Pre-Law

Hone your Talents

The American Bar Association emphasizes that success in the legal profession come not from any particular major, but rather from a broad range of challenging courses that foster core skills.

• Analytic and problem solving skills
• Critical Reading
• Writing Skills
• Oral Communication and Listening Skills
• General Research Skill
• Task Organization and Management
• Public Service and Promotion of Justice

The Classics program at Baylor engages students in each of these areas. Questions of civic responsibility and justice permeate ancient literature. At all levels, courses in Latin and Greek emphasize precise reading, analysis, and logical application of grammatical rules. To this core, upper level courses add research, presentation, and writing components. As a discipline, Classics is dedicated to exploring all aspects of Greek and Roman antiquity over a period of more than 2000 years. The broad, interdisciplinary nature of such study fosters planning, research, and knowledge integration skills.

Prominent lawyers who began their career in Classics include James A. Baker III (former White House chief of Staff, Secretary of the Treasury, and Secretary of State), Jerry Brown (current governor of California), and William Cohen (former Secretary of Defense).”

The Princeton Review (Guide to College Majors 2010) provides an excellent summation: “One reason that Classics majors are so successful is that they completely master grammar. ... Ultimately though, Classics majors get on well in life because they develop intellectual rigor, communications skills, analytical skills, the ability to handle complex information, and above all, a breadth of view which few other disciplines can provide.”

Law schools report that Classics majors thrive, achieving distinction in grades and the prestige of law review membership more frequently than students from a background in political science, economics, “pre-law” or “legal studies”.
~ Harvard Magazine, May 1998 ~

Why Classics?

Why not? Each year nearly 300 Classics majors across the country apply to law school and their collective LSAT record has been among the best in the nation.

^{Data provided by LSAC Data Services Group. The annual national average is around 152. A score of 160 (out of 180 possible) falls around the 80th percentile.}