Choosing Which Law School Can I Get Into?
Selecting an ideal law school is of utmost importance. Start your search by conducting research based on your interests and goals, looking for ones with financial aid packages available, etc.
An effective law school application strategy includes creating three lists – reach, target, and safety. Reach schools are those that may be harder for you to get into; those that will accept you based on GPA/LSAT score; while safety schools guarantee admission.
Location
Reaching T-14 law schools can be a formidable task. These institutions are highly selective, and admission criteria may include higher undergraduate GPAs and LSAT scores as part of the admissions requirements. But with an exceptional personal statement and recommendation letters combined with meaningful extracurricular experience it may be possible to gain admission.
At the core, choosing law schools that fit with your interests and career goals is of utmost importance. Vermont or Stanford could be excellent choices if environmental law is your specialty, while Georgetown or New York offer more focused international law programs. When making this decision, do your research on each law school’s admission requirements and matriculant data before creating your list of law schools to apply to. However, do remember that your choice in law school won’t dictate whether or not you become a lawyer; rather it will influence the quality of legal work produced upon graduation!
Specializations
Many law schools provide their students with various specialization options to choose from, each providing unique career prospects that could help them meet their desired goals. E-commerce law is an ideal option for students interested in business, technology and commerce – as its legalities relate directly to online trading activities.
Administrative law deals with the operation and administration of government agencies, making it ideal for students aspiring to work in the public sector. Environmental law deals with laws and statutes designed to protect natural resources, land disputes and other aspects of our environment.
Sports Law is another highly popular area of study, especially as its relevance grows with modern society and opens many potential career doors. Additionally, intellectual property law is another very lucrative field that allows students to deal with patent laws, copyright laws and trademark laws – particularly advantageous for students with a background in arts and sciences.
Size
Many applicants to law schools consider factors like rank, location and academics when searching for law schools; however class size also plays a key role in shaping your experience at each institution.
As part of your first-year sections research, find out the number of students in each section. Most law schools divide their student body into small groups for core classes – which will likely become your main form of communication at law school. Harvard boasts 80 students per section while smaller schools such as Appalachian have much smaller class sizes.
Be sure to research job placement rates of past graduates as required by the American Bar Association (ABA). This can give you an idea of what awaits you once out of law school, as well as extracurricular activities offered to law students, including student bar associations, legal subject area groups and diversity/political organizations etc.
Career Opportunities
As recently ruled by the Supreme Court, entering law school still takes hard work and research. You will want to craft an application that shows off your passion for legal profession. This should involve compiling a resume that highlights experience and accomplishments such as student organizations leadership positions or community service activities as well as internship or job experiences related to law.
To better determine the schools you can attend, it is vital that you thoroughly research both ABA’s admission requirements and each school’s matriculant profiles. Be sure to also investigate average GPA and LSAT score of incoming students on LSAC’s website or individual law school admissions sites; once this data is in hand you can make your target and safety lists of law schools with which you have the highest chance of acceptance.
