08/01/2012Best College Majors And Activities For Aspiring Law School StudentsBy Shauna C. BryceAs a career advisor for lawyers, I sometimes field questions from aspiring lawyers (or their parents). One of these frequently asked questions is: What are the best college majors and activities for law school preparation?
Many assume a program focused on the basics of the American legal system, combined with public speaking or student government activities, are the best preparation for law school. But while it’s helpful to know a bit about public speaking, the legal system, its basis, history, and functions before attending law school, that pre-training during college isn’t necessary for admission into law school or for success as a lawyer.
What’s far more critical is a student’s pre-training in thinking like a lawyer.
And this brings us to an open secret: the primary mission of law school is to teach students to think like lawyers, not to teach substantive areas of law. If you carefully review the websites and promotional materials of law schools, you’ll see explicit and implicit evidence of this mission. Moreover, if you spend a lot of time—as I do—talking to experienced attorneys about hiring, mentoring, and keys to success, then you’ll hear this theme over and over.
The best majors and activities for college students to prepare for law school and for success after, therefore, are ones that pre-train in the elements of thinking like a lawyer.
So what types of college majors help build these skills? Many people think of American history, English, economics, political science, and international relations, and those are indeed good choices. But any rigorous discipline can be a good choice. There are successful attorneys who spent their college years focused on mathematics, computer science, engineering, physics, philosophy, languages, music, dance, and more.
And what types of activities help build these skills? People think of student government, debate team, student newspapers, and the like. But again, any rigorous discipline can be a good choice. There are successful attorneys who spent years focused on the competition and performance in the arts and athletics, developing creative entrepreneurial skills, or committing to mission-driven activities. Nearly any activity can help students develop the skills critical for achievement in the workplace, if those activities are taken to master level. After all, it takes no more self-discipline to become a lawyer than it does to become an Eagle Scout or a master chocolatier; it’s simply a matter of applying that self-discipline in another context.
In the real world, lawyers of many different backgrounds can find their niche. And so instead of just focusing on the substance of a major or activity, also consider the transferable skill sets that major or activity builds.
Shauna C. Bryce, Esq. practiced law and served on a law firm hiring committee before starting Bryce Legal Career Counsel, a boutique offering resume writing and other career services for lawyers. She’s also the author of the acclaimed “How to Get a Legal Job: A Guide for New Attorneys and Law School Students.” She can be reached at scbryce@brycelegal.com and her website is http://brycelegal.com/ 4 CommentsGinny Ruder on Thursday 08/02/2012 at 08:39 AM Excellent article. As a game with HS or freshman students I give out cards with a bunch of job titles, Lawyer, Doctor, Journalist, Professor, CEO and ask them to think of a major that that profession typically has...they realize it really could be any major. From that point we discuss how to get exposure and experience in the workplace to help make decisions. Donna Czeck on Tuesday 08/07/2012 at 07:36 AM Frequently my junior high and high school students tell me they want to be a lawyer "because I like to argue" or because someone (usually a parent) has told them that since they argue frequently this would be a good profession. This article will be helpful in further explaining the context and reality of being a lawyer. Often times I find that our students have a misguided image of professions because there source of information is from Hollywood. Thank you for this well-written article debunking some career myths. Shauna C. Bryce, Esq. on Monday 08/13/2012 at 08:44 AM Thanks very much for the feedback! I'm so glad you all found the article helpful. Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in the comments shown above are those of the individual comment authors and do not reflect the views or opinions of this organization.
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Bob Robinette on Wednesday 08/01/2012 at 11:35 PM
We have a lot of high school students who state an interest in becoming lawyers. I like the way this explains the real challenge is learning to think critically and follow through, not what specific supporting degrees a person might earn.