In the Philippines, you don’t go directly to law school right after high school. You need to finish a college degree before entering law school.
Previously, I posted something about how to become a lawyer in Philippines. One of the FAQs in the comments section is about the best pre-law course or college degrees. I mentioned there that some are misled by the idea that one must complete a law-related course in order to enter law school. The Rule only requires that one must pursue and satisfactorily complete in an authorized and recognized university or college a Bachelor’s Degree in Arts and Science provided that the said course includes as fields of concentration the following subjects: political science, logic, english, history and economics.
According to the Legal Education Board (LEB) Memorandum No. 1, Series of 2011, Section 16, an applicant for admission to the Ll. B. or J.D. program of studies must have earned at least:
eighteen (18) units in English,
six (6) units in Mathematics, and;
eighteen (18) units of social science subjects.
As you know, college subjects consist of “units”. And if you finish a college subject in a semester, you earn the units. I took Bachelor of Science in Nursing and my college subjects were of course, mostly related to medical or nursing. In all, I only had three (3) English subjects consisting of twelve (12) units. I therefore lacked six (6) units. I was then required by the law school to get additional English subjects. I ended up enrolling two (2) English subjects which were Business English and Correspondence and The Literature during the summer term before my Second Year First Semester. You can choose whatever English subjects you like to take. Other law schools will allow you to start law school without completing the required subjects yet provided that you finish them within a specified school year.
As to the "best" pre-law course
It is my opinion that there is really no “best” pre-law course that you should take. Every college degree is different. Law school is a different arena. Whether you take Political Science or Legal Studies as a pre-law course, that doesn’t assure you that you will pass the bar or even graduate on time. Like I earlier said, my undergraduate course was Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Other classmates had Social Work, Psychology, and even Tourism as their undergraduate course and yet we all passed the bar on the first take. The point is, it all boils down to your diligence and grit.
However, if you want to be familiar with legal terms as early as college days, you can take Political Science, Legal Studies, or International Studies as a pre-law course. Unfortunately, when you go to law school, it might happen that you will get over-confident thinking that you already know everything. Thus, you will feel bored of the subjects and won’t feel challenged at all.
You can also take up Accounting, Financial Management, and other business courses as your pre-law course. These courses can help you in law school with subjects like Negotiable Instruments, Taxation and civil subjects like Obligations and Contracts and Sales and Agency. But then again, you’ll take these subjects more thoroughly in law school anyway. For me, I wouldn’t stress myself as early as college when I will definitely be stressed in law school. Instead, take it easy in college. Learn something that you love and have fun.
Here’s a piece of practical advice though. I realized that it is better to take undergraduate courses that maybe unrelated to law but have board examinations. I should be honest because if you give up on law school midway, at least you still have a back-up plan or something you can return to. For me, if I didn’t finish law school, I probably continued working as nurse and went overseas already. That way, it will be easier for you to look for a job after. Choose an undergraduate course that interests you and will also prepare you for the worse. On a lighter note, it’s nice having two (2) professional licenses. I tell you, you can use either license for your advantage in the future.
Whatever you choose, know that your success solely depends on you.
