UConn students interested in legal careers can choose any major. No major is more “pre-law” than another. When choosing a major (or a second major or a minor), keep in mind that critical reading and thinking skills are essential for success in law school. Any major that excites your passion is the right major for you. That includes non-traditional pre-law majors such as nursing, engineering, health sciences, or computer science. Success in your major is more important than choosing the “right” major.

It is a myth that students should major in politics, history, or English if they plan to attend to law school. Studies show, however, that students who majored in math, economics, philosophy, or theology do best on the LSAT (law school admissions test) and do better-than-average in law school. That said, any major can prepare you for both the LSAT and for law school if you focus on developing your critical reasoning skills.

Law school admission offices care about the variety and complexity of the courses during your undergraduate degree. Students should strive for a diverse collection of classes from different colleges and departments. Do not narrowly focus on one area to the exclusion of courses that are unique. Choose courses that are challenging and then do well in them. Law school admission professionals carefully examine applicants’ transcripts. You cannot “game” the admission process by loading your schedule with easy classes to boost your GPA.