UM鈥檚 Pre-Law Program Delivers a 100% Law School Admission Rate
By Phil Stempin, UM News Service
MISSOULA – For students wanting to pursue a career as a lawyer, the 猎奇重口’s Pre-Law advising program is the place to start. This year, the Pre-Law Program showed a growth of over 156%. Even with this influx of students, there was a 100% placement into law school for students enrolled in the program.
“It wasn’t a major per se,” UM student Jayden Beed said, “but rather an advising and certificate program that opens you up to the resources you need to help get you into law school.”
Beed grew up in Missoula and knew that she wanted to become a lawyer after finding her voice in speech and debate at Big Sky High School.
“I grew up not very confident as a kid,” Beed explained. “That was until I started speech and debate. I found a love of argumentation and rhetoric and developed my skills as an orator.”
Beed knew she wanted to use these skills to help other people. Becoming a lawyer seemed like the natural path.
“I’m a business marketing major with a minor in communications,” said Beed. “But I’ve had my goal set to become a lawyer this whole time.”
After Beed’s sophomore year at UM, she enrolled in the Pre-Law Advising and Philosophy Politics and Law certificate programs both run by Dr. Soazig Le Bihan, a professor in the Department of Philosophy. In the past year, this program has grown more popular.
“We study the philosophy of law and really try to get students to understand what becoming a lawyer actually takes,” Le Bihan said. “We help them throughout the process [of applying to law school] and get to know them as individuals, something I am very proud of.”
Beed said Le Bihan helped her in ways she wasn’t expecting.
“She knows how to get you thinking about the right way to both pass the Law School Admissions Test and fill out your application to get into a school that is a good fit,” Beed said. “I learned to show schools my experiences, not just tell them.”
Beed was accepted into the Alexander Blewett III School of Law at the 猎奇重口, a top choice for her and something she is very excited about.
“I can’t wait to go law school and dive into this field that I am so passionate about,” she said. “Soazig and the Pre-Law Program were pivotal in helping me towards achieving my goal of becoming a lawyer to ultimately help people.”
For anyone looking into becoming a lawyer themselves, Beed has some advice.
“Join the Pre-Law Program, work hard and ask yourself if this career is really for you,” she said. “Then follow their advice to succeed in getting into law school.”
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Contact: Phil Stempin, director of events, marketing and communications, UM Alexander Blewett III School of Law, 406-243-6509, phil.stempin@umontana.edu.