Studying law in the US is a grueling and difficult task that
challenges most students to the core. It is very different from studying
law in many other countries, as law is considered a professional
academic field, equivalent to a graduate degree. In such a situation,
choosing a law school is a very important task, as it will strongly
influence your future career.
Rankings
School rankings are a very important metric while choosing schools,
as usually the better the ranking of the school, the better your career
prospects are after graduation. Law Schools in the US are ranked on a
number of factors such as bar passage rate, placement success, quality
of education etc. Schools will also figure differently for different
fields of study. Some schools are renowned for sports law or human
rights law while others are well know for public service law. You should
select a school in your field of interest.
It is also usually a good idea to visit the schools you are planning
to consider, as it will give you an opportunity to learn as much as
possible about them.
Location
It is generally suggested that you study law in the region where you
intend to practice law. This is because local law firms are more likely
to hire graduates from law schools that are in the regions where they
practice law. Law degrees carry more weight in the region where the
school is located because in the US State laws vary from state to state.
To be able to practice law in any state you will have to pass the bar
exam for that state. This is very important in a case when you are not
studying in a very reputed law school, as the school's degree will not
hold weight on a national level.
