Pre-Law Advising at Bowdoin

Pre-Law Advising at Bowdoin

More Information for Current Students

Each fall the LSAG hosts a meeting for first year students who are contemplating a career in law. Members of the LSAG provide information on their role as advisors, upcoming programs of interest, and the services available to students and alumni/ae. Contrary to popular belief, there is no "pre-law" major. Students are advised to choose a major based on their primary interests, and to select courses that develop the skills necessary to succeed in law school. Bowdoin graduates who have successfully graduated from law school include (but are not limited to) former Sociology, Philosophy, Government & Legal Studies, English, Biology, French, Mathematics, Biochemistry, Anthropology, and German majors.

To begin, students should read the Pre-Law Handbook.  Early in the fall of their junior or senior year, interested students are advised to attend the annual Applying to Law School workshop, which guides them through the basics of the application process. The Career Planning Center also sponsors a Graduate and Professional School Fair each fall featuring over 35 admissions representatives from law schools throughout the country. Schools such as Boston College, Duke, George Washington, Harvard, Michigan, Northeastern, University of Maine, Washington University, Vanderbilt and Yale have participated regularly in recent years.

Through eBEAR, an on-line internship database accessible by liberal arts colleges nationwide, current students can access hundreds of legal employers who hire interns. These internships are paid and unpaid. Some of the paid internships currently posted include the Government Accountability Project, the Public Interest Summer Fellowship Program at Harvard Law School, the Lawyers Alliance for World Security, and the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.