Please briefly introduce yourself.
I am Seung Min Oh (JCL Class of 20), and I am a JD candidate at the Yonsei Law School (15th).
What led you to declare Justice and Civil Leadership? How did it help you get where you are?
I entered college with a firm plan to serve a legal profession in Korea. While applying and entering the HASS division, I decided to declare JCL, which I vaguely thought was a major related to legal studies. While it may not be applicable to all students who consider joining JCL, I assume a considerable number of students who have an interest in JCL also have an interest in applying for a law school.
The description that JCL is a major that promotes an interdisciplinary study of politics, philosophy, and law came to me as an attractive option. While taking JCL courses, I noticed that the description was quite an accurate depiction of what the major promotes to teach its students. Although the central topics of the courses may vary, JCL courses provide a fundamental understanding of concepts regarding legal and political philosophy as well as foreign and international legal structures. The interdisciplinary understanding of law came in handy when I went through the law school preparation process (LEET and Law School Application). Moreover, some of the courses also emphasize logical writing and thinking skills, which I felt indirectly assisted me while studying for LEET.
Do you have any advice for those considering Justice and Civil Leadership as their major?
I believe factors like course assignments and degrees (e.g., Bachelor of Arts in Economics) would play a role. There are many students who have an interest in JCL but hesitate in declaring the major because of the aforementioned factors. Especially, there are conceptions that JCL courses require essays and debates, and such conceptions often lead to concerns about grades. However, JCL professors evaluate based on essay contents and logical structure rather than advanced vocabulary and complex phrases. Thus, even those who do not consider their writing and speaking skills to be their strength can do great in JCL courses. My largest advice for freshmen who are considering JCL as their major is that you do not need to be afraid of writing essays and participating in debates as what matters is not the fluency of English, but the logical thinking process. JCL's major requisites mainly handle philosophical topics regarding law and politics, and the topics are mostly popular and well-known concepts that are also written in various Korean articles and sources. Therefore, you could always easily look up course materials in the language you are comfortable with.
Do you have any advice for undergraduates aspiring to study at a law school?
Law schools require their applicants to prove their scholastic ability, legal education eligibility, and uniqueness. LEET would be the most significant factor as it would be used to prove all three factors. However, factors other than LEET also play a crucial role in proving one’s scholastic ability and uniqueness. As an undergraduate student, the most efficient and effective method in appealing himself/herself to law schools would be receiving a high GPA, especially regarding major courses. UIC students would be able to prove their advanced understanding of their major as well as their English ability if they receive good grades in their major and common curriculum courses. Thus, I highly recommend students (even freshmen) put effort to the courses they take.
Seung Min Oh
JD Candidate at Yonsei University Law School, 15th
Justice and Civil Leadership Major at Underwood International College, Class of 2020