2 answers
Shelby
Student
Grundy Center, Iowa
3
Questions
Asked
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What is the best college to attend to become a lawyer?
I am a senior #lawyer
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2 answers
Kevin T. Kramer
Lawyer
12
Answers
Washington, Washington
Updated
Kevin T.’s Answer
Hi Shelby,
Glad to see that you are interested in becoming a lawyer. It is a good profession and can be very personally and professionally rewarding.
The short answer to your question is to go to the best school you can get into. However, you should consider where do you want to work after you graduate. Other factors to include are how far from family do you want to be and how much is school going to cost.
In order to be a lawyer in the US, you are typically going to have to get an undergraduate degree and then go to law school. The average time is 4 years in undergraduate school and then 3 years in law school.
Note that you don't have to go to the same school for both college and law school. In fact, I would suggest the opposite ... go different places to increase the diversity of your contacts and experiences. You may want to even go to different parts of the country for law school and college just to increase the diversity of your experience.
I would say that going to law school in a place where you ultimately want to live is important because the local law school will have good contacts in that area to help you get your first job. So, if you want to live in Portland, Oregon after you graduate, you might want to think about going to law school there as opposed to some small school in Florida, for example. If you know you want to live in Iowa after graduating, then going to the University of Iowa or Iowa State might be a good choice for you.
These are good things to think about as you develop your career. I applaud you for considering your options.
Research schools where you want to live.
Do the best in high school and college that you can in order to set yourself up for success in going to a law school of your choice.
Glad to see that you are interested in becoming a lawyer. It is a good profession and can be very personally and professionally rewarding.
The short answer to your question is to go to the best school you can get into. However, you should consider where do you want to work after you graduate. Other factors to include are how far from family do you want to be and how much is school going to cost.
In order to be a lawyer in the US, you are typically going to have to get an undergraduate degree and then go to law school. The average time is 4 years in undergraduate school and then 3 years in law school.
Note that you don't have to go to the same school for both college and law school. In fact, I would suggest the opposite ... go different places to increase the diversity of your contacts and experiences. You may want to even go to different parts of the country for law school and college just to increase the diversity of your experience.
I would say that going to law school in a place where you ultimately want to live is important because the local law school will have good contacts in that area to help you get your first job. So, if you want to live in Portland, Oregon after you graduate, you might want to think about going to law school there as opposed to some small school in Florida, for example. If you know you want to live in Iowa after graduating, then going to the University of Iowa or Iowa State might be a good choice for you.
These are good things to think about as you develop your career. I applaud you for considering your options.
Kevin T. recommends the following next steps:
This is great advice! One key not to think of while researching your school are incentives, if you're able to get into Stanfords graduate program they will pay your entire cost if your parents are below a certain income. Also another school in California is doing a similar program.
Derek Kraus
Bree V
Citizenship / Social Responsibility
4
Answers
Trophy Club, Texas
Updated
Bree’s Answer
I agree with the individual above. I would add that you should consider the cost of the law school as well. Unless you have the means to easily cover the cost of a private school, I would recommend considering a state law school that may be more cost effective. Lawyers are everywhere and not all make a lot of money. Your passion may be in something that doesn't make a lot of money, but is something you truly love and you will be able to live more comfortably after law school when your student loan payments are lower.
Do your best in school
Do your best on the LSAT
Apply to state schools in larger cities where you will have a lot of variety in clerkship opportunities
Apply to out of state schools to see if you can get an "in-state tuition" scholarship (where you pay as if you were a resident of the state)
Bree recommends the following next steps: