# Can you get into law school without a degree?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-get-into-law-school-without-a-degree/120372>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [July 23, 2002, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-get-into-law-school-without-a-degree/120372 "2002-07-23T13:02:20Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![cole\_burner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@cole\_burner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cole_burner)\
**Post date:** [July 23, 2002, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-get-into-law-school-without-a-degree/120372/1 "2002-07-23T13:02:20Z")

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Is there any accredited law school that would accept me even though I never finished my B.A. degree?

I know the rule pretty much is that you have to have a law school degree to take the bar (not everywhere, but 99% of everywhere). But do you have to have a college degree before you get your law degree?

CB

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**Author:** ![tramp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4491bb/32.png) [@tramp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tramp)\
**Post date:** [July 23, 2002, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-get-into-law-school-without-a-degree/120372/2 "2002-07-23T14:53:06Z")

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Nope. Sorry. ☹

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**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\
**Post date:** [July 23, 2002, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-get-into-law-school-without-a-degree/120372/3 "2002-07-23T15:00:30Z")

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In theory, yes. And it’s possible to become a licensed attorney, as well, in theory.

I don’t think it happens very often.

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**Author:** ![KellyM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/57b2e6/32.png) [@KellyM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KellyM)\
**Post date:** [July 23, 2002, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-get-into-law-school-without-a-degree/120372/4 "2002-07-23T15:31:00Z")

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The only ways I can think of to get into a law school without a bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) from an accredited institution is to go to an unaccredited law school. This is a largely useless endeavor since most states require a degree from an accredited law school in order to sit the bar.

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**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\
**Post date:** [July 23, 2002, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-get-into-law-school-without-a-degree/120372/5 "2002-07-23T16:28:05Z")

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Apparently, in CA, [you can.](http://www.calbar.org/admissions/doc/2admrule.htm#vii) But it doesn’t look like it would be the easier path.