OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY

Pre-Law Program

Law School - is it for me? 
Law school is very different than most undergraduate institutions. While law school students learn to become better thinkers, writers, and speakers, law school is not an extension of an undergraduate degree program.

Here are a few ways that law school differs from undergraduate education:

  • Focus: Studies in law school will be more focused, all classes being law-related and including very few electives.
  • Teaching Method: Many law schools utilize the Socratic Method, meaning students will be required to comprehend a large amount of information regarding legal cases and will be called upon regularly in the classroom. This case method is very effective at testing a student's ability to synthesize information and apply it to new situations.
  • Grades: Grades are based almost exclusively on one final exam and students will not see any type of evaluation until the end of the term.

There is no standard curriculum for all law schools.  Although most law schools cover similar topics within the first year of schooling - civil procedure, constitutional law, contracts, criminal law and criminal procedure, legal methods, legal writing and research, property law, and torts - all have unique faculty and research emphasis.

Want to Learn More About OSU's Pre-Law Programs?

Oregon State now offers a shorter path to your law degree. Through a unique 3+3 partnership with Willamette University in Salem, you can complete your first three years in the College of Liberal Arts, then transfer to Willamette’s College of Law. Your first-year law classes will fulfill your remaining undergraduate credits, followed by two more years of law school. That means you can earn your bachelor’s degree from Oregon State and your law degree from Willamette, all in six years! To keep up to date on this program and to learn more, check out the 3+3 Blog!

If the 3+3 program is not right for you, you can still prepare through OSU’s Online Pre-law Summer Series! This series will equip you with the tools and knowledge needed to apply to, enroll in and graduate from law school.  This 12-week program is designed specifically to help students prepare for the LSAT and complete a strong personal statement, which is a key component of the application.