Choosing a College Major on the Path to Law School
By Monique Atkinson, Associate Law School Consultant
It is the start of September, and many first-year students are finishing orientation while others return to the classroom. For first and second-year students, a new question has emerged. The same thought may also be arising for returning students who have recently discovered their legal interests and are considering a change in academic focus.
In my time as an admissions officer, the question of what major to select as a prospective law school student came up quite often – it is another of the few inquiries with an easy, uncomplicated reply: pretty much, whatever you would like.
In law school admissions, your major is more context to understand your passions, academic preparation, areas of interest, and pathway to law. While you should take the decision seriously, there are not more preferable majors or those that will prohibit you from being a fantastic law school applicant.
Why? In the (albeit, paraphrased) words of my former boss and previous Associate Director of Admissions at Harvard Law School, “The world needs lawyers from all backgrounds because there is not one type of lawyer, so it stands to reason that there is not one kind of law school student, and there is not one kind of law school applicant.”
The law needs engineers, musicians, political scientists, economists, nurses, and journalists. It needs accountants and physicists, nutritionists, and sociologists. The law impacts all fields.
Having a variety of academic perspectives in legal education enriches the learning environment. Developing a class of students with varied academic backgrounds is also one of the ways that law schools allow students to develop a broad and nuanced understanding of legal concepts, as students learn from one another as much as they learn from their professors.
However, as you prepare to select your major – knowing that you can study anything doesn’t help to narrow it down. So, how do you choose?
A note on common majors
I could provide a list of the most common majors for students interested in law school, but I do not consider that to be the best use of our time (and it already exists… in quite. a few. places.) What is, is not what has to be. An area of study being typical does not make it right for you. I do not want you to do anything solely because other people are doing it. What you study is not as important as why.
Part of the reason that students select common “pre-law” majors is the intersection of interest areas and skillsets. If you are interested in law, you may be more interested in questions of government and policy or you may be more inclined towards social science analysis.
Also, the majority of the common majors expose you to significant academic reading, research, and writing – all very important in preparing for the law school academic environment. In general, choosing to study one of the “typical” undergraduate majors for prospective law school students will allow you to explore the general intellectual tools you will employ as a 1L and beyond.
However, many majors will allow you to gain experience with critical reading and writing if you are intentional. For example, depending on your institution, you can plan to pursue independent research in a range of majors, you could pursue a social science minor, join an academic journal, or explore writing-heavy internship and research opportunities.
It is important to confirm that you will enjoy the foundational skills that law school requires. However, there are some other important steps you can take to discern the best major for you.
1. Do some soul searching and envision the years.
This step is fun and fairly simple. Think about what you ENJOY doing.
Think about what is motivating you toward law. What communities do you want to work with? You should understand the systems that you want to change. Is it education? What about the media? Entertainment? Healthcare?
Gaining expertise within the field that you want to impact with your law degree is another great way to define your goals while you are an undergraduate so that you can apply legal knowledge from the law school classroom to an established background.
It will also be helpful to begin imagining your path to law school. Do you plan on pursuing professional experiences before your JD? Maybe you want to earn another degree or participate in community-based service before your legal education. What might you want intermediate years to entail? Consider the academic skills you might need between your present and your destination.
This process will be iterative and may shift as you move through your undergraduate experience – but this allows you to center your short and long-term vision for the future.
2. Take advantage of the first-year curriculum, explore broadly, and challenge yourself.
If you are not quite sure, you are not alone. Many folks are still trying to figure out their path, even after undergrad (and that is ok). A helpful next step is to use your first-year curriculum, to see if you enjoy the particulars of various fields. What is the difference between your experience and thinking in political science vs. sociology? Who are the faculty you have most enjoyed in your first year? If you are enjoying certain classes – dive deeper. What are the higher-level courses and electives?
As a student interested in sociology as an undergrad, my heart actively skips when I think about courses like the Sociology of Mental Illness and Contemporary Debates in Sexualities Research that drove me to adopt a minor in the field. As a journalism major, I was excited at the prospect of studying Race and Gender in Media and Media Criticism in my later years. Law school admissions offices do want to see that you were dedicated to your studies and took opportunities to challenge yourself – that will not be nearly as stressful a task if you love what you study.
As a reminder, while your major is not the most central element of your law school applications – academic rigor, the courses you select within your major, and other elements of your academic experience are part of the review process. Do your best, lean into intellectual curiosity in the ways that excite you, and challenge yourself. Those factors matter a lot more to admissions officers than your particular degree.
3. Talk to people.
You should connect with your academic advisors, career advisors, faculty, and current students. Your advisors will have examples of the paths that students at your institution took toward law and what specific opportunities you may want to consider both within and outside of your studies. They will work with you over the years to plan your pathway. You do not have to do this alone.
Also, you do not have to be a pre-law major to join a campus pre-law organization. Connect with your classmates, hear about their experiences, and how they decided on their path. We learn from each other's pathways – you also may have insights that your pre-law community can learn from. Support one another as you grow as students.
Finally, do not forget alumni! Your institution has an alumni office that can connect you with graduates who may be currently in law school or who may be practicing attorneys. If you come across someone you admire, take a look at their pathway on Linkedin, or depending on your institution, on your alumni database. There are many ways to gather insight beyond a phone call, coffee, or Zoom chat (though I recommend connection - we have a lot to learn from those who came before us!)
Final Thoughts
In the end, there is no wrong decision for an undergraduate major. As long as you were intentional in crafting your path, your major will inform your experiences and add to the complexity and vibrance of your law school application. And when you do get around to applying, we’re here to help! Happy studying!