Let's Have Fun: Your top 5 law school selection factors

Brazil020511

Some ideas may be but not limited to scholarships, location, course variety and/or student life. Mines are:
1. Scholarships
2. Prestige
3. Location (Urban area)
4. Career Services
5. Strong/close knit minority community

LSATcantwin

1.) Willingness to accept me
2.) Programs
3.) Ranking
4.) Location
5.) Yelp reviews (Just kidding)

Alex

@Brazil020511 said:
Some ideas may be but not limited to scholarships, location, course variety and/or student life. Mines are:
1. Scholarships
2. Prestige
3. Location (Urban area)
4. Career Services
5. Strong/close knit minority community

This is an awesome thread idea!

1. Prestige/US New's Ranking
2. Location (East Coast metro areas/NYC)
3. Employment
4. $$$
5. Preftige***

LastLSAT

1) Employment
2) Clerkship placement
3) Curricular offerings (interdisciplinary certificates, clinics, externship, etc.)
4) Journal & research opportunities
5) Reputation for future academic job placement

Eric25

1) strength of IP program
2) prestige in general
3) location
4) how many yrs of student loan payments will it take
5) repeat of number 4

TheMikey

1. EmploymenTTTTT
2. $$
3. Clinics, programs, etc.
4. Location
5. Rankings, although I think this may go hand in hand with employment since better schools tend to have better employment numbers.

LCMama2017

@LSATcantwin said:
1.) Willingness to accept me
2.) Programs
3.) Ranking
4.) Location
5.) Yelp reviews (Just kidding)

You are hilarious... your no.1 is my no.1 : )

pioneer321

1. USNWR Ranking
2. Scholarship (though kinda feels like this is inversely proportional to rankings)
3. Clinics and programs
4. Location (California >>> East Coast)
5. Fit/feel (beer quality during bar review is a surprisingly important factor here)

westcoastbestcoast

1. Acceptance
2. Employment
3. Scholarship
4. Social life?? *probably not possible in 1L

Leah M B

1. Scholarship
2. Employment/bar passage stats
3. Location/placement in areas I want to live (west coast, Chicago, maybe DC)
4. "Prestige" (mostly because if it's in an area I don't want to live, I need to know that the degree will get my a job where I do want to be)
5. Collegial atmosphere

JerryClarke242

1. Willingness to accept me.
2. Clinical Programs
3. Graduate Employment Rate
4. Location

scales_of_j

1. Location (NE or along the Atlantic seaboard)
2. Scholarship
3. Employment rate
4. Clinics/Programs
5. Atmosphere-- not too snobbish or insulated, decent restaurant and bar scene

10000019

@estouten25 said:
1) strength of IP program
2) prestige in general
3) location
4) how many yrs of student loan payments will it take
5) repeat of number 4

Hey, not trying to tell you how to live your life but as someone going into a similar field I'd suggest you do some more search about the importance of the IP program of a school. From what I've been told by those who practice, being ranked #X in IP does you no good when you're out looking for a job.

TheMikey

@westcoastbestcoast said:
4. Social life?? *probably not possible in 1L

definitely possible. most of the 1L's I know are drunk half the time, haha.

LastLSAT

@10000019 said:

@estouten25 said:
1) strength of IP program
2) prestige in general
3) location
4) how many yrs of student loan payments will it take
5) repeat of number 4

Hey, not trying to tell you how to live your life but as someone going into a similar field I'd suggest you do some more search about the importance of the IP program of a school. From what I've been told by those who practice, being ranked #X in IP does you no good when you're out looking for a job.

Well, considering that the top three IP programs are Berkeley, Stanford, & NYU, and that @estouten25 mentioned general prestige as a concern as well, I think he'll be fine!

Kermit750

1. Location( East Coast/West Coast)
2. Bar Passage & Employment Stats
3. Prestige
4. Clinical/Experiential programs
5. Student body diversity

studyingandrestudying

-Getting accepted with a good offer
-Location
-High rank
-Friendly, helpful, active alumni network
-School has good relationship with local legal community and beyond

JPJ July2021

1.) Prestige
2.) Location
3.) Employment & Bar Passage Stats
4.) Overall vibe of school
5.) Financial Aid

10000019

@BagelBiter said:

@10000019 said:

@estouten25 said:
1) strength of IP program
2) prestige in general
3) location
4) how many yrs of student loan payments will it take
5) repeat of number 4

Hey, not trying to tell you how to live your life but as someone going into a similar field I'd suggest you do some more search about the importance of the IP program of a school. From what I've been told by those who practice, being ranked #X in IP does you no good when you're out looking for a job.

Well, considering that the top three IP programs are Berkeley, Stanford, & NYU, and that @estouten25 mentioned general prestige as a concern as well, I think he'll be fine!

Look at some of the other schools in the top ten.

akistotle

1.) Willingness to accept me
2.) Programs/Clinics
3.) Employment
4.) Weather
5.) Number of decent nearby sushi places

stepharizona

1) Scholarship with Acceptance/Fin Aid Package
2) ABA Reports - Bar Passage/Grad Employment
4) OCI Firms
5) Clinics/Special Programs

Must be within 45 min of major airport w/ direct flight to home city... so only applied to schools that fit this criteria first.

Seeking Perfection

1) Cost of Attendance (after scholarships, financial aid, interest on loans, and living expenses are factored in)

2) Employment options with USNWR rank as a reasonable proxy within the Top 14.

3) Schools PI related resources including career services connections and clinics.

4) Location

5) Personal fit (Is it pretty, can I see myself there, if I sat in on a class did I like it ect.)

Eric25

@10000019 said:

@estouten25 said:
1) strength of IP program
2) prestige in general
3) location
4) how many yrs of student loan payments will it take
5) repeat of number 4

Hey, not trying to tell you how to live your life but as someone going into a similar field I'd suggest you do some more search about the importance of the IP program of a school. From what I've been told by those who practice, being ranked #X in IP does you no good when you're out looking for a job.

Granted it always depends on the applicant, but I believe going to a high ranking school with little to no IP program would be in my opinion a terrible choice for my career. I personally have a few friends that have gone to Franklin-Pierce (New Hampshire), which is a low ranking school but has an excellent and prestigious IP program, and they've had no problem finding big-law jobs. It's all a matter of opinion but I'm not going to X law school just because they "rank" better than Y if their IP program is inferior. I'm going to a school that teaches the hell out of IP because that is what sets me up best for a career in it.

Adam Hawks

1.) Like Splitters
2.) They like me
3.) They want me
4.) I like them
5.) It's ok to fall in love on the first date

Brazil020511

@"Adam Hawks" said:
1.) Like Splitters
2.) They like me
3.) They want me
4.) I like them
5.) It's ok to fall in love on the first date

You make me want to rethink my top 5. LOL

LCMama2017

@estouten25 said:

@10000019 said:

@estouten25 said:
1) strength of IP program
2) prestige in general
3) location
4) how many yrs of student loan payments will it take
5) repeat of number 4

Hey, not trying to tell you how to live your life but as someone going into a similar field I'd suggest you do some more search about the importance of the IP program of a school. From what I've been told by those who practice, being ranked #X in IP does you no good when you're out looking for a job.

Granted it always depends on the applicant, but I believe going to a high ranking school with little to no IP program would be in my opinion a terrible choice for my career. I personally have a few friends that have gone to Franklin-Pierce (New Hampshire), which is a low ranking school but has an excellent and prestigious IP program, and they've had no problem finding big-law jobs. It's all a matter of opinion but I'm not going to X law school just because they "rank" better than Y if their IP program is inferior. I'm going to a school that teaches the hell out of IP because that is what sets me up best for a career in it.

What is IP?

studyingandrestudying

Intellectual property--patent, trademark, copyright, and related topics.

tylerdschreur10

1. School mascot cuteness
2. Arbys franchises per capita of the region
3. Availability of bike rental or bike sharing program
4. Dog friendly parks/beaches
5. Weather, must be 50-75 degrees year round, non-negotiable

Honorable mention: Famous alumni, not like legally speaking, but any YouTube personalities, models, or soap actors would be as plus.

TexAgAaron

1. Money
2. Employment %
3. Location
4. Prestige

ElleWoods77

1) Scholarships
2) Location
3) Friendly Environment and Alumni
4) Prestige
5) Employment

Accounts Playable

1.) Rank (YHS only)
2.) Scholarship
3.) Employment Outcomes (vary well could be my #2)

4.) Location (Big gap between this and #3). I would prefer to be somewhere where it does not get below 65 degrees.

5.) Community (another big gap; laregly don’t care about this)

Trust But Verify

1-5 debt

Alex

@TheMikey said:

@westcoastbestcoast said:
4. Social life?? *probably not possible in 1L

definitely possible. most of the 1L's I know are drunk half the time, haha.

Let's go to NYU/Columbia together and follow suit, haha.

westcoastbestcoast

1. Retake. Jk haha

lTexlawz

My criteria is tougher for the schools.

1) Good trial advocacy program
2) Conservative like Baylor or SMU and sets high academic standards where you receive the best legal education possible.
3) Friendly down to earth people who are not snobs that mentor you in becoming a good lawyer.
4) Any school that is not in California because I don't want to be shook out of bed due to earthquakes and no schools up north where you freeze to death.
5) No schools where they are located in states where the state is financially in trouble.
6) Has to prepare you for the real world and has a high bar passage rate.
7) Prepares you to handle hard judges and opposing counsel who is tough.

tringo335

1) Scholarship/Employment Numbers/Labor & Employment law ranking
2) Labor & Employment ranking
3) Prestige
4) Location (diverse or urban area required)
5) Campus/leadership environment

Leah M B

@estouten25 said:

@10000019 said:

@estouten25 said:
1) strength of IP program
2) prestige in general
3) location
4) how many yrs of student loan payments will it take
5) repeat of number 4

Hey, not trying to tell you how to live your life but as someone going into a similar field I'd suggest you do some more search about the importance of the IP program of a school. From what I've been told by those who practice, being ranked #X in IP does you no good when you're out looking for a job.

Granted it always depends on the applicant, but I believe going to a high ranking school with little to no IP program would be in my opinion a terrible choice for my career. I personally have a few friends that have gone to Franklin-Pierce (New Hampshire), which is a low ranking school but has an excellent and prestigious IP program, and they've had no problem finding big-law jobs. It's all a matter of opinion but I'm not going to X law school just because they "rank" better than Y if their IP program is inferior. I'm going to a school that teaches the hell out of IP because that is what sets me up best for a career in it.

I think it all has to be balanced, but I can attest to schools like Southwestern, which overall is not great. But they have a fantastic entertainment/copyright program and I know extremely successful entertainment lawyers from there (and who've taught there). Sometimes just location matters a ton too - it's in the middle of LA which is a great place to be for entertainment, obviously. Similar with tech/IP, anything in the bay area or like UW being in Seattle is great for connections and internships. You don't want to shoot yourself in the foot by getting a subpar education, but sometimes the individual programs do count for a lot.

teamteamvicster

1. Money money money. I would like to walk out without a bunch of debt
2. Location (Columbia is nice but living in Manhattan is real pricey)
3. Clinics, especially ones that lead to work abroad
4. % employed after graduation
5. Ranking-ish

So basically....money/not being in tons of debt1-5?

Jonathan Wang

Only in places like 7Sage would this exercise be considered "fun"

stepharizona

Lol have to update mine...

My list is 100% accurate for applying but I should have considered cost of living!!!!

Have a few great scholarships and found out how much an apartment is ?

Leah M B

@tylerdschreur10 said:
1. School mascot cuteness
2. Arbys franchises per capita of the region
3. Availability of bike rental or bike sharing program
4. Dog friendly parks/beaches
5. Weather, must be 50-75 degrees year round, non-negotiable

Honorable mention: Famous alumni, not like legally speaking, but any YouTube personalities, models, or soap actors would be as plus.

Missed this one earlier lol. So are you exclusively applying to University of Washington? Checks all the boxes except unfortunately Arby’s per capita. The APC is dismal in Seattle and I’m still bitter about the one that closed a few years ago. God I could use a roast beef with a jamocha milkshake right now. Bike sharing is off the charts though and we have lovely dog beaches. Also Anna Faris is an alum so, even got your bonus category.

LSATSurvivor

1. Location (Canada > U.S., East coast > West coast)
2. Ranking
3. Tuition
4. Good clinical programs
5. Food

tylerdschreur10

@"Leah M B" Maybe I should apply UW! I'm a little off-put by the reputation for rainfall tho. Is it as bad as everyone says?

Michael Ma

1. COA
2. Employment numbers
3. Placement location
4. Clinic/journal accessibility
5. Culture/feel of campus.

Sprinkles

1. Location/Rank
2. Bar pass/employment rate
3. Scholarship
4. Clinics
5. Vibe of campus/professors

Technically more than five but that's my list.

storm

1.scholarship
2. rank
3. clinics
4. journals
5. clerkship placement and overall career placement aid

MayraSAR

@lsatplaylist I agree on your #5! Very important for me too

Leah M B

@tylerdschreur10 said:
@"Leah M B" Maybe I should apply UW! I'm a little off-put by the reputation for rainfall tho. Is it as bad as everyone says?

Yes and no. Right now is the worst time of year. From January to at least April, it's very gray, rainy, and cold. Not gonna lie, I grew up in the Pacific NW, and around March or April every year I start to get pretty bad cabin fever.

Summers make up for it though - crystal clear skies, 75 degrees, it's light until10pm. We have about 2-3 months of the most incredible weather on the planet and it's glorious. It's gorgeous and vibrant and feels like a block party all the time, everyone's outside as much as possible.

In between those extremes, it's not so bad. The weather is just very fickle, alternates between sunny and light rain, generally pretty mild.