My academic advisor said that if I want to attend law school, I should start preparing now, but we don't have a prelaw major at our school. Is there a major that law schools favor? Should I take classes like philosophy and statistics?

MT: We are looking for highly successful students from all majors, so choose the major that best fits your interests. Because you will need to think critically and write well in law school, if your major does not emphasize these skill sets, use electives and non-major courses to prepare yourself and demonstrate your competency to prospective law schools.

TH: There is no one major that law schools favor, and it is not essential that you major in a law-related field to be admitted to law school. That said, some courses within certain majors have shown to help improve some of the skills needed to succeed on the LSAT and in law school (analytical and critical thinking and reasoning and writing skills). Additionally, applicants who have done well in advanced or rigorous courses may receive some favor in the admission process. 

PB: The suggested classes you’ve included in your question (philosophy and statistics) are good ones to take. You should also look outside your major for courses to strengthen your writing abilities, improve your logic skills, and test your reasoning skills.

There is no perfect prelaw major. Law schools want to see their classes full of people from a variety of backgrounds. This includes interesting and different majors.

You should select an area that is of most interest to you. Also, it should be a major that you could utilize should you decide not to pursue a law degree. You will enjoy your college studies and have higher grades. Better grades develop confidence and show your academic abilities.

For example, music majors tend to do very well in law school. The rules of music combined with the creativity of performance and composition are very similar to the study of law.  And economics is a very popular choice for many law students. There would be no downside to a double major!