The American Bar Association, the American Association of Law Schools, and pre-law advising organizations all agree that a solid liberal arts education is the best preparation for law school. Because of this, law schools accept students with a wide variety of majors and backgrounds.

Northland College encourages students interested in pursuing a law degree to meet with the pre-law faculty advisor, Paul Schue. Students are also encouraged to select a major that has relevance to the type of law they expect to practice in the future and to pursue a course of study that hones the following skills and values—all of which are crucial to the successful practice of law:

• analytical and problem solving skills;
• critical reading skills;
• writing skills;
• oral communication and listening skills;
• general research skills;
• task organization and management skills;
• values of serving faithfully the interests of others while promoting justice.

Finally, because law school curricula are demanding and because law schools look for demonstrated achievement by applicants, students interested in attending law school should select challenging courses and develop the self-discipline required to do well in those courses.