How Many Years Does It Take to Become a Lawyer?
Have you ever wondered what it takes to become an attorney? There are more than 1.3 million licensed lawyers in the United States but becoming one of them is no easy task!
Besides earning a Bachelor’s degree and doing well in college, aspiring attorneys in many states must attend law school and pass the bar exam. The sheer amount of work that goes into becoming an attorney means you need lots of planning and preparation to reach your goal. You may be asking, ‘How many years does it take to become a lawyer and how can I do it?’ Read on to learn those answers and more!
Prepare for Years of Effort
Becoming a lawyer takes lots of hard work and dedication. There are only four states – California, Virginia, Vermont, and Washington – that allow you to sit for the bar exam without attending law school. For the other 46 states in the United States, you’ll need to attend law school which takes three years (full-time) and four years (part-time).
To be admitted into law school, you must earn a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college. While you can major in just about anything, your performance in college is what matters the most. Full-time college students should expect to need at least four years to earn their degrees. This can be slightly shorter or higher depending on your course load.
One of the ways you can learn more about how to become a lawyer is to find an attorney in your area that’s willing to speak to you about it!
Admission and Attending Law School
You may be wondering, ‘What is law school?’ In short, it’s a doctoral-level program where you’ll learn to think like a lawyer. Being admitted into law school is a difficult task and quite an accomplishment in and of itself.
You’ll want to impress law school admissions members by doing very well in your college coursework. You also need to spend time preparing for the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT). The combination of your college grade point average (GPA) and LSAT score are the two most important part s of your law school application.
Once you’ve gained admission to law school, you’ll need to work harder in school than you ever have before. The first year is used to weed out even the most gifted student. You’ll learn to think like an attorney while also adjusting to education unlike any other.
Passing The Bar Exam
How long does it take to become a lawyer? While things like undergraduate education and law school are approximately seven years total, there’s no certainty on how long it will take you to pass the bar exam.
Whether you are taking the test in Florida or Alaska, there is a multi-state and home state portion of each exam. Depending on the state where you are taking the exam, it can range anywhere from two or three days long. These aren’t just one to two hour-long days. You will be testing for anywhere from six to eight hours each day.
You may have to take the bar exam numerous times before you finally pass it. States will also require you to pass a character and fitness background check and the Multi-State Professional Responsibility Exam (MPRE). After you achieve all these things, you will earn the right to be sworn as a member of your state’s Bar.
Wrapping Up: How Many Years Does It Take to Become a Lawyer?
When you ask, ‘How many years does it take to become a lawyer?’ the answer is, it depends. In most ideal circumstances, you’ll be going to college and law school a total of seven years and then studying for the bar exam two months before taking it and passing it on your first try.
Check out our blog section for other great posts with information to put to use in your education and professional life!
Samantha Gaines wrote this article on behalf of FreeUp. FreeUp is the fastest-growing freelance marketplace in the US. FreeUp only accepts the top 1% of freelance applicants. Click here to get access to the top freelancers in the world.
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