With over 4,000 universities in the US alone, it can be difficult for students and families to navigate which schools are the best fit for their desired major. In this series, we will be diving into universities that our experts at Quantum Prep feel students need to know about in the US. (Hint: the results may surprise you!)
1. Yale University
With Yale Law School often regarded as the best and most selective law school in the US, undergraduate students at Yale benefit from the proximity to the law school through a wide range of law-related extracurricular activities and a strong pre-law advising program. To learn about the legal profession and strengthen their resume for law school applications, students can gain practical experience early on by joining established student organizations such as the Yale Undergraduate Legal Aid Association and the top-ranking Yale Undergraduate Mock Trial Association. Yale’s pre-law advising offers many resources for students navigating the law school application process and seeking law-related internships. Yale’s rigorous academics and emphasis on a holistic liberal arts education are highly respected by top US law schools, who are looking for students with demonstrated academic prowess and diverse intellectual interests.
2. University of Chicago
University of Chicago’s selective Law, Letters, and Society (LLSO) major is perfect for pre-law students who want a broad, interdisciplinary social sciences degree that will prepare them for the rigours of law school. Founded by a renowned UChicago Law School professor, the program is anchored by a mandatory course, Legal Reasoning, which is structured like a real law school class and teaches students how to think like a lawyer. The rest of the degree is highly customizable, and students can build their own curriculum from courses in history, sociology, economics, political science, English, and more. UChicago’s Careers in Law program offers students not only one-on-one pre-law advising, but valuable career exploration and networking opportunities through workshops and events with lawyers and exclusive access to legal internships.
3. Georgetown University
Georgetown offers a unique pathway to a law degree for its undergraduate students through its one-of-a-kind Early Assurance Program, which allows Georgetown undergraduate students to apply early, in the spring semester of their junior year, for admission to Georgetown’s law school. The program does not require the LSAT or any standardized test score and, while still selective, has a much higher acceptance rate than regular admissions to Georgetown Law. The program is also non-binding, so accepted students can still apply in their senior year to other law schools, but with the assurance that they have already secured a spot at one of the nation’s top law schools.
4. Amherst College
Top liberal arts colleges are highly respected by law schools as they are known for nurturing strong critical thinking, analytical, and communication skills in students, and Amherst is at the top of the list. Amherst graduates have an excellent track record for gaining admission into top law schools such as Yale and Harvard, regularly claiming more spots in incoming law school classes than graduates from top national universities with much bigger graduating class sizes. In addition to top programs in the traditional humanities and social science disciplines, Amherst offers a Law, Jurisprudence, and Social Thought major that takes an interdisciplinary approach to the study, contextualization, and theorizing of law.
5. University of California, Berkeley
UC Berkeley is renowned for its rigorous and challenging academics in almost every major department. While this can make it more difficult to obtain a high GPA, which is vital for law school admissions, law schools are confident that Berkeley graduates with a strong GPA have the academic ability and work ethic to handle law school. In addition to having comprehensive pre-law advising to guide students through every step of the process, Berkeley leverages its strong connections with employers in the Bay Area to give students exclusive internship opportunities. In particular, students interested in public interest law can take advantage of various programs to gain valuable experience. One example is the Cal in Local Government program, which places students into internships with local government offices and courthouses.
Honorable Mention: Brandeis University
Beyond its namesake, influential US Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis, Brandeis University has a strong tradition of bringing legal and social justice issues to the forefront of student life, making it perfect for students who want practical experience early on to strengthen their resume. Students can join the Brandeis University Law Journal Association, which runs one of the only undergraduate-edited legal publications in the country, a rare opportunity to get involved in legal research and scholarship at an undergraduate level. The Right to Immigration Institute, a student organization that provides pro bono services to low-income clients in immigration court, is another great way for undergraduates to gain hands-on experience. Brandeis’ career center offers robust pre-law advising to help students navigate law school applications and network with legal professionals, even providing a platform to connect students with alumni in the legal field for one-on-one mentoring.
Quantum Prep is an education consultancy that focuses on placing their students at the best colleges or universities. We boast of diverse results. In addition to the traditional rap sheet of prestigious university acceptances, our consultants like to highlight the different paths they have sent students on. All of our students are different; we are proud of our one-on-one tailored approach towards university counselling. Contact us for a complimentary 30-minute initial meeting, where you can get tailored individualized advice on how to put your best foot forward. Read our reviews to see what our clients think of us.
By Prudence Ng, Admissions Consultant
Published 30-11-2024
