Expert: Sally A. Kane - 12/19/2007

Question
my dream is to become a district attorney. i am currently in high school and i would like to know what degrees and what would help me become a D.A.? where would be a good place to start!

Answer
Bre-Ann,

To become a district attorney,  you will need to graduate from a four-year undergraduate program, score well on the LSAT (Law School Admission Test) and graduate from an ABA-accredited law school.  It generally takes 7 years to complete your undergraduate and law school education (law school is generally a 3-year program although it can take 4 years if you attend part-time).

As for where you should start, you should concentrate on achieving top grades – a 3.5 grade point average or higher if possible – and getting into the best college or university you can.  While in college, majors such as Communications, English and Writing and Political Science provide a good foundation for law school, especially if you want to be a litigator.   The particular classes you take do not matter as much as achieving an “A” in those classes.

As far as getting into law school, the two key factors are a high grade point average and a high LSAT score. A record number of students are competing for a limited number of spots in the nation’s law schools and the higher your G.P.A. and LSAT score, the better your chances of admission.

To learn more about careers in the law and law school admissions, visit my legal careers website at About.com, scheduled to launch this month.  Thanks for writing and best of luck with your legal career!

Sally