Prelaw programs can be found at 4-year colleges and universities. There are many majors available that offer a concentration in prelaw, although there are few that focus purely on prelaw.
Schools with Prelaw Programs
These schools offer bachelor's-level programs that prepare students for law school. Many of these programs are supplementary in nature, and students in a major relevant to law can find guidance that will help ready them for a law program.
| College/University | Location | Institution Type | Degrees Offered | Tuition and Fees (2015-2016)* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cornell University | Ithaca, NY | 4-year, Private | Bachelor's | $49,116 |
| Kansas State University | Manhattan, KS | 4-year, Public | Bachelor's | $9,350 in-state; $23,429 out-of-state |
| Miami University | Oxford, OH | 4-year, Public | Bachelor's | $14,287 in-state; $30,987 out-of-state |
| Saint Joseph's University | Philadelphia, PA | 4-year, Private | Bachelor's | $42,180 |
| St. Cloud State University | Saint Cloud, MN | 4-year, Public | Bachelor's | $7,814 in-state; $15,732 out-of-state |
| University of Dallas | Irving, TX | 4-year, Private | Bachelor's | $35,800 |
| Carroll University | Waukesha, WI | 4-year, Private | Bachelor's | $29,535 |
| Seattle University | Seattle, WA | 4-year, Private | Bachelor's | $39,690 |
| New York University | New York, NY | 4-year, Private | Bachelor's | $47,750 |
Source: *National Center for Education Statistics
School and University Selection Criteria
There are a multitude of factors to include when choosing a school, including but not limited to the following:
- Prospective students should look for programs that offer core legal courses that prepare students for the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT), and programs should cover the areas of reading comprehension, analytical reasoning and logical reasoning.
- Prospective students may also want to evaluate the extracurricular activities a school offers, such as debate and political science societies and clubs; these may prepare students for real world applications of their education.
- Some programs may offer shadowing or mentoring opportunities, as well as internships.
- Many prelaw programs offer advising to students to help them prepare for law school.
Prelaw Program
The American Bar Association encourages undergraduates from a variety of majors to enter the legal profession. Since prelaw isn't typically offered as a major, consulting faculty advisers is a crucial part of choosing an appropriate slate of prelaw courses.
Prelaw programs that focus on reading, writing, politics, history and government are likely to provide students with an excellent foundation for law school. Programs with numerous elective choices in law, such as constitutional law, international law, administrative law, contract law, legal writing and research methods, could help provide students with the necessary background to pass the LSAT and thrive in law school.
Students who are interested in prelaw programs should look for schools that offer courses that prepare students to take the LSAT. Many programs also offer extracurricular activities and advising to prelaw students.
