UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- A new report offers insight into preparing for law school by showing data related to Penn State majors most often chosen by students interested in law careers.
Edward J. Wangler, pre-law adviser and senior undergraduate studies adviser in the Division of Undergraduate Studies, emphasizes the American Bar Association premise that “students who are successful in law school and who become accomplished professionals come from many walks of life and educational backgrounds" and recently compiled the report "Penn State Students Studying Law."
Wangler often tells students, “At Penn State, there is no pre-law major, minor or required courses, just as law schools have no preferred majors or prerequisite courses."
The report, published at http://dus.psu.edu/documents/prelaw/reports/report_2011.pdf, provides an overview of University students who represent a wide variety of majors yet all share an interest in the field of law and applied to law school. The report specifically highlights the range of majors pursued by Penn State students interested in attending law school, lists the law schools to which these students most often applied, indicates the number of applications they submitted along with the number of acceptances and provides average cumulative grade-point averages and Law School Admission Test scores.Wangler believes the report will help advisers and students approach law school preparation from a broader perspective.“We think the data and interesting comparisons take the focus off majors traditionally regarded as more ‘pre-law’ than others,” he said, “and will hopefully encourage students to instead pursue areas of study that fit them well, reflect their strengths and will help them hone the skills they will need in law school.”Pre-law advising at Penn State is provided by the Division of Undergraduate Studies, a unit within the Office of Undergraduate Education. The division's mission also includes student enrollment, the University-wide academic information network, the consulting and advising portions of New Student Orientation, and general academic advising for current and prospective students.For more information about the Division of Undergraduate Studies, visit http://dus.psu.edu or contact Deborah Oakes, communications director, at dlo5@psu.edu or 814-865-7576.