Prelaw Program in the History Department

Preparing for law school requires careful thought and long-range planning. One of the most important decisions that you must make involves what to major in during your undergraduate years.

You can major in any academic subject and gain admission to law school as long as your coursework indicates that you have acquired the skills and knowledge needed to undergo the rigors of legal study.

However, it is not a coincidence that most law school entering classes contain significant numbers of history majors. Law school admissions committees know that the study of history, if pursued properly, enables students to master the three crucial skills needed to succeed in law school: the ability to write clearly, the ability to interpret complex subjects, and the ability to read efficiently and effectively. In addition, a well-grounded familiarity with history is considered by many law professors to be vital in mastering the complexities of the American legal system and international law. Your chances of gaining admission to law school and your ability to make the transition between undergraduate work and legal study will be greatly assisted by concentrating upon the discipline of history.

The History Pre-Law Program at Ohio University centers on expert, timely advising from the freshman through senior year. In your freshman and sophomore years, the History Pre-Law Advisor helps you select the best set of courses to assist you in preparing for law school. In the junior year, the History Pre-Law Advisor helps you plan out a course of action to insure that you are prepared for the LSAT and the law school admission process. In the senior year, the History Pre-Law Advisor helps you with the application process and the difficult decisions involving where to apply and ultimately where to attend. The quality of Pre-Law Advising in the History Department is well-known at the University, and has prompted pre-law students from a variety of other colleges and programs to become informal advisees. Nevertheless, it is the History Pre-Law students who receive advising priority and benefit from four years of assistance.

History Pre-Law Students in the recent past have been admitted to the following Law Schools:

  • Cornell University
  • Stanford University
  • University of Michigan
  • Ohio State University
  • Case Western Reserve
  • Duquesne University
  • William and Mary
  • Boston University
  • Tulane University
  • New York University
  • George Washington University
  • University of Cincinnati
  • Capital University
  • University of Akron