“I chose my STEM major because, at the time, I was interested in pursuing veterinary or medical school. Along the way, I began to notice how much overlap exists between animal science and the law. Areas like animal agriculture and research are heavily regulated, and I found those intersections especially interesting. Many of the concepts I studied raised questions that I now recognize as legal in nature, which ultimately contributed to my interest in law.”

“My father was a physician, so I have always had an interest in medicine. I had great chemistry teachers in middle and high school, so I wanted to explore that as a way of helping people. I had a fantastic time doing immunology research during undergrad, but I also realized that I did not want to be confined to one area of expertise. Patent law was a way for me to remain involved with cutting-edge technology without being confined to one field.”

“During my first two years of undergrad, I didn’t yet know I wanted to attend law school. I ultimately decided to pursue a dual degree and added a B.A. in Political Science, which helped me build friendships and gain exposure to the legal field. I would recommend getting involved in pre-law organizations or your college’s pre-law advising office, as they can be helpful resources. That said, I don’t think extensive pre-law involvement is necessary to get into or prepare for law school. In many ways, I was glad to start with a fresh and open mindset.”

“I think it gives me a more diverse perspective. Having a science background helps you approach problems differently and develop solutions that someone with only a legal background might not consider. If you pursue a science field like animal science and then enter a related area of law, that combination can be especially valuable. In practice, lawyers often have to rely on industry experts to explain how things work on the ground. With a background in that field, you can bridge that gap
yourself and bring a deeper, more practical understanding to your work.”

“Definitely legal writing. When I arrived at law school, I was worried that my writing abilities would be behind most of my classmates because STEM classes tend to be exam-oriented rather than essay- or writing-focused. To my surprise, legal writing is much more like writing a STEM research paper than a political science essay. The writing is much more technical, and the skills I learned from writing technical papers in STEM classes made the transition to legal writing much easier on me than on many of my non-STEM law school classmates.”

“I am from Southern Illinois and plan to return there to practice. My father is a grain farmer, and I’ve always had an interest in animal agriculture, so that background is a meaningful part of my perspective. While I took a wide range of STEM courses in undergrad, I wouldn’t say my specific area of law is a direct product of that experience. I will likely work at a general practice firm with a focus on litigation, particularly medical malpractice and personal injury. Although that work is not
directly related to animal science, my background will be especially valuable when agricultural or animal-related cases arise in Southern Illinois, where those issues are more common.”

“This upcoming summer, I will be doing pharmaceutical patent litigation at a “BigLaw” national law firm. I was drawn to this work because of my research experience in undergrad and academic background. It was the perfect way to work with clients who are creating cutting-edge products and helping them protect their inventions. The technical nature of the subject matter means that most firms require their attorneys to have at least an undergraduate degree in a related discipline. For example, my firm was very interested in the research papers I co-authored.”

“I mentioned earlier, having a STEM background gives you a wider range of ways to think. It teaches you how to approach problems, form hypotheses, and analyze systems in a way that law school doesn’t necessarily emphasize. When you combine that with the logical reasoning and analytical skills developed in law school, it creates a really strong and well-rounded perspective.

I also believe in the idea that to become better at one thing, it helps to develop skills in something different. For example, being a lawyer with a background in science, music, or another discipline can make you a more effective thinker and strategist. Those additional perspectives push you to see problems from new angles, which is incredibly valuable in legal practice.”

“A STEM background helps with building academic and professional discipline. While law school is difficult, legal coursework has never approached the difficulty of the upper-level STEM classes I took. Because of that, even when I am struggling to understand material for law school, the study habits and tricks I developed for my STEM classes have become a core part of my studying at law school. While there is a re-tooling of your toolbox, the fundamentals for doing well—reviewing your materials, understanding how each class fits with other classes, and applying what you’ve learned in class to new situations- are the same between STEM classes and law school.”

“Don’t! From my experience, law schools are excited to admit a diverse pool of applicants. A lot of people assume law schools want to see legal-focused majors or classes, but I actually think the opposite is true. For example, I was asked to complete this survey specifically because of my STEM background, that alone shows how much they value different perspectives. Having a unique academic background helps you stand out, and it allows you to contribute insights in class that others may not be able to.

Another common misconception is that a “pre-law” or legal-focused undergraduate experience will better prepare you for law school. I had virtually no legal experience before starting, aside from one class that touched on voting, and I don’t think that put me at any disadvantage. I also don’t believe that political science, while valuable in its own way, actually teaches you how to think like a lawyer or prepares you for law school in a meaningful way. Many people choose it because law and politics are related, but that doesn’t necessarily translate into readiness for legal study.

My advice to anyone choosing an undergraduate major is this: pick something you genuinely enjoy and can excel in, because your GPA and LSAT score are the primary factors in law school admissions. Second, choose a degree that can lead to a career you would be happy with, even without law school. That way, attending law school is a deliberate choice, not something you feel forced into because your degree doesn’t offer other opportunities.”

“It is never too late to decide you want to go to law school. During undergrad, I was nervous that I was not doing enough “pre-law” activities to apply to law school. That could not have been further from the truth. Law schools value intellectual diversity just as much as the many other kinds of diversity that strengthen the profession. That intellectual diversity includes STEM majors. Understandably, it can feel scary trying to get into a field where it feels like STEM majors do not belong. But that has
been the opposite of my experience. Instead, my STEM degree has paid itself in dividends during my time in law school.”