OVERVIEW
No specific course of study is required for admission to law school. Most law schools, including all in Ohio, require a Bachelor's degree for admission. The Bachelor's degree may be from any discipline or college at Kent State University.
Law schools emphasize the value of reading comprehension, analytical reasoning skills, and a solid command of written English. While these skills can be developed in various ways, a general liberal arts background is recommended, although other fields such as business can be successfully pursued. Courses in American history, government, English and logic are considered especially valuable. Many pre-law students chose a major in political science, history, sociology, psychology, economics, philosophy, English or communications. A Bachelor of General Studies degree is suitable if carefully planned. Business majors such as accounting and finance are also popular among pre-law students. Regardless of the specific major, upper division courses beyond minimum college requirements are recommended. Because many law schools now offer joint degree programs, you may wish also to meet requirements for graduate admission.
PRE-LAW MINOR
The pre-law minor is designed to provide a background for the study of law through challenging coursework that reinforces and extends the liberal arts foundation gained through the Liberal Education Requirements, provides advanced analytical and writing skills, and introduces the student to the social and governmental structures that underlie the law. This minor may be combined with any major field of concentration.
The pre-law minor may be of value to the student not only as a minor but also as a guide to fill in major requirements, to aid in selecting electives, to devise an individualized major, or to develop a Bachelor of General Studies.
Three cautions need to be made regarding the pre-law minor. First, be flexible, because completion of the pre-law minor certainly does not assure acceptance to law school. Second, materials in law related courses will be covered in a more analytic approach in law school. Third, consider the value of all courses chosen in case one does not attend law school.
Current pre-law minor curriculum (on page 224)
PREPARING FOR THE LAW SCHOOL ADMISSION TEST (LSAT)
The score on the LSAT and the overall undergraduate grade point average are the two most important factors in determining law school admission, and most law schools give equal weight to the LSAT and the GPA. The LSAT is thus a critical factor in the law school admission process; a high LSAT score is essential for serious consideration at top ranking law schools, for compensating for a lower grade point average, and for obtaining merit scholarships.
Preparation is essential for the LSAT. The first step is to go over the descriptions and questions in the LSAT & LSDAS Information Book which is available free in the Political Science Department. Then you can make an initial determination about how much additional assistance would be helpful. Useful and inexpensive preparation materials are available through Law Services, the company that administers the LSAT. These materials include previous copies of actual LSATs, available for $8 each; The Official LSAT SuperPrep, with three actual LSATs with answers and explanations for $28; and various books containing ten actual LSATs for $30. All of these resources are described in and can be ordered through the LSAT registration booklet or online at http://www.lsac.org; materials are substantially cheaper when ordered online. Other study guides for the LSAT are on sale at the University Book Store and other book stores for prices varying from $25 to over $50.
Various LSAT preparation courses are offered, and these range in price from a few hundred dollars to well over one thousand dollars. Kent State University offers a LSAT preparation course through the College of Continuing Studies which currently costs $240. The course is taught by Professor Michael Byron of the Philosophy Department and is offered before the LSAT exams in June and October. Other courses are offered by the University of Akron, Cleveland State University, and a variety of commercial companies including Stanley Kaplan. Information on the various LSAT prep courses can be found on the pre-law bulletin board on the third floor of Bowman Hall outside the Political Science Department.
Most students take the LSAT about one year before planning to attend law school. Ideally, a student should take the LSAT during the June administration between one's junior and senior year. This is the only time the test is offered when classes are not in session, and thus maximum attention can be given to the LSAT. The test may be repeated, and the highest score will be used by law school admission committees.
WHERE TO APPLY
Admission to law school is currently very competitive. If your GPA is below 3.0, your choice of law schools will be somewhat limited unless you have a superior LSAT score. At the top ranking law schools, a 75th percentile ranking on the LSAT and 3.5 GPA are considered minimal qualifications for application. Some state schools give preference to the residents of their state. The easiest admission schools seem to be lesser known, private law schools. While law schools give primary consideration to GPA and LSAT scores in their admissions decisions, they also seek to recruit a diversified student body and thus consider such factors as unique work experiences, significant public service activities, outstanding extra-curricular achievements, and
minority group membership. Most law schools accept only for fall admission, but a few may admit for sessions beginning in the spring or summer.
BE REALISTIC in choosing schools to which to apply. Apply to a number of law schools in different ranges of difficulty including at least one or two in which you are relatively sure of acceptance. The best source of information on admissions standards is the ABA-LSAC Official Guide to ABA-Approved Law Schools, which contains descriptions of and admissions standards for each ABA accredited U.S. law school. This book is available from Law Services for $24; an order blank is in the LSAT registration booklet, it can be purchased at most bookstores, and it can be ordered online at http://www.lsac.org.
Some factors to consider in applying to schools are the school's admission profile, cost of tuition, living expenses and application fee, reputation of the school, availability of desired programs, size of the school, location, and where you would like to practice law.
WHERE TO GO FOR MORE INFORMATION
A student considering law school should seek advising from the pre-law advisors in the Political Science Department or in the student's major department Kent State University?s official pre-law advisors are Professor Tom Hensley of the Political Science Department (330-672-8939 or e-mail thensley@kent.edu) and Professor Michael Byron of the Philosophy Department (330-672-0273 or 330-672-2315 or e-mail mbyron@kent.edu).
The Political Science Department, 302 Bowman Hall, also has available LSAT information booklets, LSAT scores and law school admission decisions on Kent State students, a file of law school catalogs, rankings of law schools, and general informational materials on pre-law and law school. A bulletin board for pre-law is located on the third floor of Bowman outside the Political Science Department
The pre-law club, Phi Alpha Delta, sponsors various law-related programs. It is open to any student interested in law, and it holds meetings twice each month. Meeting times, places, and programs are posted on the pre-law bulletin board and over a pre-law listserv open to all students.
Finally, Kent State sponsors annually a mock trial team for which students can earn academic credit. Students interested in mock trial should see Professor Hensley.
PHI ALPHA DELTA: NATIONAL PRE-LAW CLUB
Students intending to go on to law school are encouraged to become members of Phi Alpha Delta. The organization elects officers, holds regular meetings, and sponsors social and academic activities throughout the year. Interested students should contact Dr. Tom Hensley, Pre-Law Adviser, 302 Bowman.