What is the Best Preparation for Law School? Is There a Pre-law Major at Reed?
“What law schools seek in their entering students is not accomplishment in mere memorization, ” states the Association of American Law Schools, “but accomplishment in understanding, the capacity to think for themselves, and the ability to express their thoughts with clarity and force.” The Association does not prescribe a specific course of study to prepare undergraduates for law school, but rather suggests a broad approach to liberal arts, including work in English, humanities, logic, mathematics, social sciences, history, philosophy, and the natural sciences. The College has drawn similar conclusions on the basis of the experiences of Reed graduates, and therefore does not offer a program specifically designated “pre-law.” Among the Reed students who have pursued careers in law, a broad variety of majors are represented. The most popular have been political science, psychology, English literature, and history, although recently more science and math majors are applying to law schools
