Careers in Law | University of Pennsylvania - College of Arts and Sciences

Law school admissions committees seek students with well-rounded liberal arts educations that focus on strong writing, research and verbal skills. While there is no pre-law major or required sequence of courses, throughout their college careers, students should seek a breadth and depth in their coursework, regardless of their major. In addition, they should make certain to take courses that reflect both a rigorous and increasingly more advanced curriculum as they proceed throughout their time at Penn. To be a competitive law school applicant, it is important to perform well in one's undergraduate coursework, selecting a major/minor out of genuine interest, rather than one they assume will facilitate their admission to law school. Strong candidates from the full spectrum of majors and minors – from Physics to Hispanic Studies to History to Anthropology – are admitted into law schools each year.

Students interested in a career in law should familiarize themselves with the pre-law section of the Career Servics website as a starting point. Additionally, they should contact a pre-law advisor as they approach the law school admissions process, although they may certainly be in contact throughout their undergraduate career.

Frequently Asked Questions

Recorded during a Majors Dinner and More program for students interested in law school. Panelists included pre-law advisors from Career Services; Renee Post, Dean of Admissions; Eli Gabbay, Partner, Solomon, Sherman and Gabbay Law Firm (Phila.), Penn School of Law; Hocine Fetni, Assistant Dean for Advising (BA/JD Submatriculation).

B.A./J.D. Program in Arts & Sciences and Law

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This rigorous program offers an opportunity for highly qualified and motivated College students to apply to Penn Law School during what is generally the first semester of a student's junior year (between 16 and 23.99 c.u.). If accepted, the student will submatriculate into the J.D. program in their senior year. It is designed for students who, with careful planning, want to combine their broad experience of undergraduate study in the College with the professional focus of law school. Applicants must be committed to the study of law in its theoretical and practical aspects.

Students interested in this option should contact Dr. Hocine Fetni in the College Office.

Dean's Letter for Law School Applicants

The College Office can write a Dean's Letter/Certification for all students and alumni who are applying to law school. However, because of the volume of requests received, and in order to expedite the process for everyone who makes such requests, the College cannot fill out individual law school Dean's Letter/Certification forms. Students and alumni wishing to make this request must therefore open an account with Career Services’ partner Interfolio, a web-based credential file management service. Interfolio will store the letter and deliver it upon request.

Those wishing to request a Dean’s Letter/Certification must complete all of these three steps:

Set up an Interfolio account by going to www.interfolio.com. Individuals who previously had letters in a Credentials file at Career Services should email letters@pobox.upenn.edu for instructions on how to open an Interfolio account.
Complete the Request for Release of Information form and fax it to 215.573.2023. It can also be scanned as a PDF and emailed to jannak@sas.upenn.edu or sent as a hard copy to this address: Ms. Janna Kane The College Office 120 Claudia Cohen Hall 249 South 36th Street Philadelphia, PA 19104
Through the Interfolio account, create an email request for a “Recommendation Letter.” In the “title” field, enter the phrase “Dean’s Letter.” Be sure to direct the request to jannak@sas.upenn.edu.

It is recommended that a minimum of three weeks be allowed for the Dean’s Letter to be processed and sent to Interfolio. The letter will be signed by Dr. Niel McDowell, Associate Director of Academic Advising. Please note that it should not be necessary to submit the law school’s own “Dean’s recommendation” form in addition to this letter, though if there are any questions applicants are advised to contact the admissions office of the relevant law school. Applicants are strongly advised to check with the admissions offices of the law schools to which they are applying in order to determine what type of letter submission each school will accept (note that some schools do not accept electronically submitted Dean’s Letters). Interfolio provides options for either electronic or hard copy submission.