It is wholly unnecessary to decide whether you wish to study law before starting college in the U.S. You can pursue law school at any time.
I only started thinking about law school in my junior year of college, and like many applicants I applied to law school during my gap year after graduation.
Of course, if you are headed to college with a strong interest in becoming a lawyer, then you already have a head start on setting yourself up for success.
As a first-year college student thinking about applying to law school, consider the following advice to position yourself well in the law school admissions process:
— Focus on your grades.
— Choose a major that prepares you for your legal career.
— Find extracurricular activities to develop your skills.
— Look into summer opportunities.
Focus on Your Grades
Undergraduate GPA is one of the most important factors
in law admissions.
[READ: How Law Schools Evaluate an Applicant’s Grades]
Law schools don’t just fixate on this number alone. They look at your whole transcript and consider factors like the classes you took, the difficulty of your major, your undergraduate institution and any circumstances that impeded your performance.
There are many ways for law school applicants who stumble academically in college to compensate for low grades, especially those earned early on when many students are still finding their bearings. But it’s a lot simpler to avoid stumbling altogether.
So as a prelaw student, earning high grades should be your top priority. Take advantage of the support and academic resources offered by professors, administrators and peers. Choose classes that suit your strengths and stay alert to signs that you should drop a class or seek extra help.
Choose a Major That Prepares You for Your Legal Career
Few colleges have a prelaw major; aspiring law students can study any field. Popular majors among law school applicants include political science, economics, history and English.
Whatever you choose to study, look for classes that show relevant academic skills like reading, writing, reasoning and oral communication. Consider a program that would ultimately allow you to assist professors with research or complete a thesis or research project of your own.
One exception to note is that the patent bar requires the completion of either a bachelor’s degree in a scientific field, or substantial coursework or experiences that demonstrate knowledge of science or engineering. If you are interested in intellectual property law regarding patents, check the requirements of your state bar and target law schools.
[Read: Plan for Law School During Each Year of College]
Find Extracurricular Activities to Develop Your Skills
Extracurricular activities can be one of the most meaningful and formative experiences of your college career, providing unmatched opportunities for personal development.
The range of organizations you encounter in college likely dwarfs the number of clubs you had in high school, so take time to explore your options. If by the end of your first year you’ve found the places where you feel excited to volunteer, then consider this time well spent.
As a college freshman, you may be taking on grunt work in a student organization. But you can use your first year to plant the seeds for a leadership role in the years ahead.
Look Into Summer Opportunities
Naturally, law schools appreciate internships or work experience that showcase law-related skills. Examples might include working at a law office, interning in government, doing advocacy work for a nonprofit, researching for a professor or analyzing intelligence as a ROTC cadet.
However, what law schools care about most is that you are using your time well, demonstrating your maturity and capability to handle rigorous work. The specifics might depend on your personal situation, which is one reason law schools look beyond your resume to your essays and letters of recommendation to see you as a whole person.
[How Summer Internships Can Help Law School Applicants]
An applicant who spends every summer as a paralegal may look better on paper than one who waits tables, but what if the latter applicant is a caregiver who needs a flexible schedule and steady paycheck? Perhaps that waiter practiced relevant skills, like time management and communication under stress, while the paralegal just made copies all day.
Rather than obsess over landing a summer internship that sounds impressive, focus on making the most out of your summer plans. If you thrive in your position, your boss may give you a stellar recommendation letter. Ideally, a law school candidate should have at least one recommendation letter from a direct supervisor or employer outside of school.
Above all, in your first year of college, don’t forget to pace yourself. Moving to campus can be a rough transition that poses unexpected social, personal and academic challenges. There will be plenty of time ahead to study for the LSAT and prepare your applications.
In your first year, just try to lay the groundwork for success in college with good habits, a solid support network and reasons to feel excited on campus.
More from U.S. News
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What Aspiring Lawyers Should Know About Prelaw Majors
Why a Big Academic Research Project Can Boost Your Law School Application
Tips for First-Year College Students Interested in Law School originally appeared on usnews.com
