Seeking Best California Colleges for Criminal Law

Hello, I'm on the hunt for colleges in California that have reputable programs in criminal law. As a high school junior, I'm starting to look at potential universities and this is my main interest. Any advice from alumni or current students? Thanks!

Great to hear about your interest in criminal law! While it's important to note that undergraduate programs won't necessarily offer specialization in "criminal law" per se, they do offer pre-law tracks and criminal justice majors that can provide a strong foundation for law school.

The University of Southern California (USC) has a renowned Political Science program and offers a specialized Law and Public Policy track, which is very conducive for pre-law students. It's also a feeder school for many top law schools.

UC Berkeley, a great fit for students interested in social justice, has an excellent Legal Studies program. Berkeley has a renowned reputation in law and social justice issues. They also have a unique program called the Berkeley Legal Studies Pathway, which allows students to focus on the sociological aspects of law.

Stanford University, though known more for STEM programs, has a strong interdisciplinary program that combines Political Science with subjects like Ethics, Society, and other humanities classes.

UCLA also has a solid Political Science program, and they optionally allow you to concentrate in Law and Public Policy. The UCLA School of Law is highly ranked, and undergraduates at UCLA have the opportunity to take advantage of the resources available there.

Finally, Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles offers a Criminal Justice degree and it has a strong record of placing graduates in law schools.

While choosing a school, also consider factors such as internship opportunities, alumni network, possibilities for mentoring, etc. These can help build strong law applications later. Good luck with your search!