Key Takeaways
- Your journey to becoming a lawyer starts in high school, where you’ll need to prioritize academic excellence to set yourself up for success.
- To get into law school, you must maintain a strong GPA, obtain your bachelor’s degree, pass the LSAT, and prepare a stand-out application.
- From your undergraduate degree to law school, you can expect to spend around seven years in school.
If you have your sights set on attending a prestigious school like Harvard or Yale, then you may also be envisioning a career as a lawyer. While a career in law is a popular choice for many students, it is important to understand the academic milestones required to get this distinguished position. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the steps to becoming a lawyer—including how to get into law school, which exams to prepare for, and what it takes to apply to the top five law schools.
1. Prioritize Academic Excellence in High School
Your path to law school begins well before college. In fact, it starts with the choices you make in high school. Ivy League institutions and law programs are competitive. They are looking for students who challenge themselves academically and perform well. You should aim to do well in all of your high school courses, although doing well in subjects like English and history will help set you up for success in the foundation of law. It is also important that you prepare your college applications at the start of your senior year so that you are ahead of the game.
2. Earn Your Undergraduate Degree
Before you can get into law school, you’ll need to earn your bachelor’s degree. While some students choose to attend a college that has a pre-law track, it is not a requirement. The good news about your undergraduate degree is that there are no specific major requirements. Law schools do not look for a specific degree, nor do they require applicants to take specific prerequisite courses. However, you may want to consider choices like English, History, and Business, as these will help lay a solid foundation for your success in law school and beyond.
These are the best majors for law school:
- Political Science
- History
- Philosophy
- English
- Criminology/Criminal Justice
- Psychology
- Economics/Finance
Note: If you are interested in a fast-track path to law school, look for schools that offer a dual-degree program. These programs allow you to complete your first year of law school while you’re also completing the final year of your undergrad degree. Enrolling in a dual-degree program will save you at least one year of study toward becoming a lawyer.
Remember to Focus On Academic Performance
The most important thing during your undergraduate years is that you do well and earn a high GPA—especially if you’re aiming to apply to top-tier law schools. You’ll want to aim for a minimum 3.7 up to a 4.0 GPA to get into a top-ranked school. Make sure you take the time to look into the median accepted GPA for your shortlisted schools so that you get a better idea of the GPA expectations of each.
3. Prepare for and Take the Law School Admission Test (LSAT)
What Is the LSAT?
One of the most important steps on your path to law school is to prepare for and pass the Law School Admission Test (LSAT). Without passing this admission exam, you will not be eligible to apply for law school. The LSAT is an extremely difficult, half-day exam that tests your knowledge of logical reasoning, analytical reasoning, and reading comprehension. There will also be an essay where you have to show the skills needed to become a lawyer. This essay is not included in your final score but will be used by future schools.
The exam is scored at a range between 120 and 180. However, if you are looking to get into a top school, you should aim for a score of 170 or higher. Your test score carries the most weight when it comes to determining your acceptance into law school, followed closely by your GPA.
Preparing for the LSAT
Early in your college career, it is wise to connect with a pre-law advisor who can help ensure you’re ready for the LSAT. However, just like the SAT or ACT, the best way to prepare for the LSAT is to study and practice. You should begin studying four months before your exam for at least four hours a week. The most effective strategies include practicing full-length timed tests, mastering test-taking strategies, and creating a consistent study schedule.
What About the Graduate Record Examination (GRE)?
While the LSAT is the most widely accepted admission exam for law school, many law schools now accept the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), including Harvard and Yale. Now, you don’t have to complete both—the one you choose will depend primarily on your preferred law school. If you choose to take the GRE, you should ensure that your top schools will accept this test.
Can’t decide which test is the better option for you? Juris Education offers Law School Admission Consulting to help you with this decision. They also offer tips on how to ace your chosen test and how to craft the perfect application.
4. Apply to Law School
No matter what kind of lawyer you want to be—whether criminal, corporate, or family—you will need an advanced degree to practice law. Once you’ve earned your undergraduate degree and passed your LSAT exam, you can then enroll in law school. At this stage, you’ve most likely discussed with your pre-law advisor which law schools you’re interested in attending and are ready to create an LSAC.org account (which almost all ABA-approved law schools use). This account will maintain all your records, scores, and transcripts for a smoother application process. It also keeps track of important deadlines so that you don’t miss anything.
Just like you did for undergraduate school, make sure to attend open houses, visit the schools, and research thoroughly. Once you’re sure which law schools you wish to attend, you may use your LSAC account to apply.
The Requirements for Law School
If you’re planning on pursuing a legal career, it helps to understand the basic law school admission requirements. That way, you can keep everything ready in advance and send out applications to your shortlisted law schools as soon as the application windows open.
- Undergraduate Degree: You’ll need to ensure you have acquired your bachelor’s degree and that your transcripts are available to send.
- LSAT/GRE: Whether you take the LSAT or GRE, you’ll need an impressive test score to help you stand out among other applicants.
- Personal Statement: A well-crafted personal statement can help your application stand out from the rest. In fact, admissions panels often compare personal statements when deciding between equally qualified applicants. Your law school personal statement should focus on a topic that you’re passionate about, be authentic and original, and focus on one accomplishment or experience that relates to your interest in law.
- Letters of Recommendation: Almost all law schools ask prospective students to submit at least one letter of recommendation along with their application. What’s important for this particular requirement is to make sure you choose the correct person to write your recommendation letter—someone who will compose a compelling letter that speaks highly of your growth, character, and accomplishments in and out of the classroom. Remember to always ask early.
- Resume: A resume is one of the more unusual law school admission requirements. This resume is fairly simple and only needs to be one page. It should include four main sections: Personal Information, Education, Work Experience, and Extracurricular Activities. The goal of your resume should essentially aim to give a preview of all the other components of your application.
A Look at the Top 5 Law Schools
These are just the basic law school requirements for all schools, however, they’re still very generalized. A look at the specific requirements of the top five law schools can give you a better idea of the standards you’ll need to meet:
Note: Median LSAT scores, GPA, and acceptance rates for 2025 were sourced from Juris Education.
1. HARVARD UNIVERSITY
- Average LSAT Score: 174
- Average Accepted GPA: 3.95
- Acceptance Rate: 10.97%
2. STANFORD UNIVERSITY
- Average LSAT Score: 173
- Average Accepted GPA: 3.92
- Acceptance Rate: 8.85%
3. YALE UNIVERSITY
- Average LSAT Score: 174
- Average accepted GPA: 3.96
- Acceptance Rate: 5.25%
4. UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO
- Average LSAT Score: 173
- Average Accepted GPA: 3.94
- Acceptance Rate: 12.73%
5. UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA CAREY LAW SCHOOL
- Average LSAT Score: 172
- Average Accepted GPA: 3.93
- Acceptance Rate: 9.95%
6. Attend Law School
Once admitted, you’ll begin a three-year journey through law school. In total, you can expect to spend seven years in school when combined with your undergraduate degree. During this time, you’ll take classes on civil procedure, constitutional law, contracts, criminal law, property, torts, and legal writing.
Throughout your program, you’ll also have the opportunity to enroll in more niche courses. Whether it’s tax law, employment law, or intellectual property, these classes can help you specialize in a certain aspect of law.
While still in school, you can also start to gain practical experience. This could mean pursuing internships or part-time positions at law firms. This not only boosts your resume for potential employers but also gives you the chance to experience day-to-day responsibilities in the field and build your network.
7. Take the Bar Exam
If you want to practice law in the United States, then it is required that you pass the bar exam. This is a rigorous licensing exam that tests your knowledge on fundamental legal principles, including Constitutional Law, Contracts, Criminal Law and Procedure, Evidence, Federal Civil Procedure, Real Property, and Torts. It is a six-hour test with 200 multiple-choice questions, essay questions to assess legal understanding, and two 90-minute performance tasks that simulate real-world scenarios.
Note that when you successfully pass the bar exam, you are only allowed to practice law in that particular state. If you wish to practice in another state, you will be required to take the bar exam there as well.
8. Get Hired as an Associate and Become a Lawyer
Once you pass the bar exam, you are officially licensed! It is now time to begin your career. Most new attorneys typically work on legal teams as associates at established law firms. These years are important, as you’ll gain hands-on experience and build a name for yourself in the field of law. If there is an opening after several years of work with the practice, you may be taken on as a partner.
However, this is not always guaranteed. You may have to find another position at another firm or consider creating your own practice. You also have the option to apply for positions in legal departments in companies and corporations.
The Road to Law Is Demanding—But Worth It
Becoming a lawyer is demanding and requires years of study, discipline, and commitment. From earning your undergraduate degree to passing the admissions exams, each step requires all the attention you can give it. If you’re serious about pursuing law, it’s essential to learn early on how to get into law school: meet with your pre-law advisor, take the appropriate courses, and start studying for the LSAT and bar exam. The journey is long, but it is rewarding—especially for those passionate about justice and advocacy.
Not sure which law school is the best fit for you? Use College Raptor’s College Match tool to discover personalized college matches, cost estimates, acceptance odds, and potential financial aid for schools around the U.S.—for FREE!
