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Are you an NYU student who is thinking about law school? The College of Arts and Science Preprofessional Advising Center, located in room 901 of the Silver Center for Arts & Science (212-998-8160), can help you plan your prelaw education and decide how, when, and where to apply to law school. Although we have much experience in these matters and many resources to offer you, the ultimate responsibility for your graduate school planning rests with you. The prelaw advisers can explain what a law school education is about, suggest related readings, and provide statistical data and information (at the beginning of your senior year) about the probability of your admission to selected schools, but we cannot tell you whether you will enjoy the law, or whether you will be a good lawyer, or whether you will find a job that fulfills your increased expectations upon law school graduation. The answers to these questions depend on you. The undergraduate years are a time to explore the rich variety of NYU's academic offerings, to perfect study skills and learning ability, and to demonstrate expertise in a particular academic discipline, presumably your major. We firmly uphold the idea that a solid, well-balanced liberal arts education is the best preparation for law school, and the law schools themselves agree with us. Law schools base their admissions decisions on a variety of factors. Most importantly, the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT) score and the undergraduate grade point average will place you within the "ball park" of a particular law school's admission criteria. Beyond the "numbers," however, admissions officers attempt to create a diverse student body composed of interesting individuals. You can distinguish yourself by gaining paid or unpaid experience in a legal setting, participating in extracurricular and community service activities, and by getting to know the faculty with whom you are studying and whom you will eventually call upon to write letters of recommendation. When you are ready to begin the application process, usually in the spring semester of your junior year, we can provide guidance as you register for the LSAT and make your final choice of law schools. Of course, the final responsibility for learning about the testing and admissions process and researching individual law schools rests with you. The wise prelaw student will utilize all possible resources: not only the preprofessional advisors, but also reference books kept on reserve in our office, law school websites, and the homepage of the Law School Admission Council (www.lsac.org). ,This short handbook has been prepared to help you sort out various prelaw concerns and to help make your college experience a more rewarding one. You are encouraged to review this website, to plan your coursework with your assigned academic advisor, and to consult with a prelaw advisor when you are beginning the application process. New York University · College of Arts and Science |
