Undergraduate students interested in legal careers sometimes ask “.....what should I major in if I want to go to law school? Is Political Science a good major?”

Neither the American Bar Association (ABA), the Law School Admission Council (LSAC), nor any of the nation’s top law schools recommends a specific undergraduate major, pointing out that the nation’s top law schools admit students from almost every academic field.  What they recommend instead is that pre-law students select a major that best inspires and sustains their academic interest, as well as develops key skills. These include skills in analysis and problem-solving, critical reading, writing, oral communication, general research, and task organization and management. The ABA and LSAC also recommend acquiring the following types of knowledge: a broad understanding of history; a fundamental understanding of political thought and of the contemporary American political system; basic mathematical and financial skills; an understanding of human behavior and social interaction; and an understanding of diverse cultures, institutions, and issues both within the United States and internationally. Because of the breadth of these recommended skills and knowledge areas, LSAC cautions that a narrowly based or vocationally oriented major may not be the best preparation for law school.

FGCU’s Political Science major is well suited for developing these diverse skills and areas of knowledge. So if you intend to someday apply to law school and you have a strong interest in politics, international relations, and political thought, Political Science is an excellent major for you.

You can obtain additional information on how to select an undergraduate major and to prepare for law school by visiting the American Bar Association’s and Law School Admission Council’s pre-law webpages at http://www.abanet.org/legaled/prelaw/prep.html and www.lsac.org/pdfs/2006-2007/ThinkAboutLawSchool2006.pdf. 

For detailed information about preparing for a career in law, the general timeline for law school preparations and applications, the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) and Law School Data Assembly Service (LSDAS), and choosing a law school and financing your law school education, the following online resources developed by the University of Florida and University of Miami law schools will be helpful:

• The University of Florida’s Pre-Law - Frequently Asked Questions webpage http://www.advising.ufl.edu/information/faq/prelaw.html

• The University of Florida’s Pre-Law Handbook http://www.advising.ufl.edu/ohlpa/hbcov.html

• The University of Miami’s Pre-Law - Frequently Asked Questions webpage http://www.as.miami.edu/advising/PrelawFaqs

• The University of Miami Law School’s Law School: 29 Critical Questions to Ask Today http://www.law.miami.edu/admissions/29questions.html

LAW SCHOOL APPLICATIONS AND ADMISSIONS - 2006

THE NATION’S TWENTY MOST POPULAR PRE-LAW MAJORS*