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Pre-Law, Pre-Health, and Pre-Pharmacy at St. Mike’s

Pre-Law Resources

On-campus opportunities:

Pre-law exploration resources:

In addition to the resources in the links below, the Boucher Career Education Center can help you connect with alumni working in various legal professions.  Make an appointment using Handshake to learn more.

Preparing for law school:

Law schools do not recommend any one major as a prerequisite for admission, so you should consider creating your own educational program that will challenge you to develop critical thinking, research, and communications skills.

The American Bar Association says that “students are admitted to law school from almost every academic discipline.  You may choose to major in subjects that are considered to be traditional preparation for law school, such as history, English, philosophy, political science, economics or business, or you may focus your undergraduate studies in areas as diverse as art, music, science and mathematics, computer science, engineering, nursing or education.  Whatever major you select, you are encouraged to pursue an area of study that interests and challenges you, while taking advantage of opportunities to develop your research and writing skills.  Taking a broad range of difficult courses from demanding instructors is excellent preparation for legal education.”

In the past, Saint Michael’s students have found that a major in English, history, philosophy, or political science works well to provide pre-law preparation, but other majors or minors could also be useful.

You may also consider:

  • Internships, job shadowing, part-time jobs, campus activities, and pre-law events.
  • Positive relationships with faculty members who could provide a reference.
  • Learning about the variety of career opportunities related to a degree in law.

Choosing a law school:

Considering talking with your faculty advisor or pre-law advisor about which law schools would be a good match for your interests.  You might also factor in: programs that meets your particular interests (for ex., environmental, trial, corporate, etc.), location, cost, alumni network, potential for admission, and reputation.

Use these links for more information:

Law school application steps & timeframe:

You may submit applications by late November the year before you plan to attend law school.  Many law schools have application deadlines in the spring, but use a rolling admissions process and begin evaluating applications for admittance and scholarships in the fall.

There are four primary components of your application: LSAT score, letters of recommendation, personal statement, and transcripts.

To begin, you should set up an account with LSAC, which you will use to register for the LSAT, and with LSAC Credential Assembly Service (CAS), which you will use to apply to law schools.

​LSAT

  • Register for the LSAT in the summer or fall of the application year.
  • The LSAT score is the most critical piece of your application so give it the attention that it deserves.  You should plan on a minimum of 2-3 months to prepare for the test.
  • Applicants have been successful using both self-study and test prep courses.
  • Choose a test date that is early enough to give you a second option if you need it.  You may want to retest depending on how the first test goes.

Letters of Recommendation

  • When you put your recommenders’ names and information into your LSAC CAS account, it will generate specific recommendation letter requests for those individuals.
  • Request letters of recommendation in the spring or early fall of the application year.
  • Consider recommenders who can comment on our ability to succeed in law school based on your work with them.

Personal Statement

  • Writing a compelling personal statement is essential.  It gives the admissions representatives a sense of your motivations and strengths as well as the experiences and perspectives you would bring to a law school cohort.
  • Include a focus on your interest in law school, life and educational experiences that have inspired you to attend law school, and the skills and interests that would make you a good candidate for law school and a career related to law.
  • Give yourself enough time to revise your statement so that it best reflects you and your interest in law school.  Your pre-law advisor or faculty advisor can provide assistance with your personal statement. Make sure that you follow each law school’s guidelines in this and other sections, including around the use of AI.

Transcripts

  • After you enter your institutions into your LSAC CAS account, it will generate a specific transcript request form for that institution.  This form must accompany the transcript to LSAC – make sure that any institutions sending a transcript send the form as well. (Some institutions do electronic transcript submissions.)
  • Request your official transcripts from the Registrar after you finish the last full semester before you submit your application.  For example, if you are a junior planning to go straight through to law school, then you will be applying the in fall of your senior year and you can request your transcripts as soon as you complete the spring semester of your junior year.
  • Be sure to also obtain transcripts from other institutions you have attended: community college courses, summer courses, transfer institutions, study abroad, and college courses taken while still in high school.

Financial resources:

A strong application, excellent grades, and a competitive LSAT score will help with financial support for a legal education.  You may use the ABA Required Disclosures to identify schools where you will be a strong candidate.

Financial aid resources: