Looking for the perfect degree to start your academic career? Keep reading for the best pre-law schools to attend.
One way to kick-start a successful legal career is by graduating from a reputable law school or taking proper classes. Many of the top law schools in the US have acceptance rates of fewer than 20%, so getting accepted into an accredited, reputable school can be very competitive.
The first step to getting accepted into a top law school is graduating from a reputable school that offers strong undergraduate pre-law programs. Continue reading for an overview of some of the best schools for pre-law.
As you begin reading this list, you may notice that none of these schools have a ‘pre-law’ major. That is because, unlike med school, where you take pre-med, there is no specific pre-law undergraduate degree.
However, the schools listed below offer exciting undergraduate programs for aspiring lawyers to help kick-start their legal experience and law career before they even begin attending law school.
Attending the right pre-law school can make all the difference. Thankfully, we’ve done the hard work for you.
Acceptance rate: 3.9%
Median GPA: 4.13
Median SAT Score: 1530
Median ACT Score: 34
Tuition: $67,250
Yale University is considered one of the best schools to attend and is known as an intellectual powerhouse, and Yale Law School is one of the most prestigious law schools in the country.
Yale University offers great interdisciplinary programs for its undergraduate students, has a student-led Undergraduate Legal Aid Association, and amazing opportunities to network with the school’s phenomenal faculty and alumni.
Acceptance rate: 3.64%
Median GPA: 4.20
Median SAT Score: 1550
Median ACT Score: 35
Tuition: $56,550
Like Yale, Harvard University and its law school are both considered one of the most prestigious schools to attend in the US. At Harvard University, first-year students get placed into residential houses that allow them to network and build relationships.
These residential houses have on-site pre-law mentors and tutors for students. Mentors and tutors can provide advice and support and even walk students through the application process for law school. Residential law tutors also specialize in different areas of the law, including but not limited to race relations, Immigrant rights, and public service.
Acceptance rate: 3.86%
Median GPA: 4.15
Median SAT Score: 1530
Median ACT Score: 35
Tuition: $71,170
Columbia University is also home to one of the best pre-law schools in the country. Their undergraduate program hosts a Pre-Law Society where students can receive direct advice from practicing attorneys, educators, and law students.
The Pre-Law Society helps students with the daunting law school application process with people who have applied and graduated from law school previously.
Acceptance rate: 3.90%
Median GPA: 3.88
Median SAT Score: 1540
Median ACT Score: 35
Tuition: $86,836
Located in Stanford, California with a beautiful campus, the university offers a great pre-law society that provides students a “source for high-quality pre-law information, mentorship, and networking.”
Stanford’s Pre-Law Society provides a Shadow Program and speaker series with lawyers and faculty to its undergrad members. If you need help writing a personal statement for getting into law school, Stanford’s Pre-Law Society will review your statement and provide suggestions.
Acceptance rate: 4.61%
Median GPA: 3.94
Median SAT Score: 1530
Median ACT Score: 35
Tuition: $65,210
Undergraduate students have various opportunities to explore their interest in law and gain practical experience in the field. The Princeton Internship in Civil Service provides students an exceptional summer internship opportunity where students engage with practical, meaningful work.
Acceptance rate: 4.48%
Median GPA: 3.80
Median SAT Score: 1540
Median ACT Score: 35
Tuition: $67,446
The University of Chicago recently introduced an innovative new program called “Careers In...” that allows students to gain experience in their interested career fields. As an aspiring lawyer, you would participate in the “Careers In Law” part of the program that offers one-on-one advising, workshops, job shadowing, internships, and the chance to explore various paths in law.
Acceptance rate: 12%
Median GPA: 4.07
Median SAT Score: 1480
Median ACT Score: 33
Tuition: $71,136
Georgetown University offers a variety of pre-law programs and services to its students. The school offers pre-law advising appointments, pre-law workshops, and visits from law school admissions officers to prepare students for law school.
Acceptance rate: 8%
Median GPA: 3.70
Median SAT Score: 1520
Median ACT Score: 34
Tuition: $62,796
NYU is home to one of the top pre-law universities in New York. NYU Law ranks in the top ten best law schools in the US. For undergraduate students, NYU offers advice on applying to and choosing law schools.
The university also hosts a Lawyer Alumni Mentoring Program where students can get one-on-one mentoring with established lawyers and NYU Law Alumni. The program even coaches students for the annual mock trial against competitor schools.
Acceptance rate: 5.40%
Median GPA: 4.2
Median SAT Score: 1510–1560
Median ACT Score: 34–35
Tuition: $66,326
Duke University is home to Duke Law, an esteemed law school that covers diverse areas of the law. The university also hosts great pre-law programs for its undergrad students to prepare them for law school.
One major program is the PreLaw Fellowship Program. The fellowship is a four-week residential program that targets students from underrepresented and underserved communities. The program aims to provide students with the resources to successfully start law school and a legal career.
All of the schools listed here offer unparalleled undergraduate programs with immersive pre-law services, making them the best pre-law schools to attend.
Remember, there are other schools out there with great pre-law programs, like Rice University, one of Texas’ top schools for pre-law. University of Florida is another great pick and one of Florida’s top pre-law schools.
You could also check out Cornell University, Northwestern University, or Michigan State University, one of Michigan’s leading pre-law schools. Overall, there are a ton of quality pre-law programs to choose from.
Choose the right program with a pre-law advisor. Get expert guidance on selecting schools that align with your goals, understanding program strengths, and building a strong foundation for your law school journey.
While attending any of the schools listed above is not required to apply for law school, you should seriously consider completing your undergrad degree at an institution that hosts a prestigious law school and offers strong pre-law programs. There are also tons of other great schools to choose from that are not listed here.
Attending pre-law schools often gives you access to networking and internship opportunities, as well as one-on-one advising and counseling that will increase your chances of getting admitted into the top law schools in the country.
You may still have questions relating to pre-law schools. Here are answers to some frequently asked questions that discuss some specifics about pre-law undergraduate programs.
Yale University has the best pre-law program. It’s consistently ranked as one of the top schools in the nation and prepares its students for the demands of law school.
Any undergraduate degree is appropriate for law school, but consider the top three schools on this list for an excellent education. Yale University, Harvard University, and Columbia University make the top of the list every year, and for good reason.
No, pre-law is not considered a difficult major, because it isn’t one. You can study law with any undergraduate major, so pick one that will prepare you for the demands of law school and help you maintain a 4.0+ GPA.
Some consider Harvard University to be the best Ivy school for pre-law. The school offers various paths and programs for undergraduate students, including joint JD degree programs and opportunities to network with Harvard alumni.
Deciding on which pre-law school to attend is a big decision to make; it’s the first major step towards building your academic and professional career.
While it can be a nerve-wrecking decision, there is no one correct path to pick. Hopefully this list of some of the best pre-law schools will be helpful to you as you make your decision.
David Merson was the original author of this article. Snippets of his work may remain.