2011-2012 Archived Catalog Information

Demand for admission to law school is at a high level; therefore, the admission process is very competitive and standards for admission are high. Law schools consider a variety of factors in making final decisions on who will be admitted; however, the applicant’s cumulative grade point average and the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT) score are two very important indicators. Law schools also wish to assemble in a given academic year a class of students with diverse backgrounds, so that a healthy learning environment will exist.

Unlike premedical programs which are required for admission to medical schools, the concept of a “pre-law” program or curriculum is actually a myth, because law schools do not suggest a single curriculum path as an ideal preparation for law school. Therefore, to say that a student is in a pre-law program simply means that the student intends to apply to law school in the future.

Moreover, law schools do not specify what academic major will increase a student’s prospect for admission. Law schools want students who can think, read and write, and who have some understanding of the forces which have shaped human experience and society. Training in analytical reasoning and writing and in oral and written communications will also be beneficial. These attributes can be acquired in any number of college courses in the social sciences, natural sciences and humanities. What really counts is the student’s capacity to perform well at an academically rigorous level.

The Pre-Law Advising Committee provides Suffolk University students with access to current information concerning preparation for and admission to law school. This is accomplished by each academic department in the College of Arts and Sciences having a faculty member designated as a “Pre-Law Advisor.”