Law School Selection Factors You Should Consider!

Numbers aren’t everything! This is true for both law schools and applicants alike. Admissions officers aren’t blindly selecting their incoming class of students based on GPA and LSAT alone. Likewise, applicants should not rely solely on rankings when selecting their chosen law school. While U.S. News & World Report rankings represent a significant amount of research and information, there are many other factors you need to consider when choosing where to apply.

Law School Selection Factors You Should Consider!

There are a number of factors to consider when selecting a law school. Simply attending the highest ranked school that you were admitted to doesn’t make sense for most people. This is especially true for those candidates with a targeted area of study, those that desire to work in a specific geographic market upon graduation, or those seeking scholarships and financial aid to offset the cost of their education.

Below are lists of factors to consider when selecting a law school. Ask yourself these questions and think each through in order to find a law school that is right for you.

Likelihood of admission

Application fees alone can be expensive. Don’t apply to only “dream schools” or cast such a wide net that you end up spending more money than you need to on applications. Be strategic and thoughtful in applying to school. Apply to at least three types of schools: (i) a dream school, (ii) a target school and, (iii) a safety school. However, be realistic about where you might have a shot at getting into and what might be out of reach so you can use your money, and your time, wisely.

What are my chances of admission?
How do my GPA and LSAT scores match up with a school’s 25/50/75 percentiles of recent incoming classes?
Did I apply early enough to take advantage of rolling admissions or are most of the seats in the incoming class already held by other applicants?

Cost

Cost is a huge factor to consider when selecting a law school. Your choice is something that will likely follow you for years, or even decades, after graduation. Here are some law school cost considerations to help you make an informed financial decision.

What is the cost of tuition?
What scholarship opportunities exist?
Are scholarships guaranteed for all three years? If not, how many students retain their scholarships?
How much money in student loans will I need to take out?
What is the cost of attendance? Can I afford it?
What are my loan repayment options and how long will it take me to realistically pay off debt given my field of interest?

Here is a cost breakdown of application (not law school) expenses.

Location

The location of a law school can impact everything from your day-to-day routine to your long-term career trajectory. There is such a thing as too many distractions that will keep you from performing your best. Know yourself and what you need from your environment in order to set yourself up for success.

Am I able to live comfortably and focus on classes in this environment?
How will I get to and from school?
Where will I live and who will I live with?
Is this where I ultimately want to practice law after school? (Note, we don’t subscribe to the notion that you need to attend law school where you want to practice but be mindful of the opportunities presented by doing so. Explore pathways to get where you ultimately want to be.)
Are there externship opportunities nearby that I can participate in throughout the school year and not just in the summer?

Academic Offerings

Not all law schools, and their offerings, are created equally. It’s important that a school not only offers classes, internships, and clinics in areas you want to explore, but that these are accessible to you and provide you with the foundation you need to be successful upon graduation.

What are the class offerings?
How often are specialized classes offered/rotated in and out of the schedule?
Are there extensive internship and clinical offerings?
Is there a cap to these offerings? How many students can participate each semester?
What sort of moot court and journals do they have?
Are there Joint degree programs?
What do the academic support programs look like?
How robust is the career services support and on-campus recruiting?

Law School Culture

Aside from the law school rankings, location, and offerings, there are still a lot of factors that contribute to the culture of the law school that could really impact the experience you have in the program. When you visit a school, be sure to observe or ask these questions.

What is the culture of the school?
Where do I feel most comfortable?
What is the overall size of the program?
What is the average class size?
What is the student to professor ratios?
Is there sufficient diversity and inclusion?

Post-Graduate Statistic

You’re going to law school with the ultimate goal of passing the bar exam and getting a job in your field of interest. Having strong career services and alumni support is critical in that endeavor. While schools won’t “place” you into your job, their connection between local, national, and global law firms and organizations could make all of the difference.

What are their job placements rates? Are these bar-passage required, long-term or full-time positions?
What resources and support are offered for bar preparation?
What is the bar passage rates for first-time takers?
What sort of alumni support and engagement do they offer?

Keep in mind that there are a lot of factors to consider when selecting a law school. What works for some students, doesn’t work for others. Focus on finding a school that’s right for you!

Rachel Margiewicz, Director of Pre-Law Services, wrote this post. Rachel is a licensed attorney with years of admissions experience across three law school programs in different markets of the country. She knows what schools are looking for and how to make your application stand out!

Law School Selection Factors You Should Consider!