1. I want to go to law school. What should I major in?

2. How many years do I have to go to law school?

3. Can I go part-time to any law school?

4. How do law schools decide whom to admit?

5. When should I apply to law school?

6. To how many law schools should I apply?

7. When do I take the LSAT?

8. What area of law should I specialize in?

9. What will law school test?

I want to go to law school. What should I major in?

With the exception of patent law, where you should probably get an engineering degree, your undergraduate major is not important. What is important is that you do well in whatever major you do choose.

How many years do I have to go to law school?

After your undergraduate degree, law school is usually considered a three-year (90 hour) program for full-time students. It will usually take four or five years going part-time.

Can I go part-time to any law school?

Not all law schools have part-time programs. In Texas, three of the largest part-time programs are at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas Wesleyan Law School in Fort Worth and South Texas College of Law in Houston.

How do law schools decide whom to admit?

Each law school has its own admission standards, but for all law schools two things stand out as the most important: LSAT scores and undergraduate grades. The higher the LSAT score and the GPA, the better chance for admission and the better chance for admission to a prestigious law school. LSAT scores range from 120-180 with the average score being 150. Chances of acceptance to any law school drop considerably with an LSAT score below 150. Chances of acceptance to any law school drop considerably if the undergraduate GPA is more than slightly below 3.0. For a second-tier law school - a good quality law school, but not one ranked in the top 20, you should have a GPA in the neighborhood of a 3.5 and an LSAT of about 160. For a top 20 law school, you will need a GPA in the neighborhood of a 3.75 and an LSAT in the mid-160s. Remember that for students going directly to law school from undergraduate school, your GPA will be based on 3.5 years of college work. Law schools will make their admission decisions prior to seeing the final semester's grades.

When should I apply to law school?

There are a small number of law schools that will admit students in February. However, almost all law schools admit students in September. That means you should apply by the previous January. It is recommended that students spend their Winter Break applying to law school.

To how many law schools should I apply?

I would recommend applying to from five to seven law schools. Try to apply to at least two law schools that seem almost certain to admit you - perhaps a 3 of 4 chance of admission or better. Then apply to one or two other where your chances are more on the order of a 1 of 2 chance. Finally, apply to one or two where your chances don't seem very strong - perhaps a 1 of 3 or 1 of 4 chance.

When should I take the LSAT?

Take either the June test prior to beginning your senior year or the October test in your senior year. At the very latest, take the December test. Remember that you should prepare for the test - either by studying on your own or with a preparation course. Try to do well on the first test. You can retake the test, but most law schools will average your test scores.

What area of law should I specialize in?

For a highly technical area of law such as patent law, you will have to make up your mind as an undergraduate because you will want the necessary technical training as an undergraduate. However, for other areas of law, you do not need to make up you mind until your second year of law school at the earliest. It may be that you will not really know your area of specialization until you get your first job as a lawyer which will essentially force an area of specialization on you.

What will law school cost?

The cost of law school varies enormously. It will depend on whether you attend a public of private law school and whether or not you are a state resident if you attend a public law school.  If your grades and LSAT scores are high, you do have a good chance of obtaining scholarship money from law schools. Most students fund much of their legal education from loans. It is increasingly common for students to be in debt in the neighborhood of $100,000 by the time they finish law school.