Coordinating Pre-Law Advisor: Dr. Kyle Kreider
Pre-Law Advisory Council: Professors Hepp, Kuhar, Whitman
Wilkes University has developed a carefully designed Pre-law Advisory Program, which has proved able to provide exceptionally effective support for students seeking admission to graduate schools of law. The Pre-Law Program at Wilkes is based on the principles that admission to, and success in, law school depends upon completion of a rigorous curriculum at the undergraduate level as well as an up-to-date understanding of the law school admission process. One of the greatest strengths of Wilkes University is its ability to provide students from different educational backgrounds with a sound education that prepares them for the challenges of leading professional schools.
Law schools do not prescribe a specific undergraduate major but rather suggest a broadly based educational program that enhances the student’s ability to reason, read analytically, and write effectively. Students interested in law school may major in any field, but the most frequently chosen areas are Political Science, English, History, and Business Administration. Majors such as Philosophy, Sociology, Nursing, Biology, Engineering, Computer Science, Psychology, and Earth and Environmental Sciences also provide appropriate preparation for legal studies. Indeed, a major in a technical field may be especially useful in particular aspects of legal practice.
Advising
Wilkes students are assigned to faculty advisors in the areas of their majors. These advisors guide them regarding degree requirements in particular fields. Pre-law students also consult with a designated pre-law advisor, who acquaints the students with aspects of legal study and practice. The pre-law advisor has available law school catalogs and information on the Law School Admission Test (LSAT). We strongly recommend that the LSAT be taken during the month of June between the junior and senior years of undergraduate study.
As the senior year approaches, the pre-law advisor can provide suggestions as to which law schools are most likely to admit students with particular academic records and LSAT scores. Most importantly, the pre-law advisor helps to overcome the myths that too often affect student thinking about law schools.