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Pre–Law Information

Preparation for Law School

The professional training of an attorney requires a minimum of three years from an American Bar Association (ABA) approved law school to earn a Doctor of Juris Prudence (JD) degree. Law school graduates can choose from adoption law, agricultural law, antitrust law, arbitration law, bankruptcy law, civil law, communications law, constitutional law, contract law, corporate and securities law, criminal law, dispute resolution law, employee benefits law, entertainment law, environmental law, family and juvenile law, geriatric law, health law, holistic law, human rights law, immigration law, information technology and privacy law, intellectual property law, international and comparative law, internet law, labor law, maritime law, mental health law, municipal law, native law, patent law, personal injury, poverty law, public interest law, real estate law,  tax law, telecommunications law, trial law, and trust and estate law. This list is frequently updated to be as inclusive and accurate as possible.

There are no required courses or specific major to be admitted into law school. Selection of a major should be based upon an area of interest and not upon consideration of law school. The content of the courses listed below can assist students in developing the skills, values, and a knowledge base that are important to individuals who want to become a competent attorney. Appropriate skills would include logical reasoning, critical thinking, and debate, persuasion, advanced writing, research, and listening and communication skills. Coursework that explores societal morals and values is necessary for developing cultural awareness and appreciation. A general knowledge base of humanities, social sciences, and business academic areas are needed to comprehend the pluralistic society within and outside of the United States. The following courses are but a few that might interest students considering law as a profession.  

  • Accounting (ACCT 215, ACCT 316)
  • Agricultural Education and Studies (AgEds 45)
  • Communication Studies (COMST 101, COMST 102, COMST 218, and COMST 310)
  • Criminal Justice Studies (CJ ST 240,  CJ ST 320, CJ ST 332,  CJ ST 340, CJ ST 341, and CJ ST 402)
  • Economics (ECON 101, ECON 102, ECON 301, ECON 302,  ECON 320, and ECON 321)
  • English (ENGL 302, ENGL 309, ENGL 310, ENGL 313, and ENGL 418)
  • History (HIST 221, HIST 222, HIST 453, and HIST 472)
  • Human Development and Family Studies (HD FS 380)
  • Journalism and Mass Communication (JL MC 201 and JL MC 460)
  • Management (Mgmt 370, Mgmt 371, Mgmt 414, Mgmt 471, and Mgmt 472)
  • Philosophy  (PHIL 206, PHIL 207, PHIL 230,  PHIL 332, and PHIL 334)
  • Political Science (POL S 215,  POL S 235, POL S 319, POL S 320, POL S 420, POL S 421, and POL S 430-433)
  • Speech Communication  (SP CM 212, SP CM 322, SP CM 323, SP CM 324, and SP CM 327)

As students start their preparation for law school, they need to be aware of the following points:

  • All law schools require submission of Law School Admission Test (LSAT) scores. This test is usually taken 12 months before starting law school. ISU students usually score well. A competitive applicant for most law schools will score 155 or above on the LSAT.  Information about the LSAT can be found at www.lsac.org.
  • Contact Bruce Allen, ISU Pre-Law Adviser allenbs@iastate.edu Phone: 515-294-4831
  • Gaining admission to law school is a very rigorous process. Most applicants have a 3.30 GPA and above.
  • Law schools usually ask for three letter of recommendation. It is important that you and your professors, instructors, academic advisers, employers, and volunteer coordinators get to know each other well as they can speak about your skills and characteristics that would make you a competitive candidate for law school.
  • The LSAT score and accumulative GPA make up approximately 60-70% of the law school admission decision. A law school applicant's personal statement, letters of recommendation, and extracurricular activities are the remaining admission criteria that are included in the law school decision making process.
  • Since a personal interview is not usually part of the admission process, students should directly contact their law schools of interest and speak with an admissions representative to have questions answered. Many law schools have a rolling admission policy and students should apply early. Students should also research their law school websites early for scholarship deadlines. 

 The fall semester ISU pre-law seminar class entitled, "Preparation for Law School," is available to all ISU junior and senior students. Membership and participation in the ISU Pre-law Club is beneficial for all ISU pre-law students.