Overview and Preparation
Qualification for the legal profession requires three years of law school to earn the J.D. degree and the successful completion of a state bar examination. In preparation for law school, a student will want to develop three basic competencies:- skill in analysis and reasoning,
- effective writing and speaking skills, and
- a broad understanding of the diverse factors that make up the community in which the legal system functions.
These competencies can be developed in any field in which a student chooses to major — the social sciences, the humanities, or the natural sciences. Law schools do not specify particular major fields or particular courses of study for admission. A strong transcript that reflects a challenging and well-rounded liberal arts education will be more impressive to a law school than any specific major.
Course Work/Research: Wellesley offers courses in a wide range of academic disciplines that introduce a prelaw student to particular approaches to the nature of law and legal systems. For a substantial working collection of case reports, statutes, legislative materials, and treatises for student research into legal subject matter, visit the Margaret Clapp Library.
Field Experiences/Internships: In the Boston metropolitan area, a prelaw student can observe the judicial process in the state courts, ranging from the municipal level to the Supreme Judicial Court, the United States District Court, and the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. There are opportunities for term-time and summer internships with organizations engaged in legal assistance programs or legal research and with state and local government agencies.
Advising: A student who is interested in the legal profession can obtain advice about professional opportunities, the selection of law schools, and admission requirements from the Prelaw Advisor in the Center for Work and Service. Faculty are also available to discuss law school and other professional options. In planning her program each year, a student preparing for law school should keep in mind the three basic competencies.
In the year prior to applying to law school, a candidate should begin to consider specific law schools with particular regard to type (private, state), size, location, opportunities for clinical work, programs of special interest, arrangements for financial assistance, and a realistic assessment of her chances for admission based on academic performance and test scores. Law School Questionnaires: Wellesley Alumnae and LSAT Preparation Questionaires are reports from alumnae on their law school experiences, available in the CWS Career Library (past ten years) and online (2005 and later) in the MyCWS resource library. Additional resources may be found on Law Resources. Alumnae lawyers willing to talk about their careers may be found in the W Network.
Many students decide to postpone application to law school for a year or more after graduation. The services of the Prelaw Advisor in the Center for Work and Service are also available for alumnae who require assistance with the application process.