Getting into law school is competitive, especially if you’re aiming for a top-tier school. To make yourself the strongest candidate possible, you may be wondering about the best major for law school.
However, there’s no single path to law school admissions nor one best pre-law major; law students typically have a variety of academic backgrounds. Choosing a major that will equip you with the skills to succeed in law school — as well as help you earn good grades — is more important than selecting a specific pre-law field.
As you consider what undergrad degree to pursue for law school, read on for some help making your decision, including what are the most popular majors among law school students.
Table of Contents
Key Points
• Top pre-law majors include political science, psychology, criminal justice, economics, English and history.
• Core skills such as problem solving, critical reading, and analytical thinking are essential for law school success.
• No single best pre-law major exists; students can select one that is interesting and challenging to develop necessary skills.
• Financial options for law school include grants, scholarships, federal aid, and private loans.
• Refinancing student loans post-graduation could potentially reduce interest rates and save money.
Do Law Schools Really Care About Your Major?
While law schools care about your GPA and LSAT scores, they don’t require you to study a specific major as a student. According to the American Bar Association (ABA), students from almost every academic discipline are admitted to law school.
According to the ABA, you may choose to major in subjects that are considered to be traditional preparation for law school, such as history, English, philosophy, political science, economics, or business. Another option is to focus your undergraduate studies in areas as diverse as art, music, science and mathematics, computer science, engineering, nursing or education, if that’s what appeals to you.
Law schools want to see that you’ve challenged yourself as an undergraduate student. They also may appreciate relevant professional experience that you gained from an internship or job following graduation.
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How Should You Choose Your Pre-Law Major?
Rather than choosing a specific pre-law major, pursue a course of study that you find both interesting and challenging. Taking a range of difficult courses can prepare you for law school and help you develop skills you’ll need as a lawyer.
According to the ABA, some core skills to prioritize developing prior to law school include:
• Problem solving
• Critical reading
• Analytical thinking
• Research, writing, and editing
• Oral communication and listening
• Organization
• Relationship building and collaboration.
By honing these skills through your courses, extracurriculars, and professional experiences, you’ll become a stronger candidate when applying to law school. Having some background knowledge and exposure to the law can also be helpful in your quest for law school admission. You might be able to gain this knowledge from legal courses, an internship, or post-graduation work.
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What Are the Most Popular Majors of Law School Applicants?
While there’s no single best major for getting into law school, some majors are popular among students accepted to law school. Here are some of the most popular pre-law majors, based on 2024 data from the Law School Admission Council (LSAC).
Top 10 Most Popular Pre-Law Majors
Here’s a look at the college major choices that many prospective law school students pursue:
1. Political Science: Political science is one of the most popular majors among law school applicants. Studying political theory and system of government can help prepare you for a career in any specialty of the law.
2. Psychology: Psychology teaches aspiring law school students analytical reasoning and critical thinking. Studying human behavior can be helpful in many types of law.
3. Criminal Justice: Majoring in criminal justice is another popular choice for pre-law students, especially for those who want to pursue a criminal law career. Students learn about issues related to the criminal justice system, including court proceedings.
4. Economics: As an economics major, you’ll likely study the global economic conditions that often play a major role in legal policy and reform. Students are taught both quantitative and qualitative skills.
5. English: The writing, editing, research, critical thinking, and communication skills you hone as an English major can be useful for the study and practice of law.
6. History: Majoring in history can help give you the background knowledge, research experience, and writing skills that are helpful for law school.
7. Philosophy: Whether you focus on ethics, political philosophy, or another area, you’ll gain analytical, argumentation, logic, and communication skills that will benefit you as a future lawyer.
8. Sociology: Sociology, or the study of social theory, policy, religion, human behavior, and related topics, helps students learn diverse perspectives and the impact of social systems.
9. Communications: If you want to study public speaking, journalism, public relations, or another communications field, you may want to major in communications before law school.
10. Finance: As a finance major, you might study business economics, accounting, and other related topics. This major can be a good choice for those interested in a career in corporate law or tax law.
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Is Pre-Law a Major?
Pre-law is not a major at some schools, but you may work with a pre-law advisor as an undergraduate student. If you’re interested in going to law school, a pre-law advisor can help you select courses that will teach you about law. They might also have suggestions for paid or unpaid internships and other ways to gain exposure to the legal profession.
If your school does offer a pre-law major, your schedule might involve courses on law and other classes that build your analytical, reasoning, research, and writing skills. However, if you are in another program, you don’t necessarily have to rush to switch majors.
Choosing a challenging major that you enjoy, while also cultivating the skills that will help you succeed in law school, may be a better option than a pre-law major.
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The Takeaway
If you’re interested in pursuing a law career, there’s no single college major that you have to choose, since admissions officers accept students from a wide range of academic backgrounds. It can be wise to pick a major that you find interesting and that will also allow you to develop skills and knowledge that will help you succeed as you continue your studies.
Along with planning your academic journey, you might start thinking about the best way to finance law school. Grants, scholarships, federal financial aid, and private student loans can help you cover your cost of attendance. Later, you could always consider refinancing your student loans if you could qualify for a lower interest rate.
Looking to lower your monthly student loan payment? Refinancing may be one way to do it — by extending your loan term, getting a lower interest rate than what you currently have, or both. (Please note that refinancing federal loans makes them ineligible for federal forgiveness and protections. Also, lengthening your loan term may mean paying more in interest over the life of the loan.) SoFi student loan refinancing offers flexible terms that fit your budget.
FAQ
What is the most popular pre-law major?
The most popular pre-law major is political science, according to the Law School Admissions Council (LSAC), followed by psychology, criminal justice, and economics.
What kinds of courses are best for pre-law?
The best courses for pre-law are those that teach students critical reading, writing, and reasoning skills, such as political science, English, philosophy, and history. Courses like economics and sociology may also be helpful.
What major is most likely to get into law school?
According to the Law School Admission Council (LSAC), students who major in the social sciences, which includes political science, economics, and psychology, are the most common majors for law school applicants.
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