Preparing for Law School

To prepare for law school and the application process:

  • Schedule a meeting with Tianna Ransom, MIT’s Pre-Law Advisor, to explore your law school options and to get support with your applications.
  • Speak with MIT alumni who have pursued this career path.
  • Maintain a strong academic track record.
  • Take courses and seek opportunities where you can do more writing. It’s good preparation for law school and law school admissions officers are looking for an aptitude for writing. Communication intensive courses and senior thesis are good ways to get more writing through your coursework.
  • Consider joining groups on campus such as the MIT Pre-Law Society (MPLS) or the MIT Mock Trial Team, found through the MIT student organization database, to explore the field and gain experience.
  • Sign up for the monthly Pre-Law newsletter, which includes relevant events, updates, and announcements by updating your uConnect profile and preferences to include the Law career interest. Have questions? Contact us.

For your application, you will need to submit two to three academic recommendations.

  • Begin cultivating relationships with relevant professors.
  • You may want to also consider taking law related classes at MIT or cross-registering for law related classes at Harvard or Wellesley.

Research and Select Law Schools

As you’re selecting law schools to apply for:

  • Review the CAPD recommendations for selecting graduate schools.
  • Know that rankings aren’t everything, but they’re worth considering. In addition to the top 14 law schools (the T14), consider programs that are highly ranked in your specific area of interest.
  • Consider the location where you hope to eventually practice. Most law school graduates build a network close to where they went to school, which helps with the job search process.