People have different standards in choosing law schools to apply to. Some consider the school’s reputation as the most important factor to consider, while some focus more on tuition and financial costs. To help you choose which law school to apply to, below are five key factors you should consider:
Financial costs
These include tuition, living expenses, housing and rent rates, and other miscellaneous expenses. For most students and parents, these are the main things to consider in selecting a law school. While scholarships and financial aid may help you deal with tuition concerns, you should also check if the cost of living in the school’s locality is within your budget.
Curriculum and course offerings
Especially for those who already have a specialization in mind, you should check if the law school offers challenging courses and programs that are related to your desired field. Most law schools follow a core curriculum for the first year, but come sophomore year, you’ll have to tailor your curriculum in accordance with the track you want to take.
Reputation of institution
Although some consider a law school’s reputation insignificant, others believe that it’s an important factor to consider because of the opportunities that the school’s alumni network can offer. Choosing Ivy League law schools solely because of their reputation is not recommendable, and should only factor in as a complementary consideration when choosing law schools.
Diversity and quality of faculty and student body
The best law schools are those that are able to cater to the academic and social needs of their students. By carefully considering the quality of faculty and diversity of student body, you can somehow ensure that you’ll be getting not only the best law education there is, but also the best law school experience.
Career opportunities
Many law schools have tie-ups with private firms and government institutions to help their students find work opportunities when they graduate. Although having job placement departments in law schools doesn’t always ensure employment, at least it can help up your chances of getting hired.
There are some admission requirements common to all law schools, such as college transcript, test scores, and personal statement essay. For the personal statement essay, however, the required structure and content may vary depending on the law school. There are sample law school personal statement essays found online, which you can consult to help you write your own. You can even find sample law school personal statement essays from specific schools. We recommend reading through sample law school personal statement essays so that you can get a clear and concrete idea of how these essays are crafted.
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In the US, virtually all ABA-accredited law schools offer the same courses to freshman students. These subjects or courses comprise what is considered as the general core curriculum. But by the time they reach their second year, law students get a wider range of course options to choose from and are allowed to then tailor their curricula according to their desired specialization. If, for example, you want to specialize in human rights laws, you should choose courses and electives that are directly related to human rights issues and topics.
The course and program offerings is one of the main things that students should consider and look into before applying to a particular law school. Most law schools regularly maintain their websites, where they post curriculum guides and outlines, so browsing through various schools’ curricula shouldn’t be that hard. To make things even easier for you, below we’ve provided an outline of, as well as links to, the courses offered in top-ranking law schools in the US.
Yale Law School
Yale Law School remains as one of the most exclusive law schools in the US because of their highly selective admissions processes. Yale only admits under 200 students per school year, but offers a wide range of options for courses, lectures, and seminars especially for business law.
Georgetown University
One reason why many students flock to Georgetown University to study law is because of their updated course offerings that tackle the latest legal issues and matters. Georgetown is one of the few law schools that have jurisprudence updates on Bioethics, as well as Internet crimes and cyberspace laws. The school is also known for the wide array of specializations they offer.
The New York Law School – International and Comparative Law
The New York Law School boasts of curricula that span international interests and concerns to cater to students who wish to pursue legal careers in a highly globalized and transnational setting. The school also offers advanced courses on Human Rights, Business Law, and Litigation and Dispute Resolution.
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The Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy Studies, or simply called the Federalist Society, was formed in 1982 by a group of law students from top law schools, specifically, Harvard, Yale, and the University of Chicago. The organization was founded with the aim of reforming the current US judicial system. From being an organization composed mainly of law students, the Federalist Society has grown and developed into being the largest network of students and legal professionals in the US.
The Federalist Society is currently composed of three main divisions: Student Division, Lawyers Division, and a Faculty Division. The group has members of more than 10,000 law students from ABA-accredited and non-ABA accredited law schools, as well as members from international graduate and law institutions. The Federalist Society also has chapters all over the US and in other countries, and has around 30,000 members in their Alumni and Faculty Division.
Mission and vision
The Federalist Society aims to improve current and future political leaders’ understanding of the underlying principles in the Constitution of the United States. The organization believes that the main purpose for the state’s existence is to preserve and uphold individual freedom and the country’s traditional values by ensuring that the judiciary follows the limitations and rights stated in the Constitution. Furthermore, Federalists aim to spread legal awareness on constitutional issues and serve as watchdogs of the US judiciary system.
Programs and activities
The Federalist Society is known, among many other things, for the forums, discussions, and debates they hold in law schools across the US. Through these, and their annual gatherings, Federalists have successfully redefined the terms of legal debate and spread awareness and information regarding the issues that the US judiciary system currently faces. To ensure that the discussions and debates are as informative and unbiased as possible, the Federalist Society also invites speakers from opposing sides to present their views.
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Contrary to popular belief that law school students immediately go to law firms and practice law after graduation, there are actually quite a number of various positions that law school graduates apply for. From legal and corporate research to socio-political activism, here is a list of some of the fields and industries that law school graduates can work in:
Legal research, consultancy, and analysis
Though the knowledge gained in law school is valuable, most students feel the need to immerse themselves further in the legal realm before they apply their knowledge and litigate in courts. One good way to do this is to work as a legal researcher or legal consultant. Doing so will enhance the law school students’ work experiences while adding to their knowledge on legal matters.
Public administration and policy-making
It’s common for law school graduates to run for office after gaining much experience and knowledge on the legal aspects involved in holding government positions, such as policy-making. Most politicians hire law school graduates to be part of their staff to help them craft speeches, conceptualize and formulate policies, and even to lobby for bills. Working in this field is ideal for those who specialized in constitutional laws.
Corporate and professional industries
Especially for law school graduates who specialized in finance and taxation, companies and corporations hire law students because of their knowledge on taxation and revenue laws. Every large-scale company needs an attorney to take care of whatever legal issues that the company may fac, may it be labor-related or regarding income and revenue.
Non-profit and civic organizations
The types of law school graduates who go to work for non-profit and civic organizations are usually those who specialized in labor laws, human rights laws, environmental laws, and family law. For some law students, their law school education is best put to use by working in non-government organizations and civil society organizations dedicated to advancing human rights and bringing attention to social issues. The legal knowledge that law school graduates possess is valuable to such organizations because they provide the necessary information to hold socio-political entities accountable and pursue structural changes.
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In addition to passing the entrance exam and submitting a well-crafted personal statement, admission into law school also requires applicants to submit at least two letters of recommendation. If you’re at a loss as to what these are and whom to get them from, read on to find out the answers to these top two FAQs regarding letters of recommendation.
What are letters of recommendation?
Letters of recommendation are documents secured usually from previous professors and lecturers, which serves as complementary documents to your law school personal statement. Letters of recommendation are used by admissions committees to gauge the intellectual capacities and academic skills of applicants. These also serve as backing proof of the self-evaluation you give in your law school personal statement. Letters of recommendation allow admissions committees to know more about you by getting the perspective and opinions of the people you’ve worked with.
Just like in other graduate schools, letters of recommendation are usually part of the basic requirements of getting into law school. These, along with your transcripts and personal statement, will be the admissions committees’ preliminary basis for considering your application. Some law schools provide a template for how your letter of recommendation should be written, while some let applicants structure their own. The main thing to remember in letters of recommendation is that they should detail your personal and professional traits as well as the writers’ experiences in working with you.
Who should you get to write them?
Again, this would vary depending on the law school you’re applying to. Some law schools provide key reference persons, such as your professors and lecturers in undergraduate schools, while some will require you to get a letter of recommendation from someone you’ve worked with professionally. Some may even require a combination of both. If the law school did not give specific references, it’s still wise to get recommendation letters from previous professors. You get plus points if you get them from instructors you were close with or got good grades from, because they are the ones who will most probably give a glowing evaluation of you and your work.
A legal career has its own versions of ups and downs. Lawyers have the advantage of getting high salaries, wearing designer suits, and working in high-end offices. However, they still have to work hard to advance their positions in private law firms and public litigation. Lawyers usually stay up till morning to study and prepare cases. With these in mind, it is just enough that lawyers get decent paychecks. If you are considering a career in the legal industry, read the following so you’ll know what to expect.
Salary range of a lawyer
Salaries of lawyers are determined by a number of factors. Their experience in the legal profession is just one of these. Based on the September 2008 PayScale report, fresh law school graduates who are just starting their careers in the legal profession earn an average of $50,000 per year. After 10 years, a graduate’s salary increases as much as $30,000. After twenty years of leaving law school, a graduate can earn as much as $100,000 annually.
A lawyer’s specialization also plays a role in his or her salary. A lawyer for corporate affairs can earn at least $85,000 annually. This, so far, is the highest earning specialization for lawyers. Graduates who specialize in litigation and appeals, on the other hand, can earn as much as $75,000 per year. Real estate lawyers can have an annual income of $74,000.
The workplace of lawyers is also a consideration. Government lawyers can earn at least $91,000 per year. Lawyers handling hospital legal concerns earn about $83,000. Those who are working for non-government organizations can have a median salary of $54,000.
Jobs of law school graduates
Law school graduates can opt not to practice law. As a matter of fact, they can get positions in various industries. Graduates can qualify for jobs focused on litigation, insurance defense, and education. Finance and media industries also offer positions for law school graduates. Top level and mid-level positions in these industries can also be offered to lawyers. However, their job offer can be determined by their pre-law school job experience, legal specialization, years of experience as a lawyer and law school academic standing.
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