Determining where to apply to law school can be overwhelming. Here are a few simple steps you can take to help guide this part of the law school process.
Number 1: Think about what matters most to you about a law school. For example:
- Location
- Campus culture
- Bar passage rates and financial outcomes
- Tuition and cost of living
- Faculty and research
- Clinic, Internship and Externship opportunities
- Career Center support and other resources for students
- Alumni network
- School ranking
Number 2: Be realistic about where you apply. Consider factors such as:
- Your GPA and LSAT score
- Professional experience or internships
- Likelihood of merit-based aid
- Timing in the cycle – earlier the better
Number 3: Make a list of schools to apply to. Some final points to consider:
- Include roughly 3 reach, 3 target, and 3 safety schools
- Only apply somewhere you would actually attend, with few exceptions
- Use the resources below & law school websites to evaluate and compare schools
- Attend info sessions, law school fairs, and virtual presentations
- Remember schools really look at you holistically
- Meet with the Pre-Law Advisor! Students & alumni are encouraged!
Make lists of schools that are most appealing based on these criteria. Then you might begin to look at how schools are rated and ranked. Visit web sites and look at placement data. With some of these considerations, your list is guaranteed to produce interesting options well beyond the schools you could and could not get into.
Resources for Your Search
- ABA-LSAC Official Guide to ABA-Approved Law Schools — Allows you to search schools by your GPA and LSAT score
- LSAT Demon Scholarship Estimator — Predicts likelyhood of scholarship (need and merit) based on your GPA & LSAT
- ABA Information Reports — Informational reports on each law school
- Law School Transparency — Information to browse and compare law schools
- LSAC Forums — Meet law school admissions staff face-to-face
- MAX Pre-Law — Contains scholarship and financial aid information
