Pre-Law
Academic Advising Program
Our academic advising program offers a comprehensive approach designed to equip you with the knowledge, skills and experiences to excel in law school and beyond. Note: Pre-Law is not a designated major, it is an advising program designed to prepare students for entrance to law school.
First and Second Year Students
- Sign up for Pre-Law Newsletter by joining the Pre-Law Society, or sending your request to: rhineys@xavier.edu
- Register for your free account with the Law School Admissions Council (LSAC). Use their free educational, vocational, and testing resources to learn more about the application process and careers in law.
- Shadow an attorney – You can sign up for a mentor through Career Planning or contact the Pre Law Advisor.
- Seek out professional internships and research opportunities through your academic programs, or career planning postings.
Juniors and Seniors
- Begin your law school search using LSAC and start attending law school open houses (in person and virtual).
- Ask 2-3 faculty members to write a letter of recommendation on your behalf.
- In the fall and spring, take advantage of virtual or in-person law school campus visits.
- Attend a law school class (coordinated through XU Pre-Law Program).
- Schedule and prepare for the LSAT after your junior year - take free tests and affordable LSAT prep opportunities available through LSAC and sign up for prep courses to supplement your efforts.
- Fall of senior year, begin your application process.
Criminal Justice Society
The mission of the Criminal Justice Society is to provide an opportunity for students to learn about those working in and impacted by the criminal justice system. The club emphasizes educational and hands-on experiences to enhance the students' professional development.
St. Thomas More Pre-Law Society
Pre-law students are strongly advised to join the St. Thomas More Pre-Law Society. This group meets several times a year to discuss the law school application process and careers in the legal profession.
Xavier Mock Trial Club
Xavier’s Mock Trial Club participates in regional and national intercollegiate competitions. Club members use legal cases to participate in trial simulations where they are assigned specific roles, such as attorneys, witnesses, etc. in order to improve their skills in public speaking, critical thinking, and legal reasoning. The advisors for this club are professional attorneys from the Cincinnati area.
OIP-u
OIP-u is Ohio's collegiate network of innocence advocates. Their mission is to bring awareness to wrongful convictions, specifically in Ohio. The Xavier OIP-u chapter works to prevent wrongful conviction by promoting awareness on college campuses and to generate student and community support for the nonprofit Ohio Innocence Project.
Program Features
In the Pre-Law program, you'll be paired with a seasoned mentor who is a practicing lawyer, bringing real-world expertise and insights from their experiences.
Our Pre-Law advisor will work closely with you to create a customized academic plan that aligns with your career goals and prepares you for the LSAT.
Gain a competitive edge in your law school applications through internships, networking, mock trial competitions and opportunities to attend a law school class.
Stand out in the competitive law school admissions process and prepare for a successful legal career with a strong liberal arts education background.
Xavier’s Chapter of the Ohio Innocence Project invited Dean Gillispie, who spent two years wrongfully imprisoned, to speak to students and screen his documentary, “Spiz.”
Xavier students recently met with five of the seven Supreme Court justices of Ohio, including Pat DeWine and incoming Xavier Justice in Residence Joe Deters.
FAQ
Lay the groundwork for a successful career in law with the Pre-Law program at Xavier University. Discover more.
Future law school applicants from Xavier University come from a diverse set of majors, including (but not limited to):
- Classical Humanities
- Communication Studies
- Criminal Justice
- Economics
- English
- History
- International Studies
- International Business
- Philosophy
- Philosophy, Politics and the Public
- Political Science
Regardless of your major course of study, pre-law students are advised to take classes that will enhance reading comprehension, logical reasoning and research skills necessary for success in law school and legal practice.
A pre-law program isn't typically a major at any university, including Xavier. This is because pre-law is not a specific academic discipline like biology, chemistry or history. Instead, it's a course of study that prepares students for law school.
Students majoring in a wide range of subjects, such as political science, philosophy, history, or economics, can prepare for law school. These majors often provide the necessary critical thinking, writing, and analytical skills that are essential for success in law school.
While Xavier University doesn't offer a specific "pre-law major," it provides a strong liberal arts education that equips students with the necessary skills to excel in law school and beyond.
Students considering law as a career should connect with both their departmental chair and the Pre-Law Advisor, Sean Rhiney (rhineys@xavier.edu). All interested pre law students should join Xavier’s Pre Law Society, a student-led organization that offers monthly programming and networking opportunities for students considering law as a vocation. Go to EngageXU to learn more.
Pre-Law Program Program at Xavier University
Many different majors can lead to a successful career in law. There is no particular course of study that is a prerequisite for admission to law school. At Xavier, students are instilled with strong communications skills, verbal and written, as they are both essential to a successful future in law. Courses requiring writing, research, and analytical thinking subjected to rigorous faculty criticism are tools used in the pre-law program to take students beyond mere preparation, to give them a competitive advantage in the field. Students also receive a solid understanding of human institutions and values. Xavier utilizes courses in political science, history, social psychology and sociology help to develop this discipline.
Xavier University’s College of Arts and Sciences challenges students to develop an integrated understanding of humanity, the world, and God by pursuing the questions raised in Xavier's core and departmental curricula. The College of Arts and Sciences is the oldest and largest college at Xavier University. The college provides an excellent liberal arts education in the Jesuit tradition that prepares students for careers, professional or graduate school, and life in a global society.
Xavier University is a private university located in Cincinnati, Ohio, providing a liberal arts education in the Jesuit Catholic tradition. Founded in 1831, the University is the sixth-oldest Catholic university in the nation. It has been ranked among the top 10 master's-level universities in the Midwest by U.S. News & World Report for the past two decades. The Princeton Review names it one of the "Best 385 Colleges in America."