Does it matter what your undergraduate degree is for law school?

Asked by: Kurt Sanford  |  Last update: September 7, 2023
Score: 4.6/5 (29 votes)

Unlike medical school, which requires certain prerequisite courses, law school doesn't require that you major in anything specific or take certain classes before applying. Your LSAT score and your GPA are the key determining factors in law school admissions.

Does your undergraduate major matter for law school?

Undergraduate Education

The ABA 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.

Do law schools prefer BA or BS?

While law schools prefer a bachelors degree, students can achieve law degrees without one. California law schools don't require a BA or BS to apply for admission, Glendale University College of Law says. The state accepts that not everyone can afford the time or money for a four-year undergraduate degree.

Do law schools look at undergraduate or graduate GPA?

Many factors will impact the success of your law school application. Outside of your LSAT score, one of the most prominent ones is your undergraduate GPA. This can be a frustrating reality if you have not received the grades you would have liked. Additionally, once you graduate, your undergraduate GPA is set in stone.

Does your university matter for law school?

There are thousands and thousands of successful lawyers in the country who graduated from lesser-known schools. In the end, your reputation for hard work and good character will matter more than the ranking of your school.

Does my undergrad degree matter for law school? | LSAT Demon Daily, Ep. 114

28 related questions found

Do law schools prefer certain majors?

Unlike medical school, which requires certain prerequisite courses, law school doesn't require that you major in anything specific or take certain classes before applying. Your LSAT score and your GPA are the key determining factors in law school admissions.

What GPA do law schools like?

Among the 191 ranked law schools that submitted grade data to U.S. News in an annual survey, the average median GPA of entering law school students in 2021 was 3.55. But at the 20 highest-ranked law schools, the average median GPA is much higher – 3.86.

What is the easiest law school to get into with a low GPA?

15 Easiest Law Schools to Get Into Based on GPA
  • DePaul University College of Law – 3.20.
  • Howard University Law School – 3.24.
  • University of Baltimore – 3.25.
  • Vermont Law School – 3.25.
  • University of Idaho College of Law – 3.25.
  • Akron Law School – 3.28.
  • Creighton University Law School – 3.29.

What is a good law school GPA 1L?

The list. No mandatory curve; 3.1 to 3.3 mean for 1L courses, except First-Year Rhetoric. 3.25 to 3.45 mean for most upper-level courses.

Can you get into law school with a 2.7 GPA?

So generally, if you're trying to get into the top schools, a GPA below 3.6 will be considered low. But to answer the question what GPA do you need to get into law school, any law school, then the answer is at least a 2.5. That is realistically the lowest GPA you can have to get into law school.

What do most lawyers get their bachelors in?

Here are a few of the best college majors for law school:
  • History. By studying history, you can develop an understanding of how certain laws and regulations were developed. ...
  • Political science. ...
  • Psychology. ...
  • Criminal justice. ...
  • English. ...
  • Economics. ...
  • Philosophy.

What bachelor's degree do most lawyers get?

Bachelor's in Criminal Justice

Criminal justice is a best degree for lawyer work because law and criminal justice studies overlap. A bachelor's degree in this subject serves as good preparation for a law degree. Here's how. A good lawyer course focuses on case study and interpretation.

What is the most popular law degree?

Juris Doctor

Most individuals who are lawyers in the United States have the Juris Doctor (JD) degree. The Juris Doctor degree is not only considered the first law degree in the United States but is also the most well-known and one that's offered through the American Bar Association.

Do law schools like double majors?

Law schools typically consider all application materials holistically, taking into account all of your experiences and qualifications. However, no particular additional weight is given to a second major. As a general rule, is more effective to have a higher GPA with one major, than to have a lower GPA with two majors.

Do law schools like finance majors?

Finance. Another undergraduate major that can prepare students for law school is finance. Similar to economics majors, finance majors often learn extensively about the policies that impact how people use money.

Can I get into law school with a bad undergrad GPA?

It is possible to get into law school with a low GPA by overshadowing it through extracurricular experience, a high LSAT score and a stellar grad school application.

Is a B+ a bad grade in law school?

That means a B+ is the median grade at that school. However, in law school the number of people that must fall at or above that grade is not fully determined yet. Rather, the bulk of exam scores will fall exactly at the median, and the professor determines how many grades will deviate from that.

Is a 3.92 GPA good for law school?

An Undergraduate Degree: The median accepted GPA is 3.92. LSAT/GRE Scores: The median accepted LSAT score is 168.

What is a low GPA for Harvard law?

As you can see from these numbers, an LSAT score of 170 or higher and a GPA above 3.75 will give you a chance of gaining admission to Harvard Law School. If you have a GPA of 3.94 or higher and above a 175, you are pretty much a lock for admission, particularly given the class size of ~560.

What is the lowest LSAT score accepted at Harvard?

Law schools generally require that you have specified minimum collegiate GPA and LSAT scores to qualify for admission. Harvard, Yale, and the other top five-ranked law schools require that you have a GPA of at least 3.50 and an LSAT score of 170.

What law school is the hardest to get accepted?

The 12 Hardest Law Schools to Get Into
  1. Yale University. With an acceptance rate of just 6.9%, it's no wonder that Yale is the hardest law school to get into. ...
  2. Stanford University. ...
  3. Harvard University. ...
  4. University of Pennsylvania. ...
  5. University of Virginia. ...
  6. Columbia University. ...
  7. University of Chicago. ...
  8. University of Southern California.

What is the average LSAT score for first time takers?

Data Summary. The average LSAT score for first-time takers was 151, according to scores tracked from 2006-2013. During this period, second-time test takers had the highest LSAT average score of about 152. The average national LSAT score for full-time, first-year JD enrollees for fall 2022 was about 159.

What is the average debt for law school students?

Data Summary. The median cumulative debt amount among law school graduates was $160,000 in 2020. A little under half (44%) of law students still had undergraduate loans when they started law school in 2018. Roughly two-thirds of recent law graduates reported high or overwhelming stress over finances.

What majors have the lowest GPA?

Science majors tend to have lower GPAs on average, with chemistry being the major with the lowest average GPA. Meanwhile, education majors earn the highest GPAs on average. Why this disparity?

How hard is law school compared to undergrad?

Studying. Law school typically has a heftier work load than undergrad. You should treat it like a full-time job, dedicating at least 40 hours (or more) to reading and studying each week. And you should make sure your study and time management skills are up to snuff too.