Take responsibility for your own career exploration.

Student often ask us, "Should I be a lawyer?" The role of the Pre-law Adviser is to help applicants make informed decisions about law school and the application process. Only YOU can decide if becoming a lawyer is right for you. Take time to try the recommendations on this page. Attend the Exploring Law School Workshop. Educate yourself thoroughly on the legal field. Remember, you are in control of your own career exploration.

Explore majors that interest you.

There are NO preferred majors for law school. Law schools are looking for a diverse class of bright, motivated and accomplished students, so pick a major that matches your interests and strengths. Again, there are NO preferred majors for law school.

No matter what you major in, take courses that involve a lot of reading, writing and research.

If long hours of reading, writing and research don't appeal to you, law is probably not the right profession. Beyond the required English composition and W courses, take as many courses as you can to improve your reading comprehension and writing skills.

Pay attention to your grading options.

Ideally, all graduate programs would like every class graded, but most students drop one or two classes during their time in college. Having one or two W's throughout your time in college is okay and the LSDAS (Law School Data Assembly Service) does not include the "W" in your GPA calculation. But watch out for a "NS" or "NC." At the UW, they protect your grade point, but LSDAS converts them to "0.0."

Attend a pre-law club meeting.

The Pre-Law Society at the University of Washington is a great way to learn about the legal field from guest speakers (attorneys, law students, admissions reps); to receive helpful resources (personal statement workshops, LSAT workshops, etc.); and to meet other students exploring the field of law. Students are encouraged to attend a few meetings to decide if they'd like to join. To get on the list to hear about future meetings, email lawyer2b@u.washington.edu.

Attend an actual law school class.

From September-June, you can attend an actual law school class right here at UW or at nearby Seattle University in the First Hill neighborhood. This is a good way to experience what law school is really like. Check out the UW School of Law's schedule or Seattle U School of Law's schedule for class times and locations.

Try a legal internship.

There are many places that hire interns, including the City Attorney's Office, King County Public Defender, King County Public Prosecutor, the ACLU and private law firms. See the Resources page for more info. Also, we recommend that you utilize the UW Career Center for help with your resume, interviewing and more.

Listen to the Law School Chat Podcasts.

In addition to the Law School 101: How Do I Get Started? podcast where 4 Pre-Law Advisers answer the most common questions about getting ready for law school, this site also includes interviews with pre-law advisers about the law schools they've visited and what they thought of them.