Selecting a Law School

When choosing a law school, it is important to consider several factors. Of course, most of us want to attend the best possible school we can get into, but there are many other aspects to consider aside from a school’s prestige. For example, you may want to consider location (both nationally and urban v. rural), cost, placement of alumni, size, curriculum, law clinics/journals, or areas of specialty.

How do I gather this information?

• One easy way is to visit law school forums and/or law school websites and collect as much information as possible from brochures and catalogs.
• If your resources allow, visit as many of your potential schools as possible. There is virtually no replacement to actually walking around on campus and meeting people when it comes to getting an accurate feel for the atmosphere of a particular school.
• Contact representatives of the school, faculty, and current students if possible. Ask as many questions as you—about the good and the bad. Recent alumni can also be an excellent source of information about a school.
• Consider why it is you want to attend law school— is there a specific career path you hope to follow? Look for schools that can help you along that path— areas of specialty, faculty research, and geographic location can all have an impact in this area.