Yay - Law school acceptance(s)

Parents Forum
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<p>My son just got his first acceptance from his law school applications - and it was his first choice program as well. I think he'll have more to choose from because his LSAT score was in the 160's. Since it was his first choice, he's going to withdraw at least one of the other apps, but wait on two others.</p>

<p>But I have a question of parents who have law degrees and ariesathena: I know nothing about law schools, but assuming that he won't be going to a place like Harvard or other elite schools, wouldn't it make sense to go to law school in the state where he'd eventually be practicing?</p>

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<p>I am not a lawyer but have several in the immediate family; the position they have usually expressed is that if the law school is in the top 10 or 15, then it is generally worth going (Harvard is not actually number 1 and because it is so large it is not quite as hard to get into as some of the other elite programs, :)); reputation is important in terms of getting interviews and jobs, though obviously doors are not closed to gradutes of less-prestigious schools. Connections matter in law, for summer jobs, clerkships, and permanent jobs--it is a smaller world than one might think. If your son is sure he plans to practice locally, then the state university is a great place to go for local contacts--such as for future political involvement. Of course some state university law schools, like UVa and UMich, are very highly ranked and have national reputations so you can have your cake and eat it too. It is also true that some law schools, such as University of Richmond, give very generous funding to candidates they want, so there is a financial aspect to consider in some cases, but the reputation of the school really matters if you want corporate work or a lot of flexibility--not like med schol, where the conventional wisdom is that any American med school will be fine.</p>

<p>Keep in mind too that schools that you might not think of as prestigious, like NYU, rank very very hiighly (consistently in top 5 or 6, putting it at or just above the Columbia level). And note as well that some schols, such as the tiny Vermont Law School, have a specific area where they rank very high (in that case enviornmental law) and that someone might choose to go there becuase of a strong interest in that specific field.</p>

<p>So the answer really is what your son is interested in and what his choices end up being. Actually, unless his GPA was very high and from a top school, an LSAT in the 160s will do good but not great things for admission.</p>

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<p>For the schools he applied to, he was above the 75th percentile on the LSAT's. Only when you get to the top 10 law schools does the 75th percentile rise above 170. I know that acceptance uses much more than LSAT scores, but he applied to the schools that would be good for him and his circumstances/interests. His state has complex laws in a fairly narrow field and he's part owner in a business helping people work within those laws. A law degree would certainly help with that business.</p>

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<p>I agree with Mattmom's comment. </p>

<p>Top 15 schools (and there's always debate about what schools those are -- I'm not going to debate the NYU v. Columbia issue!) geography doesn't matter. After that, geography can matter a great deal. Area of expertise is also important -- in addition to environmental law, other areas where some schools have "niche" prestige include patent/intellectual property (Franklin Pierce Law School), trial advocacy (Temple, Stetson), tax (NYU), etc. </p>

<p>The US Guide to Graduate and Professional Schools is, in my opinion, much better than the Undergraduate Guide -- their program rankings are generally considered to be pretty accurate. </p>

<p>And congrats!</p>

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<p>hey noobie!!!!!!!!!~</p>

<p>Congrats to your son!! That's just fabulous!</p>

<p>Since we're just starting into the college dealio, I don't know much about this, but I did want to tell you that my son (the Duke freshman) won a prestigious local law internship the summer after his junior year, and while he was working at the firm that summer, all of the attorneys basically told him that if he ever wanted to practice law here in our state (KS), he'd better attend either KU or Washburn <em>lol</em>. None of that high-falutin' stuff welcome around here--after all, if they came from somewhere outside of Kansas, they might bring some mighty strange ideas, you know, like EVOLUTION and CHOICE for women with regard to their reproductive rights ;). </p>

<p>Best of luck to your son---I'm sure he will do wonderfully in law school!</p>

<p>~berurah</p>

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<p>I agree that if he wants to practice locally attending a local law school could be a plus. All sorts of connections are made there, internships with local judges or firms, bar association connections, volunteer work with non-profits, and on and on. </p>

<p>Having said that, I think if he wants to work in a big fancy law firm with the hope of rising in the firm and making partner, going to a top-rated firm would be useful. The law firm can then brag about his degree. </p>

<p>Congratulations to your son!</p>

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<p>
[quote]
...if he wants to work in a big fancy law firm with the hope of rising in the firm and making partner...

[/quote]
...doesn't sound like him at all. :)</p>

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<p>CONGRATULATIONS!!! </p>

<p>It's so hard to wait for that first acceptance. :) Must be such a relief!</p>

<p>I strongly agree with the advice to go to a local school if you can't get into a top school. Even if you get into a top school, the "local" school can be better: it's just easier for local employers to recruit on campus. Recruiting is expensive - who wants to fly across the country to interview a handful of students, many of whom are realistically not going to work in the area?</p>

<p>Best advice I can give you:
1. ask for a list, from the Career Services, of where the grads end up working. Get names of firms, locations, starting salaries. Get percentages of students who work for judges and in what area (i.e. district court is very impressive; higher levels of state court is also impressive).<br>
2. Have your son consider the types of companies in which he would like to work. Find out where those people went to law school. </p>

<p>If your son is going to the best school in the region, he'll be in good shape for employment, so long as his grades are good: good grades open more doors. </p>

<p>If your son is interested in politics, I would somewhat modify this advice: find a school that really matches his politics. My own school is renowned for its conservative leanings - our Federalist society, for example, is huge - pretty much only outdone by Harvard. It's easier to get involved with politics and law/policy when you are around people who share your political viewpoints. Not that everyone needs to share your politics - but, if you want politics and law, you're wasting your time to go to a school without the resources to support your particular leanings. </p>

<p>Libertarians should look for schools with:
*conservative/libertarian groups (Fed Soc comes to mind). A strong student group can open up a tremendous amount of doors - the connections fostered by such groups are amazing.
*Marriage Equality initiatives
*Connections to Cato
*Students who work in IJ
*Legal clinics ,externships, or journals that emphasize what he is interested in
*Clerkships with judges who have a similar political philosophy
*Course offerings (and how frequently - a "once every other year" effectively means that a student has exactly one shot to take it) in areas of interest - jurisprudence, different types of social policy, etc. Are there opportunities to work with professors and do research in an area of interest?</p>

<p>I really second the advice that some areas of the country are extremely partial to their local schools. One graduate of my school was, when interviewing in his West coast/mountain state home, asked why he went to a fancy school back East when State U is right there. What, was he too good for the State U?</p>

<p>Again, CONGRATULATIONS TO YOUR SON!</p>

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<p>Thanks, ariesathena. Good advice all around, and applicable.</p>

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<p>Another thing to consider is the relative cost of the schools. I know a lot of people who went to work for big firms with the intention of staying for a few years to pay off their student loan debt. They were miserable there, but once you get used to the salary, have kids, get a mortgage, etc. it's hard to take less pay. These people went into law school hoping to "do good", but economic reality set in. (BTW, I am not implying that one does not do good in a big firm, it's just not the way idealistic students think of it.)</p>