Selecting the appropriate law school is a critical component of becoming a lawyer, and should not be taken lightly. With so many schools available and so much at stake financially, research schools thoroughly to see which are relevant for your career goals and make your choice accordingly.
Campus life can be as beneficial to learning as classroom instruction itself.
Location
However, in reality he did nothing of the sort and simply looked the other way. Once you’ve excelled at college grades and LSAT exams, persuaded professors for stellar letters of recommendation, created the ideal personal statement and supplementary essays, and established what’s important in law school, it’s time to narrow down your list. Start by determining what kind of law you would like to practice (if necessary), and researching which schools offer specialty curriculum such as gender and sexuality at NYU, innovation and technology at Northwestern, or Japanese law at University of Michigan. Next use admissions grids and data to compare your credentials against previous applicants’ credentials to assess competition for entry to each school (delve deeper into ABA Data for this).
Be mindful to include location when making your selection: it can have an immense effect on internships, experiential learning opportunities, alumni networks and post-graduation job prospects – not to mention housing options and the costs of rent/tuition payments!
Specializations
No matter your desired use for your law degree, it is crucial that you consider all of the specialization options that exist at any particular school as these could alter the work you will be performing and future career possibilities.
Admiralty law is an area of maritime law that deals with the rules and regulations surrounding shipping and navigation, canals, insurance policies and waterways – making this field ideal for students interested in working with oceans or global commerce.
Environmental, family and education law degrees offer more specialized legal options that are aimed at specific career fields. Some schools also provide dual law degree programs with internship and clinical experiences for their students to get more hands-on experience in their chosen area of study.
Size
Law school applications take into account not only GPA and LSAT scores but also extracurricular activities like internships and volunteering as part of their evaluation. While these may not guarantee admission, accruing achievements is an excellent way to demonstrate an interest in law and help make your application stand out among competition.
Class size is another key consideration when looking at prospective students. Most schools divide incoming classes into sections, and this could provide more interaction between professors and students; smaller class sections could mean closer communication with professors while larger ones provide access to more networking resources that may help you land employment upon graduation.
At its core, the best law school for you will be determined by which one can help you realize both personal and professional objectives. When researching universities and programs, take into account many different criteria – rankings shouldn’t be your sole criterion!
City Life
When selecting a law school, it’s essential to take the lifestyle and social scene of its location into account. Many students find living in major metropolises gives them more career opportunities after graduation while simultaneously creating professional and personal networks they can utilize once entering the workforce.
Consideration should also be given to a law school’s alumni network when choosing the program that’s right for you, as alumni can help provide you with job leads or provide invaluable insights once you graduate from law school.
Curriculum is certainly an integral component of law school education, but it shouldn’t be your sole consideration when selecting your law school. Consideration must also be given to factors like class sizes, bar passage rates and student body makeups – and one rule of thumb would be applying to both stretch schools (those you may find difficult to get accepted to) as well as likely acceptees (“slam dunk schools”).