Pre-Law at Calvin

Preparing for law school at Calvin

The Calvin pre-law program assists students in gaining an excellent liberal arts education, culminating in a Bachelor's Degree that prepares them for the rigors and focus of law school. There is no prescribed or generally accepted program for students planning to enter law school other than that the applicants have earned an undergraduate degree and taken the Law School Admission Test (LSAT).

• Choosing a major

• Choosing courses

• Law school timelines for your years at Calvin

• Top ranked law schools where Calvin
  students have been accepted

 

Choosing a major

There is no prescribed major or minor for students planning to attend law school. Students are accepted into law programs from various fields and interests; the only requirements for admission to law school are that you have earned an undergraduate degree and have taken the Law School Admission Test (LSAT).

Considerations when choosing a major

Choosing courses

Calvin's strong core liberal arts requirements help to develop many of the skills needed for law school, and additional courses are available to hone your abilities further. By selecting difficult courses which demand lengthy papers and classroom discussion, you will receive excellent preparation for taking the LSAT and attending law school.

Specific courses recommendations
(not requirements, since no student would be able to take every Calvin College course which help prepare for a legal career)

Law school timelines for your years at Calvin

As a pre-law student at Calvin, you can begin preparing in your first year of college. Select a major that reflects your interests and passion, become involved in student activities, and plan ahead. Preparation and following some specific timelines will pay off as you reach the point of attending law school.

Top-ranked law schools at which Calvin students have been accepted in recent years:

• Yale University
• Harvard University
• Stanford University
• Columbia University
• University of Chicago
• University of Pennsylvania
• University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
• Duke University
• University of Virginia
• Cornell University
• Georgetown University
• Boston College
• Vanderbilt University
• University of Iowa
• Boston University
• Emory University
• University of Minnesota
• New York University
• University of Wisconsin
• University of Illinois
• University of Notre Dame

Fast Facts

Number of students at Calvin participating in the Pre-law Program in the 2010-2011 academic year: 98

Average LSAT score of recently graduated Calvin law school applicants: 158.1

Average GPA of recently graduated Calvin law school applicants: 3.57

Number of the ten Calvin College graduating seniors in 2010 who applied to law schools and were accepted at one or more schools: 10

Calvin graduates have been accepted at 24 of the top 25 ranked law schools in the nation in the last 5 years (ranking based on 2011 U.S. News and World Report)

Some Calvin courses that can help students determine their interest in law:

• Constitutional Law and Judicial Process
  (POLS 310)
• Men, Women and the Law (POLS 312)
• International Organizations and Law (POLS 309)
• Law in Business
  (BUS 350)
• Criminal Justice Process (SOC 210)

Calvin Pre-Law Program activities:

• Introductory Fall Meetings
• Law School Forums
• Individual Advising
• Outside Speakers
• Law Internships
• Alumni Mentoring

Additional information about events, the LSAT, and various outside programs is posted on the pre-law bulletin board on the 2nd floor of the DeVos Communication Center

Books, catalogues and information about law careers and numerous law schools are available in the Pre-Law Library, located in the Political Science Department office (DeVos Communication Building).