Law School Misconceptions

“So, you want to go to law school with a marine biology degree?” is the initial response I hear after telling people that I am applying to law school. I am told this so frequently that apparently most people are uninformed about the current process. The misconception of needing to have a specific major is only one of many circulating in society. Even the idea that a person will always get into a law school is no longer accurate. The law world has changed and unless you are interested in the process most people haven’t noticed.

The first misconception of law school is the idea of a pre-prescribed major. This may have been the case in the past but not today. In fact, the current trend favors applicants with diverse majors. Research shows that the highest LSAT scores come from students with science backgrounds not political science or history. Law is about logic and interpretation so studying a discipline which requires those, and thus the ability to comprehend a multitude of information, is an advantage. Law schools also accept a variety of applicants with previous careers ranging from engineering to accounting. No longer is it the norm for a pre-law major to expect they are predestined to get into law school.

Another misconception is that when I say I want to go to law school it should not be assumed that I will to go law school. Often friends comment on my “great” future and me going to law school. I am honored that they think so highly of me, but I have to be honest and admit there are no guarantees. The application pool is very competitive and there are no assurances that I won’t be the 707th person chosen at school that is only taking 706. No dean of admissions will contend that getting is easy for their applicants. It takes time and sacrifice to shape the perfect personal statement and sit for hours studying for the LSAT, all of which must be the best work you have ever done.

Prep books and law school literature are loaded with statements about how your application is not complete without an above average LSAT score, personal statement and GPA. Any attempt to compare the law school admission process to the standard collegiate one is a fallacy. Whereas many universities take up to 70% of applicants, most law schools take less than 45%. Where applying to college relies heavily upon your SAT score, your LSAT score is only one of many elements. Preparing a competitive application takes months of dedication. It must be the product of a constant desire to excel and accept nothing less than perfection. So yes, I want to go to law school, but no, I might not go to law school.

When my father went to law school in the 70’s there were not personal statements and it wasn’t nearly as competitive as it is today. Admission workers constantly identify the strenuous nature of the process. So where am I at? I took my LSAT in February and how I did will play a large role in deciding where I apply and hopefully go. It is unrealistic to set my heart on one school because even the greatest minds get rejected from Harvard. Currently, I am keeping my fingers crossed, working on my personal statement, and anxiously waiting for my score. It’s a extensive sequence that I am tediously and meticulously maneuvering.