Applying for Law Degree Programs

How to Select the Best Law School

The process of applying for law degree programs

Law degree programs vary in cost, size, and course offerings. The law school application process consist of choosing law schools and filing out applications, taking the law school admissions test (LSAT), writing a personal statement, preparing a resume, sending transcripts and choosing individuals to write recommendations letters.

There are a number of things you need to keep in mind, and consider when selecting a law school. Think about your career goals and professional aspirations as you are pondering your options. When evaluating potential law schools, consider some of the following:

1. Academic Programs

Examine the schools level of flexibility in the curriculum it offers. If you like to take classes on your own order and at your own time, flexibility is critical. Some schools allow students to structure their own education program – others are a lot more ridged.

If you already know what you want to focus on in the area of law, look for schools that have specialized programs in that area of the law. If a joint degree program is something that interests you, make sure the school offers this option. Examine class size and type of instruction methods used.

2. Cost and Financial Aid

Cost is a significant factor in any decision process. Look into tuition and fees for your schools of choice. Incorporate cost for books and supplies in your calculations, as well as living expense.

Depending on the location of the law school, all these factors may be quite different leading to varied costs. Examine financial assistance offered by the school as well as available scholarships.

3. Faculty

When considering a law school program, investigate the makeup of faculty at the program. It’s important to evaluate who you will be learning from. Examine faculty reputation in research; demonstrate work experience as well as quality of teaching. If you already have an area of interest, find out if there are any faculty members that can assist and guide you in that area.

4. Class size

Find out what the average class size is and what the student to teacher ratio is. If you prefer small groups and come from a small college/university, you may want to avoid really large enrollments. Getting some feedback from current students may be a great way to assess the overall quality of the program. You will find that most students are willing to share their views, so email or participate in some discussion forums at the school. Also remember that the size of the programs impacts competitiveness of admission.

5. School Facilities

You should consider the quality of classrooms, libraries and study halls at the school. Does the school provide career services? Does it have athletic facilities and student organizations? How is student housing handled and are there on-campus housing options?

• Use our degree finder provide on this page to request free information on any number of schools
• School websites, brochures

While applying for law degree programs, apply to only those you would actually attend if accepted. Don’t waste your time applying to schools you know you will not attend just for the sake of applying. Make sure you apply to a broad range of schools in terms of competition and likelihood of acceptance. For more on legal education issues visit
online law degree and law degree distance learning.