With national elections having just concluded, the youth of today have taken an interest in the practice of law. Becoming a lawyer is one of the most impressive things a Filipino student can accomplish during their lifetime. Not only is it an educational feat in its own right—it is also a distinguished profession and title to hold, especially if you wish to run for public office in the future. With today’s educational system in the Philippines, the gateway to a law degree no longer lies in your selected pre-law. These days, selecting the right SHS strand for a lawyer’s education is the starting point to your career as a practitioner in the court room.
Whether it is offline or online learning for SHS students, it is no secret that the track you choose plays a big part in your future. Between the STEM strand, HUMSS strand, and the GAS strand, there is no shortage of job opportunities available for senior high graduates. However, narrowing down the best candidate for a lawyer strand in SHS is a necessary step for senior high school students that wish to pursue jobs which are specifically encompassed by legal practice. In this article, we go over the different viable options for lawyer strands in the Philippine educational system as well as the unique benefits that each strand can potentially give.
If you are a senior high student looking for the best strand for lawyers, then this is the perfect article for you. Read on and discover the best SHS strand for lawyers and find the perfect match to suit your preferred career in law!
What SHS Strand Should I Take if I Want to be a Lawyer?
Choosing between senior high academic tracks is hard enough—how much more to choose between strands in order to narrow down the best one to fulfill your dreams of becoming a respected and capable lawyer? Fortunately, selecting a lawyer strand in SHS is a bit like selecting your prelaw degree. You will be happy to know that there is no one single strand that is the sole good choice to fulfill your dreams of nabbing the coveted title of becoming an attorney, so you do have some freedom in selecting one that fits the skills you wish to develop in preparation for your law school journey, as well as the know-how you need based on which lawyer practice you wish to take.
Below, we will list the two best SHS strands for lawyers in the Philippine education system, as well as the factors you should consider when making your choice between the two.
The General Academic (GAS) Strand
The General Academic Strand is a versatile senior high school strand choice that is full of workplace potential. GAS strand jobs are known to be academic or research-driven in nature, but they also hold plenty of promise in tangentially-related industries like corporate communications, medical technology, and journalism because of their versatility. The lawyer profession is a great example of a GAS strand job that goes beyond the realm of the academe and research firms— but is it really that distant?
In becoming a lawyer, you sign up for more than just being able to memorize pages upon pages of written laws and decrees. For court or trial lawyers especially, the ability to communicate your ideas clearly and convincingly while also having the determination to dig deep into piles of data and evidence are a big part of what drives your success in a court room. This is exactly what makes the GAS track a great pick for an SHS lawyer strand; because it trains you to do both.
The Communications aspect of GAS is what will equip you to keep your cool in the tension of a court room. From presenting your evidence and raising objections, all the way down to cross examining witnesses and providing your closing arguments—how well you convey your thoughts and string them together to form bulletproof arguments are the skills that can mold you into a tenacious and formidable trial lawyer than your prosecution or defendant counterparts will be wise to be wary of.
On the other hand, the Research aspect of GAS is what will prepare you to pore through countless data—recognizing which records and information can qualify as sufficient evidence to prove a client’s innocence or their opposition’s guilt. Investigations can be likened to research in that you will sometimes have to go through scientific methods, witnesses, and other similar proofs to solidify your own. If you wish to double down on your data-gathering and investigation, then GAS is the best strand for a lawyer aspirant like you.
Take This Lawyer Strand in SHS If: You see yourself becoming a trial lawyer that knows your way around fiery court room exchanges. This is also a good pick if you prefer to be within a prosecution or defendant’s team as an investigative arm, working with detectives and law enforcement to procure and analyze evidence that you and your team can build arguments around.
The Humanities and Social Sciences (HUMSS) Strand
The Humanities and Social Sciences Strand is a fan favorite senior high school strand due to its many possible career applications. From pursuing scientifically-rooted professions like becoming psychologists, geologists, archaeologists, to chasing after more socially-inclined jobs like serving as lawyers, journalists, historians, and writers—the Humanities strand is full of potential and breathing room for the average senior high school student. Becoming a lawyer is an example of a colorful and exciting career that HUMSS graduates can opt to pursue. HUMSS is an excellent lawyer strand in senior high because of their background in studying societies and their motivations while reading copious amounts of texts and journals to further their knowledge.
Aside from effective communication, one of the skills any good lawyer needs is the tenacity to read countless case studies and lawyer digests. In preparation for cases or when working as a legal consultant for large firms, there is the expectation that you are well-read in similar court proceedings and legal matters on top of having a good grasp on the local laws in place so you can provide the best advice for your client or the company you work for. By taking HUMSS as your SHS strand for lawyer preparation, you can prepare for precisely that.
The intensive Writing, Reading and Comprehension aspect of HUMSS is what makes it truly shine as one of the best lawyer strand choices. Writing compelling opening and closing arguments for trials, and analyzing files and laws that are mostly written in English are all skills that you can hone during your time as a senior high student. Compounding this by choosing a prelaw like English, Sociology, or Literature can make you an extremely well-read lawyer with formidable and persuasive writing skills.
Take This Lawyer Strand in SHS If: You feel that you already have the skills to communicate your ideas, or you simply wish to improve your existing skills in English, Writing, and Reading Comprehension. They are a big part of the basic skills you need to observe every angle of witness statements, testimonials, and case studies to help with your own. Moreover, lawyers need to know our constitution and laws from the inside out, and this involves plenty of reading and study. In doing so, you make it possible for you to explore options that might otherwise elude fellow lawyers that did not delve into their comprehension of the law as deeply.
We hope that our article shed some light on the best SHS strand for lawyer aspirants in senior high school. When it comes to selecting what you need and want to develop, our advice is to assess your own strengths and what you have room for improving. In addition to this, really consider what type of practice you wish to have as a lawyer. Be a persuasive force in the court room with the GAS strand while HUMSS strand graduates can choose between becoming a reliable consultant in a corporate setting or team member to a trial team that needs plenty of research and knowledge of the law.
Whatever your choice may be, you can learn both strands at your own pace and from the convenience of your own homes through a program that provides online learning for SHS students. In this day and age, most lawyers have been practicing their profession in a digital landscape, and you can use this as training for practicing even in a remote setting!
