Is Law School for Me?
Your first step as a pre-law student should be intentional exploration of law school and the legal profession. Law school is a significant investment of time and financial resources. Your decision making should account for the costs of law school and reflect a realistic understanding of the legal-job market and the practice of law. You should begin early in your college career to gather information in order to gauge both your interest in and your aptitude for the law.
Even students who are certain they want to attend law school should explore various practice areas. Although many students attend law school without knowing what kind of law they intend to practice, having information about specific practice areas enables a student to make an informed decision about (1) where to attend law school; and (2) how much debt it is reasonable to incur, in light of reasonable salary expectations.
This exploration process can happen in various ways. You should use a number of different methods and to obtain as many perspectives as possible. Baylor Pre-Law is available to help guide you through this process. Common ways of learning about the legal profession are:
- Conducting informational interviews with practicing lawyers, law students, and law school personnel
- Shadowing lawyers
- Legal internships
- Attending events hosted by Baylor Pre-Law
- Attending Baylor Law School events
- Attending local bar association events
- Joining the Baylor Pre-Law Society
- Reading books and online periodicals about the legal profession
- Observing court proceedings
- Attending Law School Fair
- Relevant coursework (including classes in substantive law and new legal-profession courses taught by Baylor Pre-Law)