Babson doesn't have a formal pre-law program. However, a Babson education is good preparation for law school and for legal careers. The law faculty is always willing to help students with the process of deciding whether law school may be for them and with the application process. Come see us-we're glad to help.
In thinking about law school, you'll need to do some research. The process itself involves finding the right mix of schools for you, registering, preparing, and taking the LSAT, preparing your application, and then hopefully, deciding where you want to go and how to pay for it. The best place to start your search is the web site of the Law School Admission Council (LSAC). If you're serious about law school, you'll be spending a lot of time at this site.
Law school is only partially a path to a specific career. Many graduates become attorneys in private practice. Other graduates work as attorneys for corporations or government agencies. Still others work in the business functions at corporations or in investment banking. Others use their legal education to go into politics, and still others use their degrees in social or political activism. If law school is what you are thinking about, how do you find out if it's the right path for you? After all, it's three years of hard work and generally an expensive investment. It's better to know before you go.
There are lots of ways to find out. Talk to people who are lawyers now. Find out what they do, and whether they are happy doing it. Talk to law school admissions offices. Take tours of law schools and ask to sit in on a law school class. Babson's CCD has lists of alumni contacts who are currently lawyers. Baylor University has an excellent web discussion of the issue at: Do I Want to Go to Law School?
Unlike medical schools, there is no prescribed course of study or set of majors that are expected from undergraduates. Law students come from all majors. A Babson education will be very useful in law school, as you'll have a practical understanding of the way the world of commerce works. You should major in whatever you like the best. When you do so, you'll be happy and your GPA will reflect your level of interest in your major subject. The American Bar Association has an official statement on Preparation for Legal Education that you may find useful.
Internships in law firms are not easy for undergraduates to find, as most firms prefer to hire law students. However, some corporate law departments hire interns, as do some small law practices. You'll likely be doing non-legal work, but you'll see how the offices actually work and what lawyers there do. You should also consider internships with politicians or for government agencies, both at the state and federal levels. Another possibility is interning for an advocacy organization. While the work is often unpaid, the experience of working toward social or political change can be invaluable.
Should you work for a few years before going to law school, or go straight from college? The answer depends on your skills, interests, and needs. Many law students work for a few years before applying to law school. Sometimes, the added maturity and skill gained from working will really help you succeed in law school. Sometimes the financial stability really helps. Other students have the focus, drive, and motivation to go for three more years of study directly from their undergraduate education.
There are about 200 law schools in the United States, so narrowing the choices is an early task for every applicant. You can use several criteria to narrow your search.
Unfortunately, there's no substitute for research in selecting possible law schools. One of the best ways to gather information about law schools is to attend a Law School Forum. The Boston forum is November 2, 2002. The LSAC web site has the details. Plan to go. There will be informational seminars on applying to law schools, financing schools, and choosing schools. Admissions reps from many law schools will be there, handing out information and answering questions.
In choosing your target law schools, think about the time-honored strategy of having a stretch school, reasonable bets, and a safety school. You may decide there is one particular school you'd like to attend, or even that if you don't get in to your top choices, you'd rather wait a year or two and try again. However, the trade off between the schools you want, and the ones you think would want you is an important part of the process.
When you've done your own assessment, come see one of us on the law faculty-we're happy to talk this over with you, and may know of a school you haven't yet considered.
The LSAT is a key component to the process of going to law school. Unlike the SAT test, the LSAT is a one-time event for most people. Law schools tend to average the scores of multiple attempts, so you get one chance to do as well as you can. The test is scored from 120-180, with 150 being the average score.
If you want to go to law school, you will need to take the LSAT no later than December of the prior year. You may also take the test in October or June for admission for the following September. Most full-time programs start only in September, so these deadlines are important. Find the deadlines, registration requirements, test dates, locations, and preparation information at the LSAC web site. Take the sample tests available there.
You should prepare to take this test. Some people prepare by using the information available at the LSAC and commercial review books available in bookstores. This is the minimum you should do. If you are disciplined and diligent, it works. If you need more motivation or help, there are several test preparation companies happy to help for a price. Kaplan is the best known review course, but Princeton Review also runs well-respected review courses.
Once you've narrowed down your list, you can begin the application process. There are several steps, all of which involve the LSAC.