II. PRELAW PREPARATION

One of the best features of pre-legal education is that it contains absolutely no requirements or restrictions. You can major in literally any field and take any course or program offered, and subsequently be admitted to a fine law school and become a topnotch lawyer. The key factor is to challenge yourself to do well. Many Pre-Law students major in government, history or English. This is only advisable if you like one of these areas of study. Those who major in the traditional Pre-Law areas will neither be helped nor hindered in the admissions process. What counts, of course, is how well you perform in your chosen field of study.

A. Academic Record
A strong academic record is very important in the law school application process. Claremont McKenna College has an excellent track record for students being admitted to law school; it is well respected as an academically challenging institution. It is important to demonstrate your capacity for success within a competitive institution. Once again the old adage to "do what you enjoy, and you will do well" appears to hold true. Although a heavy course load does make an impression on admissions officers, it is still more important to take an average number of courses (4 credits) and do your best. Completing your degree requirements, a semester or a year early is not in itself seen as a benefit.

In evaluating a candidate's undergraduate academic performance and resultant undergraduate cumulative grade point average (G.P.A.), law schools look very carefully at the trends in a student's academic record. A student who has earned high grades in a large number of analytic and advanced courses but whose G.P.A. has been lowered by a few low grades in less demanding or introductory courses taken during the freshman year may be regarded as a stronger candidate than the student who has earned a high G.P.A. by taking numerous introductory courses during the junior and senior years. Law schools will tend to forgive a weak freshman year and/or the ravages of the sophomore slump, provided the student shows real strength in the last two years. Law school admissions committees, however, will be concerned about a candidate who shows real strength in the first year and then shows a decline in G.P.A. each successive year.

You may be tempted to take "law-related" courses. While such courses offer students an opportunity to test their academic interest in law, law schools urge undergraduates not to take these courses in such numbers that they prevent them from taking a broad range of courses in the liberal arts. Many admissions officers also advise against taking too many courses on a pass/fail basis. Although there are exceptions, courses taken pass/fail represent one less opportunity to accurately evaluate a student's academic performance. Many times a pass in a pass/fail course is looked at as a "C."

Students frequently ask what effect, if any, study abroad for a semester or year will have on their admission to law school. Some resources indicate that although foreign study itself will not contribute significantly to a candidate's acceptance or rejection, law schools are interested in recruiting students with diverse and enriched educational backgrounds. Students are cautioned, however, to apply to reputable, academically strong study-abroad programs. It is also important to realize that study abroad grades will be calculated into the Law School Data Assembly Service G.P.A. CMC, however, does not calculate them into your overall CMC G.P.A.

B. Work/Internship Experience
Although a law-related work experience or internship is not a requirement for law school admission, such "hands on experience" offers students an opportunity to test their interest in law. This type of position may involve real responsibility in a legal environment: interviewing clients and gathering salient facts, legal research, writing memoranda, counseling, and negotiation.

Employment in a job not law related may play a role in an admissions committee's decision if such work shows significant entrepreneurial ability or involves situations where employers have given the applicant real responsibility in a company's operations. If a student has found it necessary to work in order to pay for college tuition or expenses, it is important to bring it to the attention of the admissions committee. Demonstrating maturity in accepting responsibility for college expenses and learning to balance employment and academic commitments can have a positive impact on an admissions officer.

C. Extracurricular Activities
Law schools neither require nor are impressed by long lists of extracurricular activities. However, admissions committees are looking for significant leadership ability and activity, and a commitment to something other than a high undergraduate G.P.A. Whatever the activity it needs to indicate meaningful community involvement, leadership, and responsibility in order to have a significant impact on the admissions process.

Note of caution: We wish to warn Pre-Law students not to make choices concerning courses or majors, work or internship experiences, and extracurricular activities simply to impress law school admissions committees and thereby improve one's chance of admission. It is impossible to second-guess admissions committees. There is disparity among law schools about the comparative weight put on a candidate's academic and extracurricular accomplishments. Admissions committees have the unnerving tendency of changing their criteria from year to year. Remember: Do what you feel comfortable and happy about doing. If you are interested in what you are doing, you will be successful.