Question: How do I decide what law schools to apply to?
Answer: Selecting a law school is an important decision that should be made with care and research. The Law School Admission Council , a nonprofit corporation comprised of 200+ law schools in the United States and Canada, lists the folllowing factors that students may want to consider in choosing a law school:
- Breadth and support of alumni network
- Breadth of curriculum
- Clinical programs
- Collaborative research opportunities with faculty
- Commitment to innovative technology
- Cost
- Externship options
- Faculty accessibility
- Intensity of writing instruction
- Interdisciplinary programs
- International programming
- Law library strengths and services
- Loan repayment assistance for low-income lawyers
- Location
- Part-time enrollment option
- Public interest programs
- Quality of teaching
- Racial and gender diversity within the faculty and student body
- Religious affiliation
- Size of first-year classes
- Skills instruction
- Specialized areas of faculty expertise
When evaluating law schools, it is important to bear in mind that some schools are more prestigious and have more rigorous acceptance standards than others. Although criticized by some groups (includingLaw School Admission Council)numerous organizations publish law school rankings. U.S. News & World Report's Top 50 Law Schools is probably the most well-known law school ranking index. Another law school ranking index is the law school ranking data published by the Internet Legal Research Group. You can also purchase the Official Guide to ABA-Approved Law Schools from the Law School Admission Council.
