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Frequently Asked Questions

Preparing for law school starts well before you submit your application. Your undergraduate years are the perfect time to explore your interests, strengthen your academic record and take advantage of opportunities that prepare you for the next step.

As a student at Kent State, you have access to a wide range of resources such as academic support, pre-law advising and experiential learning opportunities that will help you strengthen your application and position yourself for success. 

 

Getting Ready for Law School

  • Maintain a strong GPA and choose a major aligned with your interests
  • Get involved: Join relevant pre-law organizations
  • Use Writing Commons and Academic Success Center
  • Prepare early for the Law School Admission Test with LawHub and other supplemental materials
  • Draft personal statement with advisor feedback
  • Build relationships with faculty for recommendations
  • Plan internships, court visits (Ohio Supreme Court, Columbus, Washington D.C.)
  • Apply to law school traditionally (senior year) or through the 3+3 pathway (junior year)
 

FAQs for Pre-Law Students

The Bar Exam

After completing law school coursework, law students who want to be a lawyer must apply to and successfully pass the bar. Approximately 39 states use the Universal Bar Examination. The test is uniformly administered, graded, and scored. A lawyer can practice in any state that is classified as a UBE jurisdiction so long as they meet the score required by that state. Ohio used the UBE, and the minimum score is 270.

Careers in the Legal Field

There are a variety of careers in the legal field including, but not limited to Animal Rights, Civil Rights, Corporate and Business, Criminal, Education, Environmental and Natural Resources, Family and Juvenile, Health Law, Immigration Law, Intellectual Property Law such as Patent, Copyright, and Trademark Law, International Law and Municipal Law.

Cost of Law School

The cost of law school will depend on the school itself, and it can range anywhere from $14,000 to $70,000 per year.

Finding Information about Law School

There are many different ways to research law schools. The Law School Admissions Council has free resources that provide information about different schools, different fields, the legal profession and how to prepare and take the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT). You can also use the websites of law school(s) of interest to find information.

It is important to research schools based on bar passage rates, employment outcomes, alumni, resources for job searching, bar preparation, and academics. If you know the field of law school you are interested in, you can also look at schools that specialize in that type of law. 

You can also meet with the Pre-Law Center to discuss options for law school with Erin Franczak. You can schedule with her through Navigate or by emailing at efrancz1@kent.edu.

Law School

Law school is the post-undergraduate program for students who want to practice as a licensed attorney. It takes approximately three years for a student to finish. There are nine law schools in Ohio and many others outside the state. Typically, the first year of law school is the core requirements, and in the second and third year, there is more of an opportunity to take classes of interest. There are also sometimes opportunities to work in the field helping with clinics or doing internships. 

Law School Admissions Process

A typical law school admission process will begin about 5-10 months before the application is due beginning with preparing for and taking the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT). Law school applications typically require:

  • GRE or LSAT Score
  • Two to three letters of recommendation
  • An updated resume
  • A well-written personal statement
  • A subscription to the credential assembly service

It is also important to confirm all requirements with the law school of interest.

Law School Admissions Test

The Law School Admissions Test (LSAT) is a test that students will take for admittance into law school. Students can also consider taking the Graduate Record Exam. The test is scored from 120 to 180 with the national average at about 152. There are five sections to the LSAT: two logical reasoning sections, a reading comprehension section, an unscored reading comprehension or logical reasoning section, and an unscored argumentative writing section.

Majors

There is no required major or minor for admittance into law school. It is recommended that students choose a major that they will enjoy and excel in. Some examples of majors are:

  • Business
  • Criminology
  • Economics
  • English
  • Environmental Studies
  • History
  • Philosophy
  • Political Science
  • Psychology
  • STEM majors

There is a major requirement for students interested in taking the Patent Bar. This typically involves majoring in a STEM-based field or a certain number of hours in STEM-based coursework.

Median Salary of a Lawyer

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics said that as of May 2024, the median salary of a lawyer was approximately $151, 160 per year. It is important to remember that this salary is based on national averages.  The geographic area and field of law in which you are looking to work will play a role on salary.

Online and Part-Time Programs

Each law school will have different options for online and part-time programs. It is important to contact the admissions team or review the website for any law school of interest to inquire about online and part-time programs.

Preparing For Law School Early

Students can prepare for law school early on by:

  • Building connections with professors early on
  • Finding your law school why
  • Excelling in courses
  • Meeting with pre-law advisor often
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