Pre-Law at JMU

http://caal.jmu.edu/prelaw

Dr. David K. Jeffrey, Director

Dean, College of Arts & Letters

E. BUT … a recent W&L first-year class included majors in Latin, music, chemistry, education, philosophy, art, e.g.

The ABC’s

A. Four undergrad years leading to a degree.

B. Three years of law school leading to a J.D.

C. ANY undergrad major.

D. Popular majors include: business, English, history, political science, psychology

And then some

Undergrad Majors 2001 Applicants to ABA Approved Law Schools

Major Applicants % of Total %AdmittedPolitical Science 12,513 16.2% 71.1%History 5,154 6.7% 76.0%English 5,109 6.6% 75.3%Psychology 4,329 5.6% 72.1%Criminal Justice 3,227 4.2% 51.7%Economics 2,450 3.2% 77.9%Sociology 2,126 2.8% 63.6%Communications 2,028 2.8% 68.0%Business Administration 1,920 2.5% 60.3%Finance 1,914 2.5% 71.8%Accounting 1,765 2.3% 67.8%Philosophy 1,520 2.0% 80.4%Biology, General 1,486 1.9% 76.8%Business Management 1,317 1.7% 58.0%International Relations 1,239 1.7% 72.7%Biology, Specialization 548 0.7% 79.7%Chemistry, General 460 0.6% 78.8%Environmental Science 436 0.6% 76.6%Mathematics 303 0.4% 76.2%Computer Science 204 0.3% 72.1%Physics 138 0.2% 84.8%

Specific majors with

at least 1,000

applicants

Selected other majors

Core Skills And Values That ProvideA Solid Foundation For Legal Education*

1. Analytic And Problem-Solving Skills2. Critical Reading Abilities3. Writing Skills4. Oral Communication And Listening Skills5. General Research Skills6. Task Organization And Management Skills7. Values Of Serving Others And Promoting Justice8. General Knowledge

a. Broad Understanding of Historyb. Fundamental Understanding of Political Thoughtc. Basic Mathematical and Financial Skillsd. Understanding of Diverse Cultures

 *Report of the American Bar Association Task Force On Law Schools

And The Profession

 

JMU Courses To Consider General Education Courses

• GBUS 160. Business Decision Making In A Modern Society

• GCOM 121. Fundamental Human Communication: Presentations

• GCOM 122. Fundamental Human Communication: Individual Presentations

• GCOM 123. Fundamental Human Communication. Group Presentations

• GHIST 150. Critical Issues In Recent Global History

• GHUM 102. God, Meaning And Morality

• GJUST 225. Justice And American Society

• GPHIL 120 Critical Thinking

• GPOSC 223. U.S. Government

• MATH 103. The Nature of Mathematics

 

Courses for Majors and MinorsBusiness Law:

BLAW 314. Real Estate LawBLAW 470. Financial Products: Regulation And ProtectionBLAW 495. Contract Law, Sales And Secure TransactionsBLAW 497. Aspects Of International Business

College Of BusinessCOB 218. Legal Environment Of Business

Communication StudiesSCOM 231. Introduction To Alternative Dispute ResolutionSCOM 240. The Process Of Human CommunicationSCOM 242. Presentational SpeakingSCOM 331. Communication And ConflictSCOM 332. MediationSCOM 431. Legal Communication

EconomicsECON 222. Contemporary Economic Issues And Policy Alternatives

EnglishENGL 299. Writing About LiteratureENGL 396. Advanced Composition

 

Courses for Majors and MinorsJustice Studies

JUST 200. Introduction To Justice StudiesJUST 210. Crime And Criminal JusticeJUST 212. Theories Of Crime And Criminal JusticeJUST 221. Social Justice TheoriesJUST 332. Understanding ViolenceJUST 323. Comparative Criminal JusticeJUST 324. Death PenaltyJUST 326. VictimologyJUST 327. Criminal LawJUST 372. Ethics And International Politics

PhilosophyPHIL 250. Introduction To Symbolic LogicPHIL 270. Introduction To EthicsPHIL 310. Symbolic LogicPHIL 315. Logic And Legal ReasoningPHIL 325. Crime, Punishment And JusticePHIL 335. The Individual, The State, And JusticePHIL 367. Topics In The Philosophy Of Law

 

Courses for Majors and Minors

Information AnalysisIA 200. Introduction Of National Security InteligenceIA 210. Introduction To Global Competitive Intelligence

Political SciencePOSC 230. International RelationsPOSC 302. State And Local GovernmentPOSC 325. Constitutional LawPOSC 326. Civil RightsPOSC 386. The U.S. JudiciaryPOSC 395. International Law

PsychologyPSYC 250. Introduction To Abnormal PsychologyPSYC 255. Abnormal Psychology For Law Enforcement PersonnelPSYC 312. Forensic PsychologyPSYC 314. Police PsychologyPSYC 316. Human Development And Crime

 

Courses for Majors and Minors

Public Policy And AdministrationPPA 200. Introduction To Public PolicyPPA 415. Legal Environment Of Public Administration

Social WorkSOWK 330. Corrections

SociologySOCI 325. CriminologySOCI 327. Juvenile Delinquency

SpanishSPAN 360. Law Enforcement SpanishSPAN 370. Legal Spanish

Writing, Rhetoric And Technical CommunicationWRTC 250. Ethical And Legal Issues In Technical And Scientific CommunicationWRTC 311. Rhetorical AnalysisWRTC 320. Writing In The Public SphereWRTC 411. Legal Writing

 

PRE-LAW SOCIETY 

   

PHI ALPHA DELTA 

Deans of AdmissionsFinancial OfficersLawyers

  

KAPLAN 

LSAT Practice Tests

Of JMU Students and Alumni Accepted at Selected Law Schools, Fall of 2008

Average LSAT Scores and GPA’s

Schools LSAT GPAAmerican University 160 3.51Appalachian School of Law 150 3.19Catholic University 156 3.31Florida Coastal University 150 3.30George Mason University 164 3.60Hofstra University 159 3.30Penn State - Dickinson 156 3.46Temple University 164 3.51University of Alabama 161 3.40University of Arizona 160 3.30University of Pittsburgh 160 3.59University of Richmond 159 3.49University of Virginia 167 3.87Wake Forest 161 3.45Washington and Lee 163 3.52West Virginia University 157 3.39William and Mary 165 3.52

For helpful links and information about law schools and the process of applying to them, go to the Pre-Law Website: http://caal.jmu.edu/PreLaw

2008-09 Academic Year

Law Schools That AdmittedThe Most JMU Students

American University 4 students Thomas Jefferson School of Law 5 students

Appalachian School of Law 6 students University of Baltimore 8 students

Catholic University 8 students University of Miami 4 students

Charleston College 7 students University of Richmond 8 students

Florida Coastal School 14 students University of Virginia 4 students

George Mason University 4 students Washington and Lee 4 students

Hofstra University 4 students West Virginia University 4 students

New England School 7 students Widener University 8 students

New York Law School 7 students William and Mary Law School 4 students

Penn State - Dickinson 4 students

Two or three JMU students were admitted to these schools:

Other Schools

AlbanyArizona StateBrooklynCalifornia WesternCampbellCleveland StateCornellDukeEmoryFlorida StateFordhamGeorgia StateJohn MarshallMichigan State—Detroit

North Carolina CentralNortheasternNotre DamePaceQuinnipiacRutgers-CamdenRutgers-NewarkSuffolkSyracuseThomas M. CooleyUniversity of AlabamaUniversity of ArizonaUniversity of ArkansasUniversity of Dayton

University of District of ColumbiaUniversity of FloridaUniversity of IowaUniversity of MaineUniversity of NebraskaUniversity of North CarolinaUniversity of OregonUniversity of South CarolinaUniversity of TulsaValparaisoVanderbiltVillanovaWake Forest

• Last year, 165 JMU students or alums applied to law school.

• 118 were accepted to one or more law schools.

• Our acceptance rate is 72%.

Acceptance Rate

• 80% of getting into law school depends on two numbers, your LSAT score and your GPA.

• 20% has to do with your recommendations, personal statement, extra-curricular activities, internships or summer employment in law firms or law-related businesses.

Getting into Law School

GPA(Grade Point Average)

3.0 is a B average

• Three and one-half hour test• Given in February, June, October, December.• Four Parts

•2 Logical Reasoning•1 Reading Comprehension•1 Analytical Reasoning

• Scores•120-180

• Breakdown of most recent scores:•150,633 students took the test.•.06% scored 175-180 (i.e., 904 students)•2.4% scored 170-174 (i.e., 3,612 students)•19.5% scored 160-180 (i.e., 30,120 students)•Mean Score: 152.6•Average UGPA: 3.26

The LSAT

The crux of creativity resides in the ability to manufacture variations on a theme. If we look at the history of science, for instance, we see that every idea is built upon a thousand related ideas. Careful analysis leads us to understand that what we choose to call a new theme or a new discovery is itself always and without exception some sort of variation, on a deep level, of previous themes.

If all of the statements in the passage are true, each of the following must also be true EXCEPT:

(A) A lack of ability to manufacture a variation on a previous theme connotes a lack of creativity.

(B) No scientific idea is entirely independent of all other ideas.(C) Careful analysis of a specific variation can reveal previous themes of which it

is a variation.(D) All great scientific discoverers have been able to manufacture a variation on

a theme.(E) Some new scientific discoveries do not represent, on a deep level, a variation

on previous themes.

Sample Question

First Year Law Courses,All Normally Required• Civil Procedure• Contracts• Torts• Property• Criminal Law• Constitutional Law• Legal Research and WritingSecond and Third Year Courses• Primarily Electives• Moot Court• Mock Trial• Law Review

Law School Curriculum

• Corporate Law• Antitrust Law• Intellectual Property

Law• Family Law• Tax Law• Labor Law• Criminal Law• Public Interest Law• International Law• Securities Law

Law School Specialties

• Environmental Law• Real Estate Law• Tort Law• Sports Law• Entertainment Law• Health Services Law

The Large Law Firm•200 + including Partners and Associates

Small Firms/Solo Practice Government

•Federal: Justice, Defense, JAG, IRS, NASA, SEC, Fed, FCC, FTC.

•State/Commonwealth Attorney, state regulatory agencies (banking, insurance, securities, public utilities)

Businesses/Corporations Judicial Clerkships

Others:

•Law Schools, Colleges/Universities, Foundations, Hospitals, Bar Associations, Consulting Firms.

What Do Lawyers Do?or, Where Will I Work?

2004 Law School Survey

42 law schools surveyed 13,000 students across the country Roughly 30% 1L, 2L, and 3L Roughly equivalent male and female Approximately 2/3rds enrolled directly

from undergraduate college or within 1-2 years. (17% enrolled 3-5 years later; 10%, 6-10 years later; 8% after 10 years.)

2004 Law School Survey

82% rated their law school experience good or excellent 68% spent more than 20 hours per week preparing for class 76% indicated their school stressed the ethical practice of law 82% reported their classes emphasized applying

theory/concept to practical problems 88% said their law school emphasized academic work and

studying

2004 Law School Survey

Education and personal growthBetween 50 and 90% of students reported

these gains from law school:

1. Acquiring a broad legal education;2. Thinking critically and analytically;3. Developing legal research skills;4. Writing clearly and effectively;5. Learning effectively on one’s own;6. Speaking clearly and effectively;7. Acquiring job- or work-related skills and knowledge;8. Understanding oneself.

Where do JMU gradswho become lawyers work?

EVERY STATE IN THE USA. GREAT BRITAIN. US AND STATE ATTORNEY GENERALS’ OFFICES. 

Where do JMU gradswho become lawyers work?

MAJOR FIRMS IN MAJOR CITIES.

DC:Williams & Connolly; Skadden; Orrick; Woodley & McGillivary;

Shearman & Sterling; Heller Ehrman; Watt, Tudor, Hoffar & Fitzgerald; Hogan & Hartson; Sharp & Assoc.; Morgan Lewis; Latham & Watkins; Morrison & Foerster; Jones Day; Cleary Gottlieb; Kenyon & Kenyon; Cohn & Marks; Greenberg Trauig; Arent Fox; Ropes & Gray; Seyfarth Shaw; Reed Smith.

 RICHMOND:Hunton and Williams; McGuire Woods; Saunders Cary &

Pallerson; Williams Mullen; Sands Anderson Marks & Muller; Kutak Rock.

 

MAJOR FIRMS IN MAJOR CITIES.

NEW YORK CITY:Harris Beach; Morgan Lewis, Bernstein Litowitz Berger &

Grossman, O’Melveny & Myers; Cassin Cassin & Joseph. BOSTON:Riemer & Braunstein; Morrison Mahoney; Robinson & Cole.

DALLASNEW ORLEANSPHILADELPHIAST. LOUISSAN DIEGO

Where do JMU gradswho become lawyers work?

Pre-Law at JMU

http://caal.jmu.edu/prelaw

Dr. David K. Jeffrey, DirectorDean, College of Arts & Letters