Choosing a California Law School

If you dream of becoming an attorney, choosing a law school can make or break your career choice. Finding the right school can help ensure that, upon graduation, you’re prepared to pass the bar exam and enter the field of law. Here are a few factors you should consider when evaluating law schools:

Location

Where do you want to live when you attend law school? For example, if you live in the San Francisco area, you might choose a Northern California law school to stay close to home.

Admission considerations

Check out your desired schools’ entering class profiles to see what their students’ average LSAT scores and GPAs are and how your numbers align with them. Keep in mind that, even if your scores are lower than the average, your other strong qualities or accomplishments may qualify you for admittance.

Faculty expertise

Research the faculty members at each school you’d like to apply to – schools with distinguished faculty who are experts in their specific law area can help prepare you for success as an attorney.

Networking opportunities

Extracurricular activities like law review, moot court and law clinics, as well as other networking events, can help you build connections. For example, if you’re considering enrolling in a Northern California law school, you might look for local attorneys who maintain a relationship with the school and whom you might be able to network with.

Of course, the more research you can do on a law school, the better. In addition to these factors, you’ll want to consider a school’s pass rates, career services offerings, student test scores, accreditations and more.