High Point University’s Law Pre-Professional Program is designed to prepare you to apply to law schools best matched to your goals and interests. With your success as our top priority, this program will give you enhanced opportunities to engage in academic and hands-on experiences that will help build your confidence and knowledge while simultaneously expanding your passion for the legal system.
The Pre-Law Program
This program helps students determine whether a career in law makes sense for them, effectively navigate through the process of applying to law school, and select a law school that best fits their future goals. Law schools accept applicants from a wide variety of majors, but they closely examine transcripts for evidence that the applicant has taken challenging classes that develop students’ abilities to problem solve, read critically, write and edit, communicate orally, and listen well. Students interested in law school should meet with a pre-law advisor early in their academic career to develop a plan tailored to the student’s interests and the intellectual rigor that will prepare students for the law school experience.
Explore more about legal careers and law school
Cocurricular and extracurricular activities such as Undergraduate Research and Creative Works (URCW), pre-law club and internships or work experience in law-related fields can also help to strengthen applications.
Ways to prepare yourself for law school while at HPU
Students should take the LSAT between June and December of their senior year; June is generally considered the optimal time to take the test. Students should meet with the pre-law advisor during their junior year to design a plan for preparing for this test.
Pre-Law Advisor:
Dr. Scott Ingram from the Department of Criminal Justice ([email protected])
Make an appointment with a Pre-Law Advisor in order to:
- Discern whether a career in law is a good path for you
- Learn more about post-graduate options and opportunities
- Explore possible on- and off-campus opportunities for engagement in and experience with law
- Discuss requirements for law school and how you can best fulfill them given your specific interests and goals
- Learn more about the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT) and how to prepare
- Demystify the application process
As a supplement to your academic advisor, pre-law advisors willwork one-on-one with you, as well as offer you extracurricular and resume-building opportunities. Your pre-law advisors will help you choose classes with law-related themes, give you guidance as you seek law-related internships, direct you to opportunities for undergraduate research projects and work with you through the graduate school application and decision-making process. You should select a major and obtain a degree in an area that is of greatest interest to you, keeping in mind the core skills, values, knowledge and experience that law schools value. These skills include problem solving, critical reading, writing and editing, oral communication, listening and researching.
How HPU Will Prepare You For Law School
High Point University will provide you with the mentorship and guidance to ensure that you are completing the academic, developmental and professional requirements needed to stand out during the law school application process.
The pre-law advisors help students who are considering a legal career:
- Learn more about post-graduate options and opportunities
- Explore possible on- and off-campus opportunities for engagement in and experience with law
- Discuss requirements for law school and how you can best fulfill them given your specific interests and goals
- Learn more about the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT) and how to prepare
- Demystify the application process
At HPU, you will obtain a variety of experiences associated with law.
As a pre-law student at HPU, you will have the opportunity to:
- Participate on the Mock Trial Team
- Attend sessions and visit first-year law classes at HPU’s Kahn School of Law
- Attend law school fairs hosted by the pre-law program and the Office of Career and Professional Development on HPU’s campus
- Interact with HPU alumni who have gone on to pursue careers in the legal field
- Engage in undergraduate research
- Collaborate alongside distinguished professors who have legal experience in law firms and in criminal prosecution
- Become an active leader and build your legal network through Phi Alpha Delta, our campus pre-law club
For more information about the 3+3 Program, please contact the pre-law advisor Dr. Scott Ingram, Dr. Gordon Ballingrud in the Political Science Department, or Dr. Beth Hupfer in the Religion and Philosophy Department.
Law schools do not require students take specific courses. However, there are some courses that will prepare students for the LSAT and for the rigors of law school. Generally, courses in English, History, and Philosophy will develop reading and writing skills.
Full List of Suggested Courses:
By Subject
Business
Business Law (BUA 3050)
Communications
Communication Law and Ethics (COM 3390)
Criminal Justice
Criminal Law (CRJ 3100)
Courts and Trials (CRJ 3200)
Death Penalty (CRJ 4100)
Crime, Law and National Security (CRJ 4300)
Mock Trial (CRJ 2900)
English
Detective Fiction (ENG2200)
Law and Literature (ENG2200)
Print Artifacts: Literature, Law, and Narrative (ENG4720)
FYS
Law, Rhetoric, and Culture (FYS1000) (Dr. Scheidt)
We, The Jury: Truthfinding in American Criminal Trials (FYS 1000)
Talking About Freedom: Civil Rights, Constitutional Culture and the First Amendment (FYS 1000)
History
Case Studies in American Legal History (HST 3211)
Philosophy
Philosophy Logical and Critical Thinking (PHL 1006)
Symbolic Logic (PHL 3006)
Political Science
The Constitution, Civil Liberties and the Courts (PSC 3320)
Judicial Politics (PSC 4320)
By Level
1000 Level
Law, Rhetoric, and Culture (FYS1000)
We, The Jury: TruthFinding in Criminal Trials (FYS1000)
Talking About Freedom: Civil Rights, Constitutional Culture and the First Amendment (FYS 1000)
Logical and Critical Thinking (PHL 1006)
2000 Level
Detective Fiction (ENG2200)
Law and Literature (ENG2200)
Mock Trial (CRJ 2900)
3000 Level
Business Law (BUA 3050)
Case Studies in American Legal History (HST 3211)
Communication Law and Ethics (COM 3390)
Courts and Trials (CRJ 3200)
Criminal Law (CRJ 3100)
Symbolic Logic (PHL 3006)
The Constitution, Civil Liberties and the Courts (PSC 3320)
4000 Level
Crime, Law and National Security (CRJ 4300)
Death Penalty (CRJ 4100)
Judicial Politics (PSC 4320)
Print Artifacts: Literature, Law, and Narrative (ENG4720)
Suggested Courses at a Glance
Pre-law advising assists students through the law school application process by meeting with students interested in law school and by providing law school-related information to assist students in determining if law school is right for them, preparing for the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT), and selecting the law school that best fits their future goals. Students interested in law school should meet with a pre-law advisor early in their academic career to develop a plan.
- BUA 3050 – Business Law (4 credits)
- COM 3450 – Media Law and Ethics (4 credits)
- CRJ 2900 – Mock Trial (2 credits)
- CRJ 3100 – Criminal Law (4 credits)
- CRJ 4300 – Crime, Law, and National Security (4 credits)
- HST 3211 – Case Studies in American Legal History (4 credits)
- PHL 1006 – Logic and Critical Thinking (4 credits)
- PHL 3006 – Symbolic Logic (4 credits)
Students interested in pre-law should work on developing their skills in:
- Problem Solving
- Critical Reading
- Writing and Editing
- Oral Communication
- Listening
In addition, students should engage meaningfully with general education coursework and choose a major that interests them. Any major is fine, but pre-law students should seek to enhance and challenge themselves with respect to the skills and qualities above.
