Law, Preparatory

Course Work

Pre-law students are encouraged to challenge their thinking and reasoning skills by pursuing a rigorous and diverse undergraduate program. There are no specific course requirements or recommended majors. Students are urged to choose a major in which they are truly interested and will do well in academically, since the grade point average plays a significant role in the admission process. Suggested courses are those that help develop analytical and logical reasoning skills, composition skills, public speaking ability, understanding of human nature, knowledge of business and the economy, and an understanding of historical contexts.

Pre-law students should develop a foundation of basic skills and values through educational and life experiences which will prepare them to become competent law students and legal professionals. Those seeking to prepare for legal education should develop a command of the English language, and acquire the ability to read with understanding, to think logically and critically, and to perform research and analysis competently.

The Advising Center, Pennington Student Achievement Center, Suite 405, offers a pre-law careers resource library including the Law School Admission Council Official Guide to U.S. Law Schools.

Application Process

Most law schools require that you subscribe to the Credential Assembly Service (CAS). The CAS prepares and provides a report for each law school to which you apply. Information contained in the report includes: an undergraduate academic summary; copies of all undergraduate, graduate, and law school/professional school transcripts; LSAT scores and a writing sample.  CAS also provides a Letter of Recommendation Service.  For more information visit: http://www.lsac.org .

All accredited law schools in the U.S. require their applicants submit scores from the Law School Admission Test (LSAT). The examination is given four times a year and ideally should be taken no later than the fall when submitting one’s application.

Law schools evaluate applicants according to many criteria, including academic performance, LSAT scores, the personal statement, extracurricular activities, overall accomplishments, and letters of recommendation. One should plan to apply to law school in the fall, one year in advance of the intended date of enrollment.

In assessing applicants, the University of Nevada, Las Vegas –Boyd School of Law looks to:

1. Academic Accomplishments: To assess an applicant’s academic accomplishments, the committee considers such factors as undergraduate GPA, trend of college grades, difficulty of the student’s course of study, the quality and grading pattern of the student’s undergraduate institution, the extent of work or other activities engaged in while in college, the date of the undergraduate degree, graduate studies, and performance on the LSAT.
2. Nonacademic Accomplishments: The committee will consider evidence of significant accomplishments in extracurricular activities, employment, military service, and community service.
3. Individual Background: The committee will consider the applicant’s state of residency; cultural, ethnic, racial, and socioeconomic background; and evidence of significant handicaps overcome by the applicant. The committee will also consider any past history of criminality or academic misconduct.