PRE-LAW
/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// #MOREATDORDT
The Dordt Difference The American Bar Association (ABA) recommends that students considering a law degree “seek courses and other experiences that will engage them in critical thinking about important issues...and that will give them experience in structuring and evaluating arguments.” At Dordt College, we offer classes that develop this skill across the disciplines. We emphasize theory that is plugged into practical application, discussing how we as Christians should live our lives in obedience to our callings. At Dordt, you will not only learn the “why” and “how,” but also the “so what” aspects of your discipline. These “so what” questions will give you greater appreciation for the many answers out there and for the importance of thinking discerningly about what you do. Dordt’s emphasis on discernment grows out of a Core Program that will help you develop the excellent speaking, writing, and reading skills that make up much of what lawyers do. While the public’s perception of lawyers is often formed by the heated courtroom drama of shows like Law & Order or the high-powered deal-making of corporate lawyers, any area that involves regulation or a significant investment of money needs lawyers who dedicate their entire practice to dealing with that issue. So you don’t have to make the choice between law school and pursuing your passion in a specific field; law can be a means to finding a fulfilling job in almost any field.
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT Adam Vanderstoep (’15), currently at the University of Iowa law school, credits a close mentoring relationship with helping him gain admittance to one of the country’s top law programs. “Professor Donald Roth offered advice about how to prepare for law school. He and all of the faculty at Dordt expressed a genuine interest in students,” he said. Vanderstoep was involved in forensics, which improved his speaking and analytical skills and prepared him to respond quickly to arguments. “Most of my classmates have never heard of Dordt College,” said Vanderstoep. “But my professors have. When I tell them that I am from Dordt College, they respond by saying that Dordt puts out hardworking students who are committed to the things they do. I agree.” Adam Vander Stoep is a law student at the University of Iowa
GETTING INTO LAW SCHOOL Admission to law school relies on good grades, a high LSAT score, and a quality personal statement/resume. Much of your success in these areas will depend on your effort, but Dordt provides a supportive environment that allows you to develop needed skills. Dordt grads have been accepted at schools such as Harvard, Columbia, Georgetown, Duke, Notre Dame, Florida State, and the Universities of Chicago, Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. In many cases, Dordt College grads have performed in the top 10 percent of their graduating classes. Nathaniel Zylstra, a ’98 Dordt grad who later graduated from Yale Law School, says, “You can learn facts and information about various topics just about anywhere, but there are few places you can go to that challenge you to learn more important things: faith and values. Without the kind of Christian faith and worldview you will be challenged to develop at Dordt, all the knowledge and information in the world will be meaningless.”
WHAT TO STUDY Law schools look for students with skills in writing, analysis, and logical argument, skills that can be developed in almost any major. A Dordt education, regularly ranked near the top of Regional Colleges in the Midwest by U.S. News & World Report, allows you to choose from a wide variety of high-quality programs in many fields of study. In addition, Dordt offers several writing-intensive courses, a course in logic, and an argumentation and persuasion course that Dordt graduates who have gone on to law school have found particularly helpful. We also offer a variety of law-oriented courses taught by lawyers on faculty that, while not designed to simulate law school, do help you get a taste of the legal field to decide if law is the career for you.
THE FACULTY Donald Roth, J.D. , LL.M. in taxation, Georgetown University Law Center Donald.Roth@dordt.edu Sept 2015