this worries you, consider auditing the class at a local community college the summer prior to taking the class at college. This will build confidence and allow you to be your most competitive academically. A low grade can really derail your GPA and imperil medical school acceptances.
Regarding the MCAT: Consider carving out a summer to prepare full-time for the MCAT. Treat the preparation like you would a full-time summer job!
Clinical Experience: Shadowing doctors, working as a medical scribe, or volunteering in hospitals.
Research: Particularly if you're interested in academic medicine.
Leadership & Extracurriculars: Clubs, student organizations, or community involvement. As soon as you get to campus, seek clubs that support pre-med students and join organizations like pre-med fraternities (which can be joined in addition to social Greek organizations). Popular organizations to look for at club fairs include Alpha Epsilon Delta or Phi Delta Epsilon.
Service & Volunteering: Demonstrating a commitment to helping others is key.
advantages of choosing a liberal arts college
When I hear that one of my clients is interested in law school one day, I strongly encourage attending Small liberal arts colleges. These offer unique benefits that can enhance preparation for law school, like:
Personalized Attention: Smaller class sizes allow for individualized mentorship and closer relationships with faculty. Think Letters of recommendation!
Emphasis on Critical Thinking and analytical writing: This boosts LSAT scores!
Active Learning Environment: Discussion-based classes foster engagement and effective communication.
colleges with strong law school acceptance rates
While attending a prestigious undergraduate institution can be beneficial, many colleges have strong track records of law school admissions. Notably, liberal arts colleges often provide rigorous academic environments conducive to law school preparation.
Colleges with high law school acceptance rates:
The University of the South (Sewanee)
When selecting a college, consider institutions that offer robust support for pre-law students, including advising, relevant coursework, and extracurricular opportunities.
If you are attending a large public university, consider joining the honors college or honors program—you will be expected to write more and will likely even be expected to prepare a senior thesis, which you must defend or present to graduate. Great prep for law school!
Also, search for colleges that have relationships with congressional offices like universities in partnership with the Capital Hill Internship Program (CHIP). You will be surprised to see that these are not all super competitive colleges!
Only students from these member institutions are eligible to participate in the program:
Lastly, join pre-law honor societies such as Phi Delta Phi and consider leadership roles within these organizations.
Accelerated 3+3 ba/jd programs
For students committed to a legal career, 3+3 programs offer an accelerated path by combining undergraduate and law school studies into six years.
I do not LOVE these—you have to be willing to forfeit all of the fun of your senior year of college but if you are facing financial limitations, these 3+3 programs can be great! There are many, but these are a few of my favorites.
Notable 3+3 Programs:
University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School: Eligible Penn students with a GPA ≥ 3.4 can apply during their junior year.
Cornell University Law School: Open to Cornell undergraduates and select partner colleges; top 10% class rank or GPA ≥ 3.5 required.
University of Southern California Gould School of Law: USC undergraduates with a GPA ≥ 3.8 can apply in their third year.
University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law: Available to UA law majors with a GPA ≥ 3.3.
DePaul University College of Law: High-achieving first-year undergraduates can enter the 3+3 program.
Willamette University College of Law: Partners with several institutions to offer 3+3 programs.
University of Massachusetts School of Law: Offers 3+3 programs with multiple Massachusetts colleges.
These programs can save time and tuition costs but require early commitment and academic excellence. Be mindful of the sacrifices you will make with this program.
So many parents are reasonably worried about how the changing economy and technological advances like AI will limit career choices for their children.
I found this recent article in Forbes regarding AI’s impact on the legal profession really interesting! Check it out!
Whether you’re a student, parent, teacher, or advisor—you recognize the tremendous benefit of higher education and its impact on shaping one’s future. And no matter your role within this incredibly defining decision-making process, it can be a stressful time for you.
I’m here to be your advisor, organizer, tutor, cheerleader, friend, and compass through this journey. I’ve helped over 2,000 students locate and gain acceptance to the college of their dreams, and I’m so excited to help you, too.
Let’s get to work!
-Allie Pierson, Founder