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College Classes That Can Help You on the LSAT

Ah, college. A time to spread your wings of independence and exercise your right to choose more frequently than you probably ever did. Barring any required classes for your major, your college experience and curriculum are entirely up to you. Some college students simply try to rack up the number of credits they need to graduate with no regard to the kind of college classes they’re taking. 

But you’re going to law school! This changes things drastically.

Law school admissions are highly competitive, especially at the T20 law schools, and the two biggest determining factors of your law school application are your GPA and LSAT score.

Fortunately, you can take steps to focus on both right now. You already know you need to study hard to maintain your GPA, but did you know there are college classes that can help you on the LSAT? Fill your schedule with some of these classes before you take an LSAT prep class so you can have an advantage on test day!

Before you create your new class schedule, you should know what is tested on the LSAT. Basically, the LSAT is testing your critical thinking and reasoning abilities, your understanding and application of logic, and your reading comprehension skills. Your LSAT score won’t predict how great of a lawyer you will be, but it does test the skills lawyers use daily. Unlike a science test, you don’t need to memorize specific content. This is why the LSAT is a learnable test and your college classes can help build a foundation that you can expand on in an LSAT class.  

College Classes That Can Help You on the LSAT

  • Philosophy: Philosophy classes teach you to think critically and view subject matter in a different light. As a lawyer, you’ll do this while defending your client. As an LSAT student, you’ll be forced to analyze seemingly obvious scenarios and determine the best answer.
  • Logic: When a test has sections called Logical Reasoning and Logic Games, wouldn’t it be logical to take a class on logic? At the very least, it can give you the upper hand when you’re arguing on Twitter or Reddit. 
  • History: The passages you’ll encounter in the Reading Comprehension section of the LSAT will be dense. We recommend LSAT students get into the habit of consuming similar material (via the Wall Street Journal or similar media), but History classes also have required reading that forces you to stay alert and focused even if you’re not terribly interested in what you’re reading.
  • English: All college students take some sort of English and/or writing class, and with good reason! Both can teach you how to identify passage premises, author POVs, etc. This will prove invaluable for all sections of the LSAT. A Writing class can also help you in the LSAT Writing Section—it’s not a scored section, but it’s just as important! 

We can’t say this enough, but it’s important to remember that no single college class will be your ticket to a perfect LSAT score. The LSAT is more narrow than a content-based exam. The classes above will help you get started, but the bulk your LSAT prep will still come from an LSAT class or by self-studying with LSAT-specific material. 

College Classes Every Pre-Law Should Take

We’ve listed classes that will help introduce you to the skills needed on the LSAT, but there are also undergrad courses you can take that will help you in law school.

  • Acting or Public Speaking: Have you ever seen a trial, whether it be in real life or in a movie? The courtroom is absolutely a stage and all lawyers can benefit from a little theatrical training. A course on Public Speaking would also suffice. Find something that will help build your confidence and help ease any fears you might have about speaking in front of people. 
  • Business: You’re definitely going to take a fair share of business law classes in law school, regardless if you want to become a corporate lawyer or not. Business topics will also appear on the bar exam. Thus, it doesn’t hurt to take an undergrad business course, especially if you want to open your own practice one day. 
  • Political Science/Government: You can’t interpret the law if you don’t know how laws are passed. It’s no surprise Political Science is one of the most popular pre-law majors. Walk around Washington D.C. on a Monday and you’re bound to see a government employee with a legal background or vice versa. It’s inevitable. 
  • Writing: Legal writing is unlike any writing you’ve done or possibly will ever do outside the field. A huge chunk of a law student’s life is spent writing. Although an undergrad Writing class won’t teach you how to write like a lawyer, it’s still good practice to get used to writing long-form pieces and learning appropriate grammar.

Law Schools Care About Your GPA and You Should Too

Law school admissions is a tough game. Law schools have reputations they want to protect (or improve on) and their admission decisions will reflect that. They want the best of the best, and this includes the students with the best LSAT scores and GPA.

While you should challenge yourself in college, you also can’t ignore your performance. Don’t create a class schedule that will overwhelm you and hurt your GPA. It’s not worth it and you might end up damaging your mental health too. It’s entirely possible to get into a law school with a high LSAT score and low GPA. So, don’t stress too much.

These college classes may help you on the LSAT, but you will learn everything you need to know in an LSAT prep course. In the meantime, keep your GPA up and take classes that actually interest you. Once you’re ready to prep for the LSAT, schedule a free consultation with an LSAT Advisor to assess your needs and which prep style will work best for you.  
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