Preparing for law school and choosing your major
Whatever major you choose, make sure you do a few things to prepare yourself for law school. Take some courses that will help you develop a critical understanding of the human institutions and values that the law deals with. In addition, try to develop a broad understanding of social, political and economic institutions within a historical framework. There are several ways to do this at WSU Vancouver.
- The general education curriculum (UCORE) includes courses organized around basic exploration of these topics.
- Most majors in the humanities (political science, sociology, psychology, history, English, philosophy, foreign languages, etc.) include courses dealing with human values, institutions and behavior.
- Take elective courses; all majors at WSU Vancouver have room for elective courses that can serve as pre-law preparation.
- Develop your powers of creative and critical thinking.
- Build strong oral and written communication skills.
Your major should help you prepare not only for admission to law school but also for an alternate career. Admission to law school is competitive; WSU students have excellent placement records, but not everyone gets in.
If you haven't decided on a major yet, start by taking UCORE requirements. Along the way, you can explore various academic disciplines and work on developing skills in reading, writing, analytical and critical thinking, and task management — these general skills will benefit you in any major and are also good foundational skills for law study.
The bottom line: Choose a major you enjoy and can do well in. Your overall academic record is important — and the more you enjoy your studies, the better your grades will be.