Pre-Law Advisor:
David Penna, Professor of Government
Phone:
Office: HMB S235L
This document contains the following sections:
Background
This page gives students some ideas and resources to help them make a decision on whether they should apply to law school or not. If they do decide to attend, they should get individualized advice from a qualified pre-law advisor. I am happy to meet any Gallaudet student interested in going to law school and give individualized advice; please make an appointment with me. Other sources of advice might be the career center or your major advisor.
Frequently Asked Questions
"What Should my major be?"
People with many different majors are admitted to law school. When I earned my law degree my study group consisted of me (a political science major), a former teacher, a nurse, a pharmacist and an artist. Almost any major that you succeed in and enjoy is helpful. More important are what skills you have and can demonstrate. Analytical thinking, strong reading and writing skills, and the ability to stick with a job and produce results are what most law schools are looking for. Any major that encourages the development of these skills is appropriate for law school.
"When should I apply/When should I take the LSAT?"
Most law schools begin the admissions process in the Fall -- one year prior to law school entrance. Most law schools admit new students only in the Fall. It is relatively difficult to transfer from one law school to another. Check the individual law schools for more information.
It is to the applicant's advantage to take the LSAT as early as possible, yet to be as prepared as possible when taking it. DO NOT TAKE IT FIRST "FOR PRACTICE". It is generally good advice to try to take it in the late Spring in the year in which you wish to apply. For example, if you wish to begin law school in the FALL of 1998, you will be applying in the Fall of 1997 so you should have taken it in the Spring of 1997. But many students do not get around to taking until October of 1997. This does not make it impossible to get into law school if all goes smoothly (wonderful LSAT results) but makes it harder if something unexpected turns up (illness on exam day; family emergencies interrupt preparation; poor results, etc).
For details on the LSAT, see the Law School Admission Council website. You can even register on-line for the LSAT in some situations.
"Which law Schools Should I apply To?"
The short answer is one where you will be admitted, succeed and get a good job and live happily ever after. The longer answer is more complicated and involves balancing several factors:
- What are your grades/LSAT results compared to the median for a particular law school?
- Where do you want to practice law when you graduate?
- Do you need the support of significant others/ an ethnic community/ city amenities to survive law school?
- What is your financial situation compared to the cost and aid offered by a particular law school?
- Is there a certain specialization you want to explore in law school?
- Do you feel more comfortable being a big fish in a small pond?
- How good is a particular law school in serving individuals with disabilities?
- How did individuals at the law school treat me when I obtained information or visited the law school?
Perhaps there is no law school that gives you the perfect answer for each question on the list. Each individual's evaluation will differ and will involve trade-offs and balancing of these and other considerations. And you better get comfortable right now with this ambiguity if you are going to spend three years in law school!!
Another good source for pre-law information is the American Bar Association. The American Bar Association is the professional association for lawyers. They have developed an on-line pre-law tool kit that you might find helpful.
Links to Law Schools
Listed below are some web sites for area and other law schools where you can obtain information.
American University
University of Baltimore
Catholic University
University of Denver
(My alma mater)
George Mason University
George Washington
University
Georgetown University
University of Maryland
Howard
University
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