Attorneys: The Road to Becoming One

Ask any group of youngsters and you are likely to find many who say they want to be lawyers. Most of them never even take the first step toward this dream because they really do not know what the path entails. Attorneys have rewarding careers, and the field is surely one that needs qualified up and comers, but obtaining the status is a long road. Many will not obtain the dream because no one ever tells them how to go about it.

The first thing future attorneys must do is finish high school. You can go to college on a GED, but the benefits of an actual diploma are many. A GED will land you in many remedial classes in college; these are classes that you must pay for, but ones that you do not get college credit for. This just adds to the time investment it takes to obtain your goals. Do well in high school, join the mock trial group, page at your state capital, attend your state's Girl's or Boy's State. Take all the government electives that are offered at your school.

After high school, you will go on to college to obtain a bachelor's degree. Some schools have "pre-law" programs, but it is not always necessary to major in pre-law. If at this time you have an idea of what kind of law you want to practice, you can perhaps major in something similar. Educational law, criminal law, family law, etc. can all be enhanced with a few well placed classes in major areas that offer studies on these topics. 

You may also want to set your sights on a law school and do some investigating. What are their numbers? That is, how many students do they accept each year? What percentages are from your undergraduate institution, and what percentage is from its own institution? What do the top accepted have in common? Perfect GPAs? A resume full of applicable volunteer activities? A certain interest of law? Build your bachelor degree around your future law degree.

Once you obtain your bachelor degree, you will need to take the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT). This is where a pre-law major may be helpful. You may take the test as many times as needed to obtain a competitive score, but keep in mind you will be paying for each test. Once you feel you have a score that will land you a spot in the school of your choice, it is time to apply to law school. Assuming you are accepted on the first try without sitting out a year until the next application period, there are still two to three years left in your educational journey.

Law school will take at least two years to complete, usually three years, and sometimes more. Once you have graduated law school, you will need to pass your state's bar exam which allows attorneys to practice law in their state of residence.