The Covenant College Pre-Law Society is a student organization headed by a student president and a faculty Pre-Law Advisor. The Pre-Law Society exists to serve as an aid and resource to those students considering or intending to pursue a legal education after college and to maintain a dialogue on campus regarding legal issues.

Why Should a Christian Study the Law?

Law and those who practice it have gained a dubious reputation in the popular imagination of our day and age – perhaps because we all know that modern laws are complex and often confusing, and we hate that we need lawyers to help us move through the labyrinth.  One can certainly make a decent living in the practice of law (although it is a myth that all lawyers are wealthy), but if you are interested in Covenant College, you are concerned about more than money.   The calling of law has been, and still is, one in which Christians can serve their communities and their churches in significant and very important ways.   In this regard, a Covenant education will give you an approach to your career that will help you to view your work in the context of God’s plans and priorities.  One of our graduates has put it well: 

"One of the primary purposes of lawyers is to help maintain civility in a broken, fallen world (i.e., to restrain sinners as they duke it out over this or that trespass or potential trespass).  Although the nature of the sin varies by area of practice, lawyers must advise folks in the midst of their greed and selfishness every day.  It isn't always pretty but it's hard to think of a better place for a Christian with a heart and mind for redeeming the day-to-day workings of our culture." 

Rachel (Gleason) George, Covenant Class of 2000, Emory University Law Graduate, 2003.


Pre-Law Studies

Prospective law students need a broad educational background that provides the critical reading, writing, and thinking skills that law schools expect. Students interested in pursuing law school are encouraged to consider a major that will both bring pleasure and foster such skills.  Majors of this kind traditionally include (but are not limited to) history, philosophy, English, or business at a liberal arts institution.    Admission to any given law school is based upon several factors, the most important of which are graduation with a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited undergraduate college or university, grade point average (GPA), Law School Admission Test (LSAT) scores, and the applicant’s personal statement.  Recommendations are also important, and some extracurricular activities are taken into account.

Although minimum requirements for GPA and LSAT scores vary with individual law schools, realistic expectations for consideration of admission demand that the prospective law student earn a minimum GPA of at least 3.00 – 3.33 (B to B+) and a minimum score on the LSAT in the high 140s to mid 150s (out of 180). Of course, the higher these scores, the greater one’s choices for law school.  As a reference, the 50^th percentile in the 2002-03 testing year was a GPA around 3.4 and an LSAT score of 152 (of those taking the test; the median for those entering law school was even higher). 

Students should also consult the annually published Official Guide to U.S. Law Schools, which contains a description of all American Bar Association (ABA) approved law schools, including GPA and LSAT profiles of the most recent class admitted. The ABA also maintains a website with links to law schools (see listing at end of pamphlet).  Copies of the guidebook are available for perusal from the Career Development Center or the pre-law advisor, Dr. Richard R. Follett.  All Pre-Law students are encouraged to contact Professor Follett for further information.