Becoming a lawyer can seem incredibly daunting, but it’s never too late to look into applying to law school. Unlike medical school, the subject that you study in undergraduate school does not matter in law. As long as you have a degree—in any study—you’re already one step closer to being able to apply to law school.
You also need to take the Law School Admission Test (LSAT), which tests reading comprehension, analytical reasoning skills, logical reasoning skills, and argumentative writing. You will also need to write a personal statement, make a resumé, and get letters of recommendation, which are skills that you’ve already exercised in applying to college.
So, if you’re interested in learning more about legal systems and how to participate in them, it is worth taking the LSAT, preparing the other necessary materials, and researching potential law schools. If you’re not sure where to start looking into law schools, below is a list of some of the highest ranking law schools in the country.
What this article entails:
- Law schools in different states
- Different concentrations of law studied
- Benefits of each program
- Average metrics of those that got accepted
- Last thoughts
Yale Law School
Image courtesy of Yale University.
Yale Law School is easily one of the best in the country and part of the Ivy League—prestigious universities located in the Northeast. It is located in New Haven, Connecticut, and it offers courses in multiple different fields of law. This includes Constitutional law, corporate law, criminal justice, environmental law, human rights law, international law, media law, and public interest law. The university also has its own law library, and offers hands-on experience through clinics, simulations, and workshops. The range of Yale law students’ LSAT scores is from 158 to 180. The GPA range is from 3.25 to 4.27.
University of Virginia School of Law
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UVA Law is first in best professors and best classroom experience, according to the Princeton Review. Founded by Thomas Jefferson, the school is over 200 years old and has educated many generations of young adults. It has a 6:1 student to faculty ratio, and 24 clinics. The law school also has study abroad programs in Italy, Germany, Spain, India, Australia, South Korea, New Zealand, France, and Japan! If you didn’t get to study abroad during college or if you did travel and you loved it, this is a great opportunity. UVA law school has courses on criminal justice, international law, public law, intellectual property law, family law, health law, Constitutional law, tax law, and animal law. The average LSAT of a UVA student is 171 and the average GPA is 3.94.
Georgetown Law
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Georgetown Law has 19 clinics, and externship programs for academic credit. Law students at Georgetown have access to courses on business regulation, civil rights, Constitutional law, employment law, criminal law, environmental law, gender studies, health law, human rights, immigration, international law, legal ethics, legal writing, legal theory, national security law, tax law, and intellectual property. The law school also has differently paced programs, which can be completed in either three years or four years, as well as a dual degree program. Law students have an average 171 LSAT and 3.91 GPA.
Washington University School of Law
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Wash U School of Law has many areas of interest: Constitutional law, criminal justice, environmental law, family law, government law, health law, international law, employment law, dispute resolution, legal theory, and tax law. Wash U also offers specialized JD Certificates in public interest law, business and corporate law, and international and comparative law. If you are passionate about any of these three concentrations, it would be incredibly useful to earn a certificate in addition to your JD. Wash U law has 20 clinics and externships. Law students have an average 173 LSAT and 3.95 GPA.
New York University School of Law
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NYU School of Law educates about information law, corporation law, legal theory, energy law, and international law. NYU also teaches about the relationship between law and business, economics, cybersecurity, philosophy, politics, French studies, public administration, social work, and urban planning. NYU has over 40 clinics, and a law study abroad program. The law school also offers various scholarships awarded to those who are committed to public service. The average LSAT score of a NYU Law student is 172, and the average GPA is 3.9.
USC Gould School of Law
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The Gould School of Law at USC has had students from 43 countries, overwhelmingly high bar pass rates, and over 95% employment for its graduates. USC Law has concentrations in alternative dispute resolution, business law, media law, and public interest law. The Gould School has seven clinics: housing, immigration, intellectual property, human rights, mediation, and small business. It also has a post-conviction justice project and numerous externships. The law school admitted 607 out of 4,850 applications, and the average LSAT score of admitted students was 169. Their average GPA was 3.88. Average scholarship was $41,000!
Boston College Law School
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BC offers over 100 clinic and externship opportunities, has a 7:1 student to teacher ratio, and holds a 98% employment rate. Students have an average LSAT score of 167 and an average GPA of 3.77. The law school also participates in a 3+3 program with BC undergrad and Scranton college, which allows students to earn a bachelor’s degree and a JD in just 6 years total. This saves valuable time and money. The law school is nearly a century old, and it educates students on environmental law, juvenile justice, and more legal subjects. The school is Catholic, so if your faith is important to you, the parish on campus is always accessible.
Florida State University Law
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Florida State Law is ranked top ten in human rights law, and it has unique clinic programs. FSU Law also has study abroad programs in England and Austria. FSU law offers programs studying oceanography and law, business and law, information and law, IT and law, international affairs and law, public administration and law, social work and law, sports management and law, and urban planning and law. These programs are super interesting for those who want to combine their passions for law and another subject. Sports lovers in particular can hugely benefit from the joint program. FSU Law students have an average LSAT of 165 and an average GPA of 3.83.
University of Maryland Carey School of Law
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Located in Baltimore, U Maryland is part of the DMV (D.C., Maryland, and Virginia area). This gives U Maryland law students easy access to the nation’s capital. Maryland Carey Law is 200 years old, and has a rich history. The areas of study include business and tax law, Constitutional law, criminal justice, crisis management law, dispute resolution, environmental law, family law, health law, immigration law, intellectual property law, international law, and litigation and advocacy. Carey Law has externships, clinics, and international opportunities. Their students have an average LSAT of 163 and an average of a 3.67 GPA.
Vanderbilt Law School
Image courtesy of Vanderbilt University.
Vanderbilt was founded in 1873, and it has the top ten best professors and classroom experience, according to the Princeton Review. The university has a law library and courses in many different areas of law. These include dispute resolution, criminal justice, environmental law, social justice, intellectual property law, international law, corporate law, law and government, law and innovation, law and brain sciences/behavior. Other topics of interest that the law school approaches are artificial intelligence and climate change. The school’s clinics include a criminal practice clinic, first amendment clinic, and housing law clinic. The school also offers many externships, as well as moot court, mock trial, and pro bono work. The average LSAT score of the students is 170, and the average GPA is 3.89.
Last Thoughts
Overall, applying to law school is both stressful and exciting. You’re chasing your ambitions, but you’re also taking a lot on your plate. Some tips are to focus heavily on LSAT studying and getting recommendation letters from professors and employers that know you well. Both of these combined will depict you as a good student and a good person, thus a good future law student! Happy grad school prep, and good luck!
