“Don’t wish it was easier, wish you were better. Don’t wish for less problems, wish for more skills. Don’t wish for less challenge, wish for more wisdom.” - Jim Rohn
When deciding to pursue a college degree, it is super important to choose a college that you will be comfortable at. Especially once you have completed undergraduate school and have moved onto Law school after passing your LSAT test.
If you decide to attend law school, here are the best 10 U.S. law schools:
- Yale University
- Stanford University
- Harvard University
- Columbia University
- University of Chicago
- New York University
- University of Pennsylvania
- University of Virginia
- University of California, Berkeley (UCB)
- Duke University
Keep in mind, there are certain requirements you need to meet to get into one of the best law schools. However, do not choose to attend one of these best law schools without doing your own research into the schools you decide to apply to.
The requirements you need to follow during the admission of attending law school include:
- Earning a Bachelor’s degree - does not necessarily need to be in a field related to Law Studies - Law Schools will accept all candidates that completed a Bachelor’s degree no matter their former field of study
- Take the LSAT - this is an official exam which tests your critical and analytical abilities which are necessary for further pursuing a Law degree
- Decide on two or three law schools and begin applying
When deciding on what law schools to apply to, it is a good idea to consider what type of law you would like to study. This way you can do research on schools that have the strongest programs for that type of law. For example, if you would like to practice criminal law, research the schools that have the strongest criminal law programs and opportunities.
Keep in mind, there are also different types of law degrees in the U.S. These types of law degrees are:
- Juris Doctor (J.D) - all U.S. law schools grant this degree which is required to practice law in the country - three years of study for full-time students and four years for part-time students
- Master of Laws (L.L.M) - a one-year full-time study course after finishing a J.D. program - L.L.M is designated for students who want to further improve their knowledge of a particular law area or for foreign students that need more time to adjust to the U.S. legal system
- Doctor of Juridical Science (S.J.D.) - similar to a usual PhD program, since it is the highest academic degree in the legal field - lasts three years and is mostly pursued by students that wish to teach law - most law schools from the U.S. offer a small number of S.J.D programs
Make sure to do any necessary research into what type of law degree you want to pursue when deciding to attend law school.
Now let’s take a deeper dive into the top 3 law schools to see what separates them from each other and makes them unique. Keep in mind, what makes one law school the best to one person could make that same law school the wrong option for someone else.
Yale University
If you decide to pursue your law degree at Yale University there are a couple of areas of interest you can choose from which include:
- Constitutional Law
- Environmental Law
- IT & Media Law
- Law Teaching
- Corporate & Commercial Law
- Human Rights Law
- Law & Economics
- Legal History
- Criminal Justice
- International Law
- Law & Health
- Public Interest Law
Yale Law School also offers a variety of centers, programs, special projects, and workshops to help students succeed. Not only are students able to advance their knowledge and skills in an academic way, they are also able to engage with their passions and interests as part of this educational experience.
Yale Law School is located in New Haven, Connecticut and offers an unmatched environment of excellence with educational intimacy in the form of world renowned faculty, small classes, limitless opportunities for clinical training, and a strong encouragement of public service.
Feel free to visit Yale Law School, if you would like to learn more about the exciting opportunities and programs that are offered.
Stanford University
Stanford Law School is about legal education for tomorrow’s world based on forward-thinking across disciplines without boundaries.
The areas of interest at Stanford Law School differ slightly from the ones offered at Yale Law School. This is because different law schools are going to specialize in different areas of law. The areas of interest at Stanford Law School are:
- Academia
- American Indian & Indigenous Law
- Clinical Education
- Constitutional Law
- Criminal Law
- Environmental Law and Policy
- Health Law and Policy
- International and Comparative Law
- Law and History
- Law and Public Policy
- Law, Economics, and Business
- Tech Law and Policy
- Public Service and Public Interest Law
- Racial Justice
Make sure you choose the law school that is going to offer you an area of interest you would like to pursue. For example if you wanted to pursue IT & Media Law, Stanford Law School would not be your best option.
The approach to education at Stanford Law School is student-centric, is defined by the needs and ambitions of future graduates and customizable to each individual student. The advantages of attending Stanford Law School extend beyond law school, which results in students having practice-ready skills that employers demand, better chances at prestigious clerkships, a high bar passage rate, and support for when you are ready to start your career.
They are also known for their collegial culture which is intimate and equal. The community is close-knit, collaborative, and open to the exchange of ideas that are essential to life and learning. There is support from all students, faculty, staff, and alumni that helps to inspire each other to explore, excel, and contribute to the world around law.
Stanford Law School has a focus on the future, not the past, since they are driven by a passion for new ideas and a commitment to transformative solutions. So feel free to visit Stanford Law School to learn more.
Harvard University
At Harvard Law School they offer a wide variety of areas of interest including:
- Administrative and Regulatory Law
- Antitrust
- Arts, Entertainment, and Sports Law
- Civil Rights
- Conflict of Laws
- Contracts
- Disability Law
- Gender and the Law
- Law and Religion
- National Security Law
- Private Law
- Torts
- And many more…
They provide students with 500 plus courses & seminars, 47 clinics & student practice organizations, 100 plus student organizations, and limitless possibilities. The teaching and mentoring take place side by side since the students and faculty learn together and collaborate on meaningful projects.
Harvard Law School is the oldest continuously operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. There is a wide variety of extracurricular activities offered that allow students to explore their professional interests, serve the public, or merely socialize with their peers. These extracurriculars are designed to complement and enrich the students’ classroom and clinical experiences.
If you would like to learn more about the campus, courses, and what exciting opportunities are offered, feel free to visit Harvard Law School.
Conclusion
Overall, deciding to attend law school involves lots of consideration, and you should make sure you meet all of the requirements before trying to apply. It is so important to find the right law school for you and do not solely choose a school because it is the best law school. Do your own research to make sure that they have the area of interest that you would like to pursue, because the last thing you would want is to get accepted to a school only to find out that they do not offer the area of law you are interested in.
Take careful consideration when deciding to attend law school and determine if you would like to be a full-time or part-time student. Keep in mind, this will be an investment in your future so plan and budget accordingly. Although, there are ways for you to help pay for school such as applying for scholarships and getting financial aid.
There are tons of options for areas of interest in law school, since law surrounds us in our day to day life. If you are interested in law and have a Bachelor’s degree, you should consider attending a law school. However, if you do decide to pursue law school there are a lot of factors that you should consider, some of which include the location of the school, the school’s reputation, the cost, knowing what area you would like to focus on, and the size of the school.
Remember, attending law school can boost your chances of getting on the right path towards the career you want. It is so important that you choose the school based on the right factors and do not solely choose one school because it is the best, since different schools will offer different opportunities and programs. Choose the best fit for you!
