Applicants must meet the admissions requirements to get into college. Typical requirements involve earning a high school diploma or GED, attending an interview, providing letters of recommendation, and submitting a college application essay.
While the average acceptance rate is 70.1 percent, some U.S. colleges reject over 90 percent of applicants. Anyone planning to become a lawyer, judge, or mediator must graduate from law school, making it crucial they prepare to ensure their acceptance to their dream school. Let’s look at what it takes to get accepted into law school and how you can prepare.
You’ll need an impressive college application.
Once you’re in high school, you’re ready to start thinking about applying to law school. Working with a college admissions counselor is a great way to prepare for your future because your admissions counselor can help you make choices that will improve your college applications.
Once you’re in your senior year, you’ll need to identify the postsecondary institutions you should apply to and write a college essay. Your college application editor will review your essay and provide expert feedback you can use to strengthen your essay. Your counselor will also answer any questions you have about the college application process, ensuring you’re prepared for every step of the process. You can also sign up for a college application review from a former college admissions counselor who can highlight ways to strengthen your application.
You should also pursue extracurricular activities to strengthen your college applications. College admissions boards prefer applicants with varied interests. You can also strengthen your application by serving as a volunteer.
You’ll benefit from acquiring practical experience.
Your admissions counselor can help you identify summer internship opportunities, enabling you to gain practical experience before earning your undergraduate degree. Working in a law firm is a great way to improve your college application and gain practical experience that will help you in law school.
Suppose you get an internship with Nava Wilson LLP. Working with award-winning lawyers such as Malliha Wilson is a great way to learn about the legal industry. Wilson has over three decades of experience, including presenting cases before Canada’s Supreme Court and serving as Ontario’s assistant deputy attorney general. Wilson also works on human rights, Indigenous, corporate, constitutional, and labour law cases, ensuring you’ll get a range of experience with multiple legal specialties.
Completing an internship helps you get into law school because many law schools prioritize applicants with practical experience. Applicants need reference letters when applying to undergraduate and law school programs. Working as an intern is an excellent way to form contacts with professionals who supply impressive recommendation letters.
You’ll need an undergraduate degree.
Aspiring law school students must have an undergraduate degree from an accredited postsecondary institution. It takes four years to earn a bachelor’s degree, and earning a degree from a postsecondary institution with a low acceptance rate, such as Harvard or Stanford, may impress the law school’s admissions board.
You can consider multiple degree options when earning your bachelor’s degree. While it may seem like prelaw courses are the most beneficial, some legal fields require lawyers to have other training. For example, you’ll need to take science or engineering courses if you plan to become a patent lawyer. Additionally, all lawyers benefit from strong communication skills, including written and oral communication skills. Check your state’s licensing requirements to ensure you take required courses while earning your bachelor’s degree.
You’ll need to pass the LSAT.
The Law School Admissions Test (LSAT) is used by almost every law school. Studying for the LSAT will help you pass the test so you can qualify for admission to accredited law schools. The LSAT tests people on their reading comprehension and logical and analytical reasoning.
You must attend law school to earn a law degree. Law schools favor applicants with compelling applications and practical experience. You must earn a bachelor’s degree and pass the LSAT to apply.