Skip to content
  • Solutions
    Our Services
    Middle School College Prep
    Transfer Admissions
    SAT Test Prep
    ACT Test Prep
    College Prep for Neurodiverse Students
  • About Us
    Our Story
    Why Us
    Success Stories
    Partnering with Us
    Empowerly for Employers
    Contact Us
  • Programs
    AI Scholar Program
    Research Scholar Program
    Startup Internship Program
    Passion Project Program
  • Resources
    Blog
    Webinars
    Empowerly Score®

Sign In

Free Consultation
Book a Free Consultation

Login

  • Blog > Law, Majors

Popular Majors for Pre-Law Students

Picture of Sophia Minhas

Sophia Minhas

  • January 19, 2017

Pre-Law Students

When many students apply to college, they’re often not thinking about college – they’re thinking about what comes after college. For some, that means the workforce. For others, it means going to medical school or law school. If you’re thinking ahead already, especially if you hope to become a lawyer, then you’re probably already considering schools and majors with that goal in mind. Let’s discuss some popular majors for pre-law students in this article.

When it comes to selecting a major, more and more students feel the need to hyper-specialize. Therefore, choosing a major that seems to directly relate to law school (such as pre-law) makes sense to some. But does it really make sense? Maybe not. For a deeper understanding, consider what prepares students well for law school applications, and then why certain majors are better for that preparation than others.

What makes a good major for law school?

Know, first and foremost, that the American Bar Association, or the ABA, does not recommend any particular major for pre-law students. Instead, they emphasize the need to do well in school and prepare well for the LSAT.

With that in mind, consider what’s on the LSAT for a moment. Its primary focus is on deductive reasoning through questions on logical reasoning, analytical reasoning, and reading comprehension. These questions do not focus on the law specifically. Therefore, a major that lends itself to the law does not necessarily give you a boost on the LSAT.

Majors that focus on this kind of reasoning, however, can give you a boost. To find out which majors might help, look at some charts offering the average LSAT scores for students who pursued particular majors. Students who pursue majors with a fair amount of deductive reasoning work and reading tend to fare better on the LSAT. With this list handy (which is in no particular order), consider which majors sound interesting to you and which ones you think you would do well with.

Skill-focused options

  • History
  • English
  • Philosophy
  • Political Science
  • Economics
  • Business
  • Psychology
  • Engineering
  • Finance
  • Sociology
  • Communications
  • Business Administration

 Although students tend to do well on the LSAT from any of these majors, it’s important that you choose one you’ll do well with rather than whichever you think is the “right“ major.

“Bad” majors

While it’s hard to generalize good and bad majors, pre-law and criminal justice are widely regarded as poor majors for prospective law students for a number of reasons. Students from these majors tend to have lower law school acceptance rates, they often don’t do as well on the LSAT, and these majors are sometimes considered “easier” majors.

At this point, it may be clear that there are more important factors to law school applications than choosing one of these popular majors for pre-law students. You’ll need to get good grades (no matter what you major in), prepare well for the LSAT, network in college, and take classes that will prepare you well for law school. Accomplishing these goals will do more for you than a particular major will. However, it’s also worthwhile to know which majors are more likely to help you accomplish your goals.  

For more advice for prospective law students, reach out to Empowerly! We have counselors with law experience themselves, and plenty of resources to help you accomplish your dreams.

Book A Free Consultation
Share this post
College Internships
Picture of Sophia Minhas

Sophia Minhas

Related articles

Find the latest college admissions news, tips, resources and more.

How to Select the Perfect Major: Researching Majors for College

Learn how researching majors for college can shape your application — and discover how to find the right major for your goals and interests.

Empowerly’s Guide to Summer Programs

Explore top competitive high school summer programs and download Empowerly’s new guide to help your student build a standout summer strategy.

How to Stand Out in National Science & History Competitions

Here’s how to win national science and history competitions — and what real students did to get into top colleges like Princeton.

Empowerly is a member of:

Menu

  • Services
  • Success Stories
  • Careers
  • Become a Counselor
  • Refer a Friend
  • Book a Consult

Contact Us

  • enrollment@empowerly.com
  • 800 491 6920
  • empowerly.com

Follow Us

  • LinkedIn
  • Instagram
  • Facebook
Subscribe to our Newsletter
© 2025 Empowerly Inc | All Rights Reserved
Cookie Preferences
Terms & Conditions
Privacy Policy
Solutions
Our Services
Middle School College Prep
Transfer Admissions
SAT Test Prep
ACT Test Prep
College Prep for Neurodiverse Students
About Us
Our Story
Why Us
Success Stories
Partnering with Us
Empowerly for Employers
Programs
AI Scholar Program
Research Scholar Program
Startup Internship Program
Resources
Blog
Referral
Webinars
Empowerly Score®
Book a Free Consultation
Login