Students at WKU planning a career in law have multiple ways to get prepared for law school.

WKU is hosting an opportunity for law-minded students to ask questions of admission officials from Kentucky law schools at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Faculty House.

Admissions officials from the three Kentucky law schools; University of Kentucky College of Law, the Louis D. Brandeis School of Law at the University of Louisville and the Salmon P. Chase College of Law at NKU, are coming to WKU.

Patricia Minter, associate professor of history and coordinator of pre-law advising, said this event is something that has been happening for the past 15 years. Pre-law Advising is sponsoring the event.

Student Government Association President Cory Dodds, a Smithland senior, is one of the students planning to attend the presentation on Tuesday.

Dodds said he is going to attend law school after graduating.

“It gives students a chance to talk to people who are directly involved with student admissions at law schools,” Dodds said.

He said he didn’t choose legal studies as a minor because he felt there was too much overlap with his political science major.

Despite that, he still feels that WKU has prepared him for law school.

“I’ve taken a lot of classes that they recommended, and I’m confident that they’ve prepared me well,” Dodds said.

Minter said the officials travel in a group to recruit students.

“They’re trying to meet students and recruit them for their program and our students get the benefit of their wisdom, their firsthand knowledge of the process and the best and most up-to-date information that exists,” Minter said.

Minter said this is a fantastic opportunity for students, and anyone can attend the presentation, from freshmen to seniors.

“Anybody can come, and it’s appropriate for a freshman to come four different times over the course of their WKU career, because I know I learn things every time I hear them present,” Minter said.

The presentation will consist of admissions strategies, LSAT preparation and pre-law preparation.

Pre-law advising is another option. It gives students interested in law a chance to get advice. Minter said she advises students from all over the university.

WKU does not have a pre-law major because the American Bar Association and the Association of American Law Schools strongly urge against it.

Instead, it’s recommended that students choose a major that emphasizes reading, writing, and logical and analytical reasoning skills, Minter said.

“You have to take a rigorous course of study that will give you the skills that you need to be successful,” Minter said.

Deborah Wilkins, chief of staff and general counsel, said another option for students is to get a degree in paralegal studies if they’re interested in going into law firms in a support staff position.

“It’s a nice alternative for people who, you know, maybe don’t want to invest three years of law school but still want to work in a legal field doing something other than just being a secretary,” Wilkins said.

Another option for students is the legal studies minor. Minter said the minor gives students a broad-based introduction to the field of law. It looks at law from a variety of perspectives.

“There’s not one approach to studying law,” Minter said.