In the words of an American Bar Association (ABA) statement, “Students who are successful in law school, and who become accomplished lawyers or use their legal education successfully in other areas of professional life, come to their legal education from widely differing educational and experiential backgrounds.” In short, there is no best major or prelaw curriculum for entering and doing well in law school.

Luther College promotes this applied interest in legal studies by offering individual legal courses while allowing students to develop other areas of interest. Through this process, students walk away not only with a strengthened interest in the law, but also an area of interest in which they will apply their future legal studies. Students who want to take law-related courses, either to explore their interest in law or as preparation for law school, often take one or more of the following: Law and the American Legal System, Constitutional Law, Civil Rights and Liberties, Business Law, and Law and Economics. Luther also has an active Mock Trial team, which competes from the middle of the fall semester to early in the spring semester.

Even when considering the LSAT, the surest preparation for law school is to major in an area one enjoys and to take intellectually challenging courses from many disciplines. Look for courses that will sharpen reading comprehension, writing, and analytical skills. Most important, to quote the ABA statement again, “taking difficult courses from demanding instructors is the best generic preparation for legal education.”

In the past 15 years, Luther alumni with the majors in accounting, business management, chemistry, classics, economics, English, French, German, history, philosophy, political science, psychology, and sociology have earned law degrees. Luther's focus on critical thought through its liberal arts education has developed in undergraduates of all different majors the analytical skills needed in the practice of law.