If you want to become a lawyer one day, it’s time that you raise the bar in your life and begin preparing for school! As the most important admission test out there, the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) is a half-day standardized test that assesses your reading comprehension as well as logical and verbal reasoning proficiency. The test is an integral part of the law school application process. 

To help you be prepared for applying to law school, we’ve made a list of some effective tips to help you prepare to become a lawyer: 

Prepare During Undergrad 

Despite what you might think, your undergrad major can actually have an impact on how your application looks to prospective schools. This is because if you’re already familiar with an adjacent field, there’s a larger chance that you’ll perform better at law school. 

The majors that are helpful for those hoping to go to law school are: 

• Political Science 

• Psychology 

• English 

• Criminal Justice 

• Economics 

• History 

• Philosophy 

• Sociology 

If you’re somebody who didn’t realize you wanted to work in law until after you completed undergrad, don’t worry. In fact, many non-traditional majors can still get you into law school. As long as you maintained good grades in school, you should have no problem getting into law school. If you want to strengthen your application, finding an internship or volunteer opportunities in a local law firm is a great way to get started. 

Take the LSAT 

If you are interested in applying to law school, you will need to prepare for the LSAT. This is definitely the most crucial step to the process, as your test score will show prospective schools how capable you are at a potential career in law.  

Before you even begin studying, you should figure out when to register for the test date you want. Once you’re done registering, you should make a schedule to prepare for the LSAT, spreading out your study time over the course of a few months or a year. 

Some of the best study methods include taking a test prep class either in person or online. These prep courses are designed to give you tips on how to study, what to expect on the exam, as well as sample questions. Another option to help you prepare for the exam is to find a local study group that either meets in person or if there isn’t one in your area, look for one online. Study groups can help you assess where you are with your studying and areas that you need to focus on. 

Choose the Right Law School 

Finding the perfect law school for you is a matter of researching programs and visiting the schools you are interested in. When visiting a prospective school that you are interested in, make sure to set up a meeting with an admissions counselor, talk with professors as well as current students.  

You should ask any questions you might have about the school, the admissions process along with anything else you find pertinent to see if the school is the right fit for you. Also, by meeting with people who are affiliated with the school, you will build a relationship with the institution and make connections with people in the law field. 

Find a Clerkship 

Once you are in law school, you have to find a clerkship with a local law firm or courthouse. If you have a particular area of law you are interested in practicing, look into finding an internship in that field. This will require doing some research to see what is available. Your school should have a list of places that you can apply and what the law firm specializes in. Know your options before making any decisions about where you want to do your clerkship. 

Pass the Bar Exam 

The last step to becoming a lawyer is to pass the BAR exam. The BAR exam is specific to the state you want to practice law in. Make sure you look into when the test is offered and register with enough time to study and prepare. Once you have passed the BAR exam, you can start to research which law firms you want to apply to be an associate at. 

A Final Thought 

Becoming a lawyer requires a lot of time, dedication and confidence. If you follow the right steps, you can achieve your goal of becoming a lawyer. 

Author: Mandy Kloppers

Mandy is a qualified therapist who treats depression, anxiety, OCD, PTSD, trauma, and many other types of mental health issues. She provides online therapy around the world for those needing support and also provides relationship counselling.