How to Decide Where to Apply for Law School

As if there it isn't already harrowing enough to get everything together to apply to law school in general, but you also have to choose where, out of all the law schools available, to apply as a JD candidate. Many factors apply into what you're looking for in a law school, and, for each person reading this, it's a different combination of factors.

Hopefully, you've thought a little bit about what you're looking for in a law school. Maybe you prefer a certain climate or city size, or you're looking for a school that's known for its programs in a certain specialty. Whatever it is you're looking for, there are ways to narrow schools down until you get to which ones you'll apply to.

The most important thing to do is research. In the beginning, I pulled up the US News list of law schools and scrolled through it, writing down which ones I wanted to further look into based on their ranking and location. This helped put a lot of ideas into my head, and I began scouring the schools' websites for more information.

Another way to initially narrow down your search is to use the LSAC website to see what schools are more likely to accept you. All you have to do is input your undergraduate GPA and LSAT score.

Once you get a list together of schools that seem interesting to you, think about what you're looking for in a law school. Are you drawn to criminal law or intellectual property law? Do you want to go to school in a specific location? Maybe you want to get involved in a few student organizations? Keep this in mind while researching so you can put together a shorter list of schools that have what you're looking for.

Related: Why I Chose DU Law

Like I mentioned above, there are plenty of factors that go into choosing where to apply (and, ultimately), where you end up attending. Pay attention to tuition, law school ranking, financial aid and scholarships, employment rates, bar passage rates, location, student life, school size, and more.

While it can be a lot of work, it's going to make things easier in the long run because you'll know what to look for in your schools. It will also help you with writing your personal statement.

I created the comparison sheet above based on a document I made to keep myself organized (Excel sheets are life!) It really helped keep all my information in one place that was easy to skim through when needed.

Another place to look for law schools to apply to is in your email. After taking the LSAT for the first time, I chose to receive emails from schools who were interested in me. I ended up adding three more schools to my application list after perusing their websites.

Good luck with your applications!

xoxo,

Rachel