What Should I Consider in Making My Law School Choice?

Choosing the right law school is a very individual matter. It is based on a variety of factors, some of which have been explored in other sections of this website.

For many Empire State College students, the proximity of the law school to their current residence will indeed be a major factor. For others, the cost will be determinative, while for yet others the reputation (as measured by the various ranking organizations) will be the superseding issue. Of course, one must also be aware that some choices will be eliminated premised on the LSAT, GPA and other academic benchmarks that many law schools establish for themselves as part of their admission process.

No matter how the choice is arrived at, however, each applicant will ultimately have to make a choice (from the pool available to him/her) based on their individual comfort level with that institution. After all, this involves a commitment of at least three years of one's life and will have profound implications for that individual's future and career. Therefore, learning as much as possible about schools one is considering applying to is strongly recommended as a worthwhile expenditure of time. An onsite visit may also be very informative. Most law schools welcome such visits by prospective students.

To find more detailed information about individual law schools, one should contact them directly. One of the easiest ways to connect with law schools is to use a directory that provides links to specific schools. A useful directory is yahoo search for law schools.

The Law School Admission Council (LSAC), also associated with the Law School Data Assembly Service (LSDAS), is also worth visiting at www.lsac.org.