Which law school should I attend?” is dependent upon your personal preferences for experience – including everything from name prestige and class size to location and area of law you want to practice.
Formulating an effective law school list requires careful thought. This article covers important points to keep in mind, such as:
Location
Location can play an essential part in postgraduate life; many law graduates end up practicing where they studied law school, so if you’re considering enrolling in any given law program make sure it is in an area you plan to specialize in after graduating.
Size matters when selecting 1L year classes; larger classes may lead to less personalized learning experiences, with professors taking notes and lecturing to an entire class at once (or using amphitheater style seating arrangements for lectures). It’s essential that you evaluate whether this environment best meets your learning preferences and interests.
Extracurricular options at law schools should also be carefully considered, including student bar associations, legal subject area groups and diversity and social justice organizations. These opportunities provide you with great ways to meet other students as well as potential future employers, and may even influence how admissions officers evaluate your applications.
Specializations
As part of your selection process for a law program, it’s essential that you focus on what matters most to you. Location can play an integral part in this decision as many students take their bar exam in their home state of residence and continue practicing there after graduation. Furthermore, where your school resides can determine its cuisine offerings as well as your commute times and even how much snow might fall over its duration.
Academic specializations should also be carefully considered. You may discover that your top choice school doesn’t provide what you want to study, or another school might offer more competitive learning experiences. Your legal education should reflect both your personality and professional goals – if human rights law or admiralty law are topics of particular interest for example – then check what options each law school offers regarding curriculum specialty areas, dual degree options, clinical opportunities etc.
Job Prospects
At law school, you will spend much of your time living and interacting with peers from a new city. Therefore, selecting a law program which enables alumni in your region to network can lead to future job opportunities.
As part of your research process, it is also important to assess a school’s reputation in terms of its effect on your career prospects. Some schools are known for offering rigorous programs with top graduates that make an impressionful application to Supreme Court clerkship or big law partnerships – this could prove extremely advantageous if that’s your dream job!
As well as rankings, use other data points like specialties, bar passage rates and student body makeups to help inform your decision and narrow down your options. In the end, however, what’s most important is choosing a school that suits both your personality and goals; though having some idea about the kind of law practiced could help.
Student Life
Studying law at university can be intimidating for most, so it can be hard to know exactly what to expect. Luckily, there are numerous stories out there ranging from mostly accurate to completely unbelievable!
However, you can gain a clearer idea of what life is like at each school by visiting and speaking with students and professors on campus. Your visit gives you an opportunity to ask questions about any atmosphere that might suit you: are you comfortable competing against tough rivalries or hoping to meet long-term legal friends?
Checking alumni networks of each school and exploring which areas of the industry their alumni have established strong ties can be invaluable once you graduate; not to mention being an excellent way to network in the future! Making a balanced list based on these criteria will ensure you find an environment in which you feel at home!