There is no such thing as a pre-law degree. Choose an undergraduate major in which you can get excellent grades, because your undergraduate GPA is very important when applying to law school. A well-rounded liberal arts curriculum with courses in psychology, political science, language, economics, sociology, and history is sometimes recommended. If your ability to write and speak standard English needs work, take remedial courses in writing and speech.
Plan on taking the LSAT (Law School Admissions Test) at the end of your junior year. Studying for this exam is not needed because it is an aptitude test. Peruse old LSAT exams to get a sense of what the exam will cover. Take a practice exam if you need help in taking tests, but do not take the LSAT more than once. Law schools generally average the scores of multiple tests, and do not take the highest score.
While the applicant's LSAT score and GPA are important, letters of references are required. These letters from your college professors and former employers should attest to your ability to handle the law school curriculum. Getting into law school is a lot of work; the competition will be strong. Plan ahead and visit several law schools.
South Texas College of Law is a private, nonprofit institution in Houston. It offers a part-time program for students who want to take classes at night. A part-time student may take as long as five years to complete the course of study. Entering students in the fall of 2006 had a GPA of 3.04 to 3.57.
The University of Houston Law Center has a four-year part-time program. This law school requires students to have a bachelor's degree, as do all other law schools. Houston Law Center not only requires a strong GPA and LSAT score, but gives consideration to many other facets of a student's background, including education, experience, ethnicity, advanced degrees, and other facets of your life.
St. Mary's University in San Antonio, founded in 1852, is a Catholic liberal arts institution. St. Mary's School of Law has a part-time evening program and was named a "2010 Best Value Law School" in the U.S. by preLaw magazine.
Texas Wesleyan School of Law is in the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area, giving students the chance to intern with prestigious law firms. The school has flexible scheduling, making it possible for students to choose a part-time schedule with day or evening classes.