The decision about which law schools you should apply to is a very personal one and, thus, will vary considerably from applicant to applicant. Formulating the individual list, however, usually involves the consideration of three factors: economic, personal, and academic.
The Economic Factor
The economic factor entails not only the actual dollar costs of law school tuition, books, room and board, etc., but also a consideration of what one gets for the money. The annual tuition can vary considerably. Of course, living expenses, particularly housing costs, vary as well; it is much more expensive to live in San Francisco, New York, or Washington, D.C., as compared to Austin, Texas or Madison, Wisconsin. Availability and cost of transportation is also a consideration. The cost of books and supplies will everywhere be considerably more than that paid as an undergraduate. You should inquire about the availability of financial aid at each institution. Finally, you should also reflect on the type of legal work you would like to do upon graduation and the remuneration that such work typically offers. It can be difficult to pursue certain careers in law when you are burdened with debt incurred while in law school.
The Personal Factor
You will also want to consider the acceptability of the school's location regarding climate, urban versus rural setting, distance from home, recreational and cultural facilities available, etc. In addition, you should think about where you might wish to practice upon completion of law school. For the select few who can gain entrance to the most prestigious law schools, obtaining a position after law school will not present much of a problem. For most students, however, the opportunity to make contacts and begin part-time or summer employment in law firms while still in law school will be an important aid in obtaining a satisfactory position after graduation. Thus, those who wish to work in Los Angeles, New York, or Washington, D.C. would logically look closely at law schools within or very near to those cities. You should also think about the type of learning environment you prefer; law schools vary in terms of their competitiveness and "supportiveness."
The Academic Factor
The most significant factor in your law school choice is the academic one. It is often not where the applicant would like to go to school that dictates his or her choice, but where admission can be obtained. After you receive your LSAT scores, appraise yourself realistically. Consider law school admission rates and LSAT percentiles when applying.
Submit applications to three categories of law schools, as follows:
- "Long Shots" - These are schools which have "numbers" (median GPA's and LSAT scores) notably higher than yours. Applications should be made to one or more desired schools in this category, in the hope of somehow standing out from the other applicants and gaining admission.
- "Reasonable Chance" - These are schools that have numbers approximating yours. Applicants should be made to as many schools in this category as you are willing to attend. If the schools in this category are properly identified, about a fifty percent acceptance rate should result.
- "Sure Things" - These are schools that have numbers clearly below yours, but that you would attend if denials are received from all schools in the other two categories. Applications should be made to one or more schools in this category as a hedge against the worst possible situation.
Popular Ranking Systems
U.S. News: The most recognized and cited law school rankings are those issued by U.S. News and World Report. Schools are ranked by a composite score of four weighted areas: placement success and bar passage (58%); quality assessment by peers, lawyers, and judges (25%); selectivity based on test scores, GPA, and acceptance rate (10%); and student-faculty ratio and library resources (7%).
Above the Law: This legal blog offers an alternative ranking system using a formula that incorporates six factors: legal employment (full-time, long-term jobs that require bar passage), “quality jobs” (which include positions in large, typically high-paying law firms and federal judicial clerkships), first-time bar passage rate, the cost of obtaining a law degree, the number of alumni serving as federal judges, and the number who have clerked for the U.S. Supreme Court.
LSAT Demon, an LSAT test prep service, offers a tool that allows you to track each of these rankings since 2015, to see which schools may be rising or falling.