香蕉秀

Before you begin researching law schools or preparing to apply, take some time to decide whether law school is right for you.

First, think about your career goals. If you plan to practice law, then by all means apply to law school. But a law degree is not necessary for some law-related fields, so听 to find out more about the profession you intend to enter.

Joining a law-related student organization can be a great way to determine or enhance the level of your interest in law. The听听and the听听present panels each year on different aspects of the legal profession and the law school admission process.听 The听听team offers the opportunity for intercollegiate courtroom competition.

Consider the financial implications of a law school degree. While some careers in the law can be very lucrative, salaries vary considerably depending on your career path. Learn more about before applying.

If you plan to apply to law school, it鈥檚 never too early to start thinking about how to strengthen your application and make yourself an attractive candidate. Here are some strategies.

Choosing a Major

Law schools are interested in candidates from every discipline. The American Bar Association states that 鈥�.鈥� So you should choose a major that you鈥檙e interested in, as opposed to a major that you think will 鈥渓ook good.鈥� It is your performance, much more than the specific courses you have taken, that will determine your attractiveness as a law school applicant.

That being said, if you want to prepare for the rigors of law school, choose courses that will develop your analytical and writing skills as part of a broad liberal arts background.听 With this in mind, Boston College does offer a variety of law-related courses that may be useful for students considering law school, even if they do not provide any direct advantage in gaining admission.

These fall into three broad categories:
Note: These are just a few examples of the many number of courses available at Boston College!

to view current pre-law course recommendations.

Skills Useful for Law School
In addition to analytical and writing skills, pre-law students benefit from developing their skills in analytical thinking, public speaking, debating, Latin, accounting, and finance.

• COMM 1030 Public Speaking
• COMM 1105 Elements of Debate
• CLAS 1010 Elementary Latin
• ENGL 4412, 4579 Writing Workshops
• MFIN 1021 Basic Finance
• PHIL 2264 Logic

Substantive Areas of Law and Legal Reasoning
If you want to know whether you will find the practice of law interesting, exposure to one or two substantive law courses can be helpful in making your decision.

• BSLW 1021 Law I: Intro to Law and Legal Process
  BSLW 1022 Law II: Business Law
• BSLW 1147 Constitutional Law
• BSLW 6674 Sports Law
• POLI 3521 International Law
• POLI 2386 Civil Liberties

Courses about Law and the Legal System
The courses described here can make you a stronger law school applicant by improving your skills and enhancing your understanding of the law and how it works.

• POLI 2327 U.S. Constitutional Development
• COMM 4472 Race, Law, and Media
• INTL 5563 Ethics, Religion, and International Politics
• SOCY 1030 Deviance and Social Control
• SOCY 1140 Legal & Illegal Violence Against Women
• HIST 1715 Citizenship, Immigration, & Belonging in the U.S.
• HIST 4442 U.S. Immigration History

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Participating in Activities and Internships

Over time, get more deeply involved in fewer extracurricular activities. Take opportunities to lead. Research projects, public interest programs, and business experiences are all valuable in building your skills and reflecting an engaged, problem-solving attitude.

Visit the Career Center鈥檚 internship page to learn more about how to secure an internship opportunity and to learn about where 香蕉秀 students interned previously.

Consider joining the student pre-law organizations at Boston College, the and the .

For more information about preparing for law school, see the .

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Enroll in our听Law School Application Prep Mini-Course on Canvas

This mini-course is designed to guide you听through key steps required for the law school application process. You can choose to follow the order听of the modules or to select the modules that are most helpful given where you are in the process.

Ready to apply to law school? Here are some steps to help you strengthen your application and get into the best possible school.

The LSAT

The is the standardized test of record to apply to law school. The LSAT is generally offered nine times per testing year (June-May). Students and alums applying to law school are encouraged to take the LSAT in the summer before the fall in which they apply. Please view the video for further information on preparing for the LSAT and the exam timeline.

There is no one way to study for the LSAT. There are a number of services and resources open to you, including 香蕉秀 Test Prep Courses, the and the .

Note that an increasing number of law schools, though not all, now accept the in lieu of the LSAT. for a list of law schools that accept the GRE.

The personal statement

Your law school personal statement needs to do two things: it needs to tell the law school something about you, and it needs to, in some way, answer the question 鈥淲hy do you want to go to law school?鈥� The statement should be roughly two pages long and should be clear, concise, and compelling.

Law schools will also ask for a series of supplemental statements, many of which are optional, including diversity and other statements. If you have something to say that adds to your application, we recommend writing a supplemental statement. For more information, please view the video and view the How to Write a Personal Statement section below.

Letters of recommendation

Most law schools ask for two recommendations from people who recognize your strengths and understand your goals. Make an appointment to meet with your recommenders, and bring copies of your resume and/or work that you have done in their classes.听Let them know why you are asking them to write for you and where you are applying, and review the points you would like them to cover. Also, make sure they know your timeline for completing your application, and give them plenty of time to meet your deadlines.

Resume

While the resume doesn鈥檛 take the place of the application form, it gives you the opportunity to highlight specific details and experience. Include a section on related coursework and research papers. For most law schools, you don鈥檛 have to restrict your resume to a single page.

Character and fitness questions

Some schools may require a Dean鈥檚 Recommendation or Dean鈥檚 Clearance of your academic and disciplinary standing. However, most will ask you to answer questions about your academic and disciplinary standing yourself, in the Character and Fitness section of your application. Applicants must follow strict guidelines for candor and could jeopardize their applications if the standards are not met. See Full Disclosure on Disciplinary Issues below for details.

A&S students and alumni may submit the forms to the Office of Student Services, Lyons Hall 103 or via fax to (617) 552-4975. Carroll School of Management students submit forms to the Associate Dean. Questions? Send an email to听studentservices@bc.edu, call (617) 552-3300, or stop by the Office of Student Services in Lyons Hall.

Transcripts

香蕉秀 students and alums who are applying to law school should request that their transcript be sent to the Law School Admissions Council in the Agora Portal. Click here for instructions.

Your transcript is an essential part of your Report that is submitted with your application. Please allow at least several weeks for your transcript request to process.

LSAC and law school admissions professionals expect you to acknowledge and explain any disciplinary penalties you have received during your years at Boston College.

Please visit the Dean of Students听website and click the button in the top right corner, 鈥淩equest My Record,鈥� to see what the Office will report. To learn more about the Office of Student Conduct鈥檚 record-keeping policy, please consult section 5.7.6 of the 香蕉秀 Student Guide. Remember, for law school applications, it is always your obligation to disclose all disciplinary infractions or incidents if you are asked to do so.

Generally, it is better to report all infractions--when in doubt, disclose. Failure to report honestly and openly can often be considered a much more serious offense than the original incident itself.

In reporting an offense, first read the question being asked carefully, as each law school will pose the question in a different way. Then, you should state the facts clearly, briefly and succinctly, take responsibility for the error in judgment, and indicate what you learned from it. Minor, common disciplinary issues like alcohol violations ordinarily will not be held against you, particularly if they are not repeated, and your willingness to own up to them may be perceived as an indication of strong character.听

For more serious violations, you may want to contact the Office of Student Conduct (studentconduct@bc.edu) and the pre-law advisor about preparing your explanation. If you have any doubt as to whether a disciplinary action must be reported, you should check with the pre-law advisor.