Students must hold a bachelor's degree from an accredited school to be eligible for a Doctor of Justice (J.D.) program. Law schools don't care what major applicants had as an undergraduate but do encourage applicants to take courses that require writing to help them develop their writing skills. Unlike medical schools that have required course prerequisites, law schools don't have required courses that applicants have to take as an undergraduate before applying to law school. However, taking courses in like U.S. and world history, economics, government, law, taxation and political science helps give students a basic background in government that lawyers are required to know. Taking public speaking courses can also help because lawyers are commonly required to speak in public in front of judges and juries.
The Law School Admissions Test is another prerequisite for law degrees. The LSAT is a half-day standardized test designed by the Law School Admissions Council to test for the elements that are necessary for succeeding in law school. Students that plan on attending law school the fall after their undergraduate education should take the LSAT in the June after their junior year, according to the University of Notre Dame. However, some schools require students to take the LSAT in October of their junior year if they are applying for early decision. Most students take the LSAT once and take ample practice exams to prepare for it. However, some applicants take the LSAT a second time if they score poorly the first time. Law schools only look at a student's best LSAT score.
Students must register with the credential assembly service if they want to apply to law school by visiting the Law School Admissions Council website. The Credential Assembly Service makes the process of applying to law school simpler by having students send in their transcripts, letters of recommendation and evaluations to them. The Credential Assembly Service then sends a summary of these items to law schools along with each student's writing sample. Law schools have no way for students to apply to their schools directly. All law schools in the United States use the credential assembly service.
While there is no minimum GPA required for law school, applicants with higher GPAs tend to get more scholarships and have a higher acceptance rate. GPAs and LSAT scores are not the only factors that law schools look for. Other factors that schools consider include extracurricular activities, community service and employment. One extracurricular activity that law schools love to see is shadowing a lawyer. Shadowing a lawyer helps give applicants a feel for what a day as a lawyer is like. Law schools like to see this because it shows them that you're truly interested in becoming a lawyer and aren't just after the prestige associated with law school. Other extracurricular activities that law schools like to see are joining organizations like debate club. In terms of community service, it doesn't matter what you do as long as you're passionate about it and truly put the effort in to make a difference. Contributing to a school's newspaper is also looked upon favorably because lawyers must have superb writing skills.