Preparing to Apply
In This Section
Advanced planning is an important component of the application process. The study of law should never be a default decision when taking the next step in your development.
Things to Consider Before You Apply
We seek a student body that demonstrates outstanding academic ability, integrity, problem-solving skills, commitment, leadership potential, and intellectual curiosity. We want to ensure that our students not only will excel academically but that their experiences and perspectives will augment our learning environment. The only way we can learn about each of our applicants is through what is shared in their applications. Thus, our procedures are designed to help us learn as much relevant information about the human being behind the numbers as possible.
As you begin to think about your future, take time to reflect on why law school might be your next best step and why Berkeley is where you may want to study. Here are some questions to consider:
What are my goals? What steps do I need to take to accomplish them? Why are they important?
Is now the right time to go to law school? Am I really ready to apply? Do I have the time and resources to compile and submit a competitive application?
Where should I apply? What is important about my overall law school experience? What do I value when I'm not in class? Do I have the energy and resources to be successful in law school?
The median GPA and LSAT for successful applicants are usually 3.80 and 170, respectively. Does that mean that you won't be admitted with a lower GPA or LSAT? Not necessarily. We do not rely on any one factor to determine admission because there is much more to you than your numbers. Because we receive a large number of competitive applications each year, your application should be as strong as possible, thorough, and honest.
Admission to law school is different from admission to other professional schools because there is no prerequisite undergraduate major. Popular prelaw majors include political science, philosophy, English, and economics. But many other majors are represented in our student body as well, like chemical engineering, journalism, anthropology, Spanish, rhetoric, international development, accounting, and music. Completing a double major or adding a minor are not required nor even encouraged. You should select these options only if they match your personal interests, not because you hope they will improve your chances of being admitted.
We recommend that you select courses that are challenging and that develop your analytical writing, critical reading, and logical reasoning skills. These skills are invaluable during law school where you will be expected to read large quantities of material and to summarize, synthesize, compare, contrast those materials. You should consider taking courses in departments that offer the foundation for law school like political science, philosophy, and economics. Take classes that interest you to optimize your performance. There is no disadvantage if you begin your college studies in a community college and then transfer to a four-year institution. Make the most of your university years.
Finally, each state has established character, fitness and other qualifications for admission to the bar. We encourage you to determine what those qualifications are in the state(s) in which you intend to practice.
