Pre-Law

Are you interested in attending law school after completing your bachelor鈥檚 degree at the 花椒直播? If so, a pre-law designation is right for you.

Pre-law is not a major at USM. In fact, law schools encourage students to major in whatever they are passionate about. They appreciate applicants from diverse academic backgrounds. The American Bar Association agrees: 鈥淟egal education welcomes and values diversity and you will benefit from the exchange of ideas and different points of view that your colleagues will bring to the classroom.鈥� Therefore, choose a major that interests and challenges you. Explore your passions, but add a pre-law designation so that we can guide you along the way.

What can a pre-law designation do for you?

By choosing to add pre-law to your academic plan, you will have access to a pre-law advisor who, along with your academic advisor, can assist you in choosing classes that will help you prepare intellectually for law school. In general, classes that are academically rigorous, develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills, and require research, writing, and heavy reading will best prepare you to take the law school entrance exam (LSAT) and, ultimately, be admitted to law school.

Get Involved

USM offers a pre-law student association which meets regularly. Connect with other aspiring law students and meet law school admissions representatives, law professors and students, and members of the legal profession.

Learn More

Job Outlook

Employment is expected to grow by nine percent through 2030, according to the Occupational Outlook Handbook. Salaries vary tremendously for new lawyers, depending on whether they work for 鈥淏ig Law,鈥� corporate general counsel offices, government agencies, the courts, nonprofits, or medium to small law firms. Keeping this variation in mind, in 2020, the median salary for all new lawyers was $75,000, according to the National Association for Law Placement.

Resources

The following organizations provide helpful information for students aspiring to law schools:

(ABA)
(LSAC)
(a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping law students plan for financial obligations)
(a nonprofit organization that tracks law employment data)