Best AP Classes for Law and Pre-Law
Plan AP classes by grade level, priority, prerequisites, college-credit caveats, and Fiveable study resources.
Get AP Study Resources →For law and pre-law, the best AP® classes are AP® English Language, AP® English Literature, AP® US Government, AP® Comparative Government, AP® US History, and AP® Economics. Law does not require a specific undergraduate major, so the best AP® plan builds reading, writing, argument, evidence, and civic knowledge.
Use this guide with Fiveable's AP® English Language, AP® English Literature, AP® US Government, AP® Comparative Government, AP® US History, and AP® Microeconomics.
Recommended AP® sequence for law
| Grade | Best AP focus | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| 9th grade | AP Human Geography or no AP | Build reading stamina and note-taking habits. |
| 10th grade | AP World History, AP European History, or AP Psychology | Practice argument, causation, and evidence. |
| 11th grade | AP English Language, AP US History, AP US Government | Strongest year for writing and civic foundations. |
| 12th grade | AP Literature, AP Comparative Government, AP Micro/Macroeconomics, AP Research | Add advanced reading, global politics, policy, or research. |
If your school offers AP Seminar or AP Research, those can be useful for students who enjoy argument-based writing. They should supplement, not replace, core English and history rigor.
Priority tiers
| Tier | AP classes | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| Essential | AP English Language, AP US Government, AP US History | Best foundation for legal reading, writing, and civic context. |
| Useful | AP English Literature, AP Comparative Government, AP Microeconomics, AP Macroeconomics | Adds interpretation, comparative systems, and policy thinking. |
| Optional | AP Psychology, AP Research, AP European History, AP World History | Useful if your interests lean toward criminal law, international law, or history. |
Prerequisites and alternatives
- Choose AP English Language before AP Literature if your school sequences them that way. Lang is especially useful for argument and rhetorical analysis.
- AP Government pairs well with AP US History because law connects institutions, constitutional development, and political behavior.
- AP Economics is helpful for business law, public policy, antitrust, labor, and regulatory interests.
- If your school does not offer AP Government, take the strongest civics, debate, history, or English courses available.
- Keep math going through senior year if possible. Pre-law students still benefit from quantitative reasoning.
College credit and admissions caveats
Law school comes after college, and there is no required pre-law AP® list. Undergraduate admissions teams will care more about course rigor, grades, writing skill, and intellectual direction than a perfect law-themed schedule. AP® credit may help satisfy general education requirements, but your college major and law-school prerequisites will be determined later.
The best AP strategy is to become the kind of reader and writer who can handle dense texts, evidence, and timed argument.
Fiveable resources for law AP® classes
| AP subject | Study hub | Practice | FRQs | Score calculator |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AP English Language | Study guides | Practice | FRQs | Calculator |
| AP English Literature | Study guides | Practice | FRQs | Calculator |
| AP US Government | Study guides | Practice | FRQs | Calculator |
| AP Comparative Government | Study guides | Practice | FRQs | Calculator |
| AP US History | Study guides | Practice | FRQs | Calculator |
Official planning notes
- College Board's AP courses list includes the English, History and Social Sciences, and AP Capstone courses most relevant to pre-law planning.
- College Board's Career Connections to AP encourages connecting AP skills to majors and careers.
- Use College Board's AP Credit Policy Search to check whether English, government, or history AP scores satisfy college requirements.
Related AP® career guides
Compare this plan with AP® classes for business, AP® classes for finance, AP® classes for education, and AP® classes by grade.
Frequently Asked Questions About AP Classes for Pre-Law
What AP classes are most important for pre-law?
AP English, AP US Government, AP Comparative Government, AP US History, and AP Economics are the best starting point, but the right schedule depends on your school's course sequence, your math placement, and how many AP classes you can take while doing well.
Do AP classes guarantee college credit?
No. Colleges set their own AP credit and placement policies, and some majors use AP scores differently than the general university policy. Always check the specific colleges and departments on your list.
Should I take every AP class connected to my intended major?
Usually no. Colleges care about rigor, grades, and fit. Prioritize the courses that build the strongest foundation first, then add useful electives if your schedule can handle them.