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Pre-law Listserv

The Pre-law Advisor offers a listserve for students interested in receiving information and updates for students thinking of going to law school.  Typical information might include announcements from law schools of new programs, information on speakers or admissions recruiters coming to campus, offers from LSAT prep organizations, and reminders concerning applications timetables. If you would like to subscribe to the listserve, go to http://mail.unc.edu/lists. In the box, enter "prelaw_advising" and select "Visit." Select the "About" tab and subscribe at the next screen.

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    Pre-Law at UNC

    There is no prelaw major at UNC. Any major is fine as long as it is academically rigorous. As a prelaw student, you should have certain goals for your undergraduate education -- you should acquire good oral and written communication skills as well as good listening skills, you should learn to think analytically and critically, and you should learn to read and synthesize large amounts of materials.

    Whatever major you choose, challenge yourself. Try to take honors courses when possible. Take a full course load, keeping twelve-credit semesters to a minimum.  Attempt honors in your major if possible.

    Good writing skills are essential in law school and in the practice of law. Law school is not the place to learn these skills. All students will benefit from taking a writing course such as English 305. You are also encouraged to take your research and other course papers to the Writing Center, located in the SASB Building, for assistance and guidance. The Writing Center will work with you to help improve your writing skills. The Center's phone number is 962-7710. You may also request help with your writing by contacting the Writing Center at http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb.

    While there is no prelaw major, certain courses may be useful in preparing you for law school. None of these courses is required for Law School, and we do not recommend that you take many law-related courses -- one or two are adequate.  Check the Undergraduate Bulletin or with the departments to determine any prerequisites or restrictions.

    Suggested courses include:

    • Business 404 (Legal Environment of Business)
    • Communication Studies 113 (Public Speaking)
    • Communication Studies 171 (Argumentation & Debate)
    • English 305 (Advanced Expository Writing/Law)
    • English 304 (Advanced Composition/Business Writing)
    • History 581 (American Constitutional History to 1876)
    • History 582 (American Constitutional History since 1876)
    • Journalism 340 (Introduction to Mass Communication Law & Ethics)
    • Philosophy 155 (Logic)
    • Philosophy 280 (Morality & Law)
    • Political Science 45 (An Introduction to the Nature & Function of Law)
    • Political Science 416 (Constitutional Policies & the Judicial Process)
    • Political Science 410 (Constitution of the U.S.)
    • Political Science 411 (Civil Liberties under the Constitution)
    • Political Science 415 (Criminal Law)
    • Public Policy 101 (Making American Public Policy)
    • Public Policy 201 (Introduction to Public Policy Analysis)
    • Public Policy 220 (The Politics of Public Policy)
    • Statistics 151 (Basic Concepts of Statistics & Data Analysis)

    Just as law schools do not have a preference as to your major, they generally do not care if you double major or if you have a minor. Again, what law schools care about is that you take academically rigorous courses and do high-quality work.

    Law schools do not look favorably upon a lot of pass/fail grades in your transcript. You should limit these.

    Studying abroad for a semester or a year will not greatly affect your chances of admission to law school. Law schools are, however, interested in students who have diverse educational backgrounds. Additionally, bilingual attorneys often have a competitive edge. If you plan to study abroad, do so only at a reputable program that is academically rigorous.

    Working for a lawyer or similar legal experience may be useful in assessing your interest in being a lawyer, but in general will not significantly affect your chances of admission to law school. If, however, you do something exceptional in such a job or internship, that experience may help you be admitted. You should do well enough during your internship to obtain a letter of recommendation from your supervisor. To learn more about opportunities to intern in a legal environment for academic credit, contact University Career Services.

    While law schools do not require students to participate in extracurricular activities while undergraduates, law schools do look favorably on leadership skills and community service in their applicants. You should not participate in an activity just for your resume, but instead undertake such an activity only because you have a true interest in it.

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