Pre-Law

You don’t need to have a clear idea of what kind of legal career you want when you're applying to law school. Still, it never hurts to start thinking about such things early, and it may help you make up your mind about whether you want to attend law school.

Law school graduates also have opportunities in a wide variety of fields: media, public relations, public administration, management, law enforcement, and foreign service, just to name a few.

People’s reasons for going to law school vary. Many who attend law school are driven by a desire to help people. Lawyers help people navigate many different kinds of problems, including estate planning, immigration, family and custody issues, buying or selling real estate, setting up and running businesses, and complying with tax laws or government regulations. Others attend law school so they can pursue public service or work to affect social policy. Others see a legal profession as a gateway to a higher-class lifestyle and a way to pursue high-paying jobs in corporate America. Some may be drawn into the law as a result of interest in particular subjects (e.g., the environment, intellectual property), while others may be primarily motivated by the prospect of helping people. Some are attracted to law school by the intellectual challenge.

If, however, the best answer you can come up with is “I can’t figure out anything else to do” or “Because my parents are lawyers,” due to the tremendous amount of time, effort and money law school requires,you might want to think a little harder.

Most students rely heavily on student loans to finance their legal education. The most commonly relied-upon loans (and the ones the most flexible payment options), are federal student loans. Many schools also provide a number of merit-based scholarships, but the number of scholarships available and their amounts vary considerably from school to school.

Financing your legal education can be made easier by the decisions as an undergraduate. Keeping your credit card debt as low as possible, minimizing your undergraduate student debt and saving money wherever possible can help you keep your law school debt lower.

In general, students preparing for law school should focus on acquiring skills to prepare them for law school and to succeed in their legal careers. We recommend that you pursue rigorous courses that emphasize reading, writing and analytical thinking. 

You should also talk to both your academic and pre-law advisors about the trade-offs that participating in 3+3 might require. For example, due to the accelerated timeline, you may be unable to complete a second major or minor, participate in a study abroad experience, participate in undergraduate research or complete certain internships. Students who acquire these experiences at UNI may enhance their qualifications for both admission to law school and law-school scholarships. Pre-law advisors will help you weigh these considerations in deciding whether the program is right for you.