“Should I go to a lower school and try to switch to a better school next year?” That`s right. Never go with the mindset of transferring to law school. You can do this during undergraduate studies, but not so much in law school. If you go to a low-ranking school, the curve is even steeper and so it`s much harder to be at the top of your class. Law can be a fairly elitist profession, so candidates are often obsessed with top-notch law schools. Yale, Stanford and Harvard are clearly considered the best law schools in the United States, and their alumni dominate prestigious roles in the judiciary, academia and major law firms. More broadly, a group of 14 elite law schools, called “T14,” has long occupied the top spots in U.S. News & World Report`s annual rankings. Opinions about other law schools ranked in the top 20 or 30 may vary, but they are widely recognized and respected nationally.

Hi Ann, I had a quick question about the admissions process. I am currently a beginner at a local community college in my hometown and plan to transfer to Michigan State University as soon as I have enough credits. I`ve always had an interest in law because my mom is a lawyer and I grew up with crazy and fascinating stories surrounding her career. I am also currently employed as a receptionist/assistant in a private law firm. If I apply to law school after completing my undergraduate studies, do I need to add my community college transcripts or only my university transcripts? At the university I want to attend, your GPA will not be carried over with your credits. (BIG fan of the blog by the way. Reading has given me so much certainty about the admissions process that I will encounter in a few years.) Generalized career anxiety can make lower-ranking law schools surprisingly ruthless. Lower-level law schools also suffer from weaker alumni networks, difficulties attracting talented faculty, and fewer student resources.

It takes alumni with deep pockets and school pride to support world-class facilities, clinics, research programs, and other opportunities. Gabriel Kuris, founder of Top Law Coach and partner at US News, recently discussed the costs and benefits of attending lower law school. In any major decision, it is important to consider all factors, from costs to potential benefits. You may find that inferior legal training may offer you more than you expected. Thus. This was written by someone who didn`t even graduate from LS but didn`t even apply? I just think that not only is it misleading to readers, but that the author also has no first-hand knowledge, as she doesn`t even cite sources, but only provides opinion arguments without any real support. I`m not trying to be mean, but I know a lot of lawyers who work in the Big 4 and earn over 500,000 outside of the top 100 schools. I strongly believe in education, if you stand out academically and can network, that success is a great opportunity. Costs in lower law schools vary.

While tuition fees at top law schools can exceed $70,000 per year, lower law schools aren`t necessarily cheaper. Unaccredited law schools are also generally cheaper and more convenient than accredited schools. Many non-accredited law schools offer flexible, part-time, and online options that appeal to older applicants who work full-time. Indeed, ethnic differences in wealth and income may explain why black and Hispanic students are overrepresented among students in non-accredited law schools, but underrepresented among accredited schools. If you`re considering a lower-ranking law school, Kuris recommends asking yourself a few questions — from the cost of the program to the type of access a law school can provide. Hi Ann Levine, I also agree with Mark`s answers. If you want to join or transition to law school, try to choose intermediate rankings. Secondary schools could not provide you with an adequate education and little was appreciated. So my suggestion is to find an intermediate rank and continue your law studies. Why are law schools classified as they are? It`s a complicated question, and the full answer is steeped in historical complexities.

But the simplest and most up-to-date answer is placement rates. The schools that make up the T-14 are the only U.S. law schools that have a full-time placement rate of more than 85%. This statistic is not only about the percentage of employees, but also about the actual jobs that students get: many of these young lawyers do prestigious internships and large, well-known law firms. However, many successful lawyers attended schools outside of the T-14. It`s not impossible to fight your way to the top, but you need to prepare for a more arduous road to glory. It boils down to this: When you answer the question of whether you should attend lower law school, the answer may depend on what you want. There are a number of factors that are important to any prospective law student when deciding which law school to attend, and they vary depending on a school`s rank. IK, see how you perform on LSAT, which schools and scholarships you would be eligible for, and then make your decision. But don`t take June unless you`re really dedicating the next 6 weeks to this – wait until September.

Consider these questions before accepting admission to a low-level law school: I mean, what you`re looking for is for everyone here to admit what`s (mostly) true, which is that there aren`t many benefits to going to a low-level school.