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Academic AdvisingPre-Law Advising ProgramPre-Law Home | Choosing a Major | Applying to a Professional Program Pre-Law Society | Pre-law listserve | Announcements/Events
Schedule a pre-law advising appointment
Few law schools list specific undergraduate courses as pre-requisites for admission. Therefore, the student considering law school can major in virtually any department within the university.
A student who is “undeclared” about an academic major initially, but who has indicated a pre-law advising track, will clarify his or her academic interests through regular conversations with his or her advisor. The student will declare a major in one of the regular four-year degree programs offered within the university. If a student has a specific interest, such as environmental law, the student should strongly consider selecting an academic major in that area. Students interested in law school may decide to complete the philosophy of law minor. This minor program is described under the Department of Philosophy.
Pre-law advisors maintain continual contact with law school admissions offices and will assist any interested student with questions about curriculum, financial assistance, application procedure and the law school admission test (LSAT).
Advising InformationLaw-related course work at VCU Courses at VCU that include analysis of law or the legal system
Law-related course work at VCU While law schools do not require specific courses, pre-law students can gain exposure to legal studies by taking a variety of courses.
Applicants who can convincingly demonstrate that they have challenged their thinking, reasoning and writing skills usually impress admission committees. In their undergraduate education, students should develop verbal comprehension and expression, critical understanding of human institutions and values with which the law deals and creative thinking.
Courses that provide opportunities to increase these skills are valuable regardless of subject matter. English, logic and political science courses fall within this category. Courses that involve reading cases and statutes and understanding citations will give you an advantage at the beginning of law school. Any courses that sharpen your analytical skills also are helpful, as well as those that provide a basic understanding of business, accounting, finance and statistics.
Courses at VCU that include analysis of law or the legal system CRJS 255 Introduction to Legal Studies
Philosophy of law minor The philosophy of law minor is comprised of 18 credits distributed as follows: PHIL 320, PHIL 327 and PHIL 335; one course from: PHIL 211, PHIL 212 or PHIL 213; and two of the following: HIST 369/370, POLI 314, POLI 341/342.
Legal internships Legal experience is essential for pre-law students. VCU’s L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs offers an internship program open to pre-law students who are majoring in criminal justice, public administration, political science or urban studies.
Standardized tests (LSAT) The Law School Admission Test (LSAT) is a half-day standardized test required for admission to all ABA-approved law schools, most Canadian law schools and many non-ABA-approved law schools. It provides a standard measure of acquired reading and verbal reasoning skills that law schools can use as one of several factors in assessing applicants. The test is administered four times a year at hundreds of locations around the world.
Many law schools require that the LSAT be taken by December for admission the following fall. However, taking the test earlier — in June or October — is often advised. Test dates and further information can be found on the LCAS Web site.
Application information Students apply to law school through a centralized service called the Law School Data Assembly Service. LSDAS provides a means of centralizing and standardizing undergraduate academic records to simplify the U.S. law school admission process.
Letters of recommendation How to collect letters of recommendation
The LSAC provides a letter of evaluation collection service. Use of the service is optional unless a school specifically states it is mandatory. (Students who do not wish to use this service can elect to have their individual letter writers send letters directly into the admissions office of each law school to which they apply.)
The LSAC online account allows applicants to have their recommendation letters sent to law schools based on each school’s requirements or preferences and to direct letters intended for specific schools. Applicants may submit up to four general letters to be sent to every school to which they apply.
These general letters require applicants to identify recommenders, print out pre-filled recommendation forms generated by the service and provide the forms to the chosen recommenders. Recommenders must complete the form, sign the letter, insert it into his or her envelope and send it directly to LSAC. The service will send general letters to law schools in the order in which they are received (up to the number required or preferred by the law school). More detailed information about the LSAC service is available online.
Transcript requests Transcripts from all course work completed at VCU and other undergraduate institutions must be sent to LSDAS. Transcript requests are filed with the Office of Records and Registration.
Pre-law listserve The pre-law listserve is owned and maintained by the coordinator of pre-law advising. The purpose of the list is to publicize all activities that are relevant to the academic advising and application processes to law school. All students who have VCU e-mail addresses and have declared a pre-law advising track are automatically added to the list each spring semester.
Self-subscribe to the listserv.
Application timeline While pre-law students should always work to enhance their credentials, students are encouraged to become engaged in the application process 18 months before they plan to start law school. It's is recommended that students apply to law school through LSDAS 14 months before they plan to enter a program. Spring (before applying) Attend an on-campus application information session Take June LSAT or prepare for October LSAT Take October LSAT, if necessary File financial aid applications
Helpful links Law school test and application information: LSAT information: Legal career information: Selecting law schools:
Pre-Law Home | Choosing a Major | Applying to a Professional Program |
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Virginia Commonwealth University | University College Hibbs Hall | 900 Park Avenue | P.O. Box 842507 | Richmond, Virginia 23284-9079 Phone: (804) 827-UNIV (8648) | Email: ucollege@vcu.edu Last Revised: 07.02.2008
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