How to Find Which Law School is Right For Me

Locating an ideal law school is essential to your legal career. There are a lot of considerations, from its location and curriculum.

At the core of it all lies your goals and desired type of lawyer – factors to take into account include class size, location and specialty areas of practice.

Location

Location can make all the difference when choosing your law school, from accessing legal employers and clinics, to dining options, weather and whether or not it’s in a big city or small town.

Traditional wisdom dictates that students select law schools specializing in their desired area of practice; however, this may not always be best. Even if you don’t end up practicing there, an education in that subject area will equip you to explore alternative career paths, according to Zearfoss.

Specializations

Law students often don’t know exactly which area of law they wish to pursue, so taking specialized courses may allow them to explore potential career options. Furthermore, certain specializations offer unique experiences like internships or speaker panels within the field while others provide formal credentials which can be included on resumes and letters of recommendation.

Admiralty Law explores aspects of shipping, navigation, waters and insurance that pertain to marine issues or industries related to oceanography; Administrative Law provides students interested in entering government with insight into running federal and state agencies as an excellent entryway into public service.

Students interested in intellectual property law will typically focus on patent and copyright law, working closely with scientists and artists to help protect their legal rights to intellectual property. Labour and employment law meanwhile covers disputes regarding pay, overtime pay etc. for both employees, businesses and job applicants.

Class Size

Prioritize both academic goals and lifestyle preferences when selecting law school. Since you will be living on campus for three years, make sure your location allows for socializing and enjoying weather amenities to enhance quality of life.

Consideration must also be given to the size of a class as this can have an impactful effect on how students can connect with one another, build mentor relationships and learn from one another. Furthermore, smaller classes provide students with more opportunities for discussions and collaboration on projects which enhance learning experiences overall.

Consideration should also be given to employment outcomes of graduates of your prospective schools; however, employment statistics no longer play a dominant role in American Board of Accountancy rankings.

Financial Aid

Financial aid should be considered when choosing a law school. Admissions offices may emphasize tuition as being the costliest aspect, while also being happy to discuss merit and need-based scholarships available to you.

Merit scholarships may be awarded based on an applicant’s academic or professional history, public service involvement or any combination thereof. Some law schools even provide dedicated merit funding for incoming students; these awards can often cover all expenses associated with attending school including housing stipends.

Filling out a FAFSA can open you up to need-based scholarships offered by both the federal government and individual schools, as well as outside scholarships from law schools, fraternities/sororities/businesses/citizen groups/civic organizations/ and civic associations – be sure to review AccessLex Institute’s list of law school scholarships!