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Speak Up! - View Question #461 |
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Question: What high school classes should you take to become a lawyer?
Answer: Unlike medical school, there are no prerequisites that need to be taken before attending law school. However, there are a number of classes that would be beneficial.
Law school involves a tremendous amount of reading, writing, critical thinking, and analysis. As such, I would take as many critical thinking courses as possible while you are still in high school. Generally, these courses are in the Humanities (English, history, etc.). Try to take Advanced Placement and/or honors courses in these subjects to develop your reading comprehension, writing, and analytical skills.
If your high school offers a philosophy course, I highly recommend that you take it. I also recommend taking a foreign language in high school and in college...Latin would be beneficial for both the SATs and for law school terminology.
Other than those suggestions, take courses that interest you, but also make sure to have a well-rounded curriculum, balancing mathematics, sciences, the Humanities, foreign languages, and electives. In addition, it would be helpful to balance your school-based work with extracurricular activities from a variety of areas. Some of the best learning experiences occur outside the classroom. Many high schools offer mock trial programs, which are a good introduction to the practice of law.
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