EIUPre-Law Program

Undergraduate Timeline

Freshman Year

• Get to know the pre-law advisor, Dr. Karen Swenson (2321 Coleman Hall).
• Begin the process of selecting a major.
• Inquire about Moot Court, the Pre-Law Society, and legal internships.
• Your GPA is cumulative - do your best from the beginning of your freshman year.
• Set up a free account with the Law School Admission Council at LSAC.org

Sophomore Year

• Choose courses that offer skills in critical reading, analytical and logical reasoning, and technical writing. Take at least one public law class.
• Begin to establish a relationship with professors who will write your letters of recommendation.
• Consider if law school is really best for you: discuss your career options with the pre-law advisor and your major advisor; take a pre-law internship to have contact with lawyers and legal work; read books about law school and the legal profession. 
  • Examine the state of the legal job market. Data is available from the National Association of Law Placement at nalp.org

Junior Year

• Study for the LSAT, and take sample tests.
• Think about taking an LSAT prep course, especially if you are not a self-motivated studier or your scores on sample tests are not good. A free course is available from the Kahn Academy. 
• Register for the LSAT and plan on taking the LSAT in June, July or August after your junior year or September/October of your senior year.
• Begin choosing law schools to which you may apply (use the ABA-LSAC Official Guide to ABA-Approved Law Schools).
• Attend a MAPLA Law School Caravan event or an LSAC Forum

Senior Year

• Visit law schools that interest you.
• Take LSAT by September/October, no later than December.
• Register with the Law School Credentials Assembly Service (CAS) at least 6 weeks prior to sending your applications off to law schools.
• Narrow down which law schools to apply to (students typically apply to 7, but the more you apply to, the greater your options will be).
• Write your personal statements and obtain letters of recommendation.
• Apply to law school (the earlier the better - November is the beginning of many law schools' early review processes).
• Check out financial aid opportunities.
• Wait for acceptance letters.
• If you did not visit before applying, visit now to assist in making the final selection.

For More Information

• Visit the LSAC website at www.LSAC.org.
• Legal jobs data is collected by the National Association of Law Placement at nalp.org
• Look into pre-law courses in the pre-law minor and other pre-law activities listed on the Political Science Department web page.