How to Select a Law School?

All study beyond the undergraduate college is essentially "professional" in nature. The graduate school of arts and sciences was created primarily to train college teachers and scholars, even though most of those who hold masters and doctoral degrees do not enter the field of teaching higher education. But graduate training in fields other than the humanities and sciences is designed for specific occupations.

Although there are no agreed demarcations, it can be stated fairly that some sixteen disciplines are the predominant arenas of post baccalaureate professional study: architecture, business, dentistry, education, engineering, forestry, law, library science, medicine, nursing, optometry, pharmacy, public health, social work, theology, and veterinary medicine. Cases can be made for including under this label such fields as journalism and physical therapy, but for the purposes at hand these sixteen are most relevant. Even this list could be winnowed further. The origins of formal education for just three professions predate those of all others by many decades. Training for these--law, medicine, theology--has developed independently of most forms of graduate study. Indeed, law schools still speak of work for the first law degree as "undergraduate" as if candidates could enter directly from high school.


Selecting a Law School

Professional schools often have been accused of unduly restricting enrollment at times of expanding need. Now, having rushed to meet urgently expressed national needs, educational institutions find themselves the targets of the reverse criticism: they went too far and now must start reducing the number of students they will accept.

Many other programs still struggle for full recognition of their professional status and often remain as mere departments of larger divisions.

And make no mistake, the designation of an academic subdivision as a department or institute or school or college is a distinction important beyond simple academic snobbery. Professional "schools" within broader institutions have more stature than departments. They have in dependent administrations and faculties, sometimes even their own boards of trustees. Often, they are able to detach their fund-raising activities from their parent institutions and thus have greater latitude in distribution of moneys separated from contributors. There is greater unity of purpose, and faculties of law schools are typically better paid than those of most other professional schools.

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And in the current atmosphere of student specialization and vocationalism, professional schools have the upper hand in determining the direction of their institutions, while many liberal arts programs struggle with enrollment and fiscal problems. The following pages outline these schools and programs and briefly describe factors to be considered in selection, admission and degree requirements, and sources of financial aid.

There are now oversupplies of teachers in some areas of the country, some say two for every job. Doctors and nurses are not in as much demand in some regions. Ph.D.s in some of the hard sciences are not able to find any employment even in related occupations. New members of the bar are encountering stiffer competition, and there looms the previously unbelievable prospect of a surplus of lawyers. Increasingly, formerly independent law schools are being absorbed into larger institutions or are joining with other institutions to form new entities, thereby shrinking enrollment opportunities still further. In a nation headed toward zero population growth, this oversupply prediction has been used as justification by federal agencies attempting to limit aid for graduate and professional education to loan programs.

The result of these trends will be to make professional study even more difficult to undertake than it is already. Admission standards, too, will undoubtedly escalate still further, putting even the least glossy law schools out of reach of all but the most capable applicants. Anticipating an oversupply of attorneys, a few law schools have already announced cutbacks in first-year enrollment. Still other schools are talking tentatively about charging tuition that actually covers instructional expenses, meaning annual tuition could reach as high as $50,000 at some private institutions, and this is not even counting living expenses. Financial aid is far from munificent and with additional federal cutbacks anticipated, professional education will become increasingly out of reach of even those of the more "advantaged" applicants.

Admission

The law schools set rigorous entrance requirements and thus avoid the separate step of "admission to candidacy," not to mention the high attrition rate attributed to most other graduate schools. It is not possible, therefore, to suggest that any college graduate can gain admission to some law school. Nevertheless, admission is not always as difficult as is commonly supposed, if students are willing to consider a law school without regard to location or to presumed reputation. (Since law schools must meet fairly high minimum criteria to retain accreditation/approval by appropriate professional associations, it is probably safe to say that few truly "bad" schools exist.) Several factors influence the decisions of admission committees, and these should be understood by the potential applicant.

Preparation

A few schools are willing to consider applicants who do not hold a bachelor's degree certifying completion of a four-year undergraduate program. However, these schools are commonly involved with B.A., B.S., J.D. programs with the schools/colleges within the parent institution. Under graduate preparation need not have followed strictly the curricula laid down by pre-professional advisors. This is especially true of applicants to law schools, which are less likely to require specific undergraduate preparation.

Average candidates with unspectacular, aptitude and credentials have reason to be hopeful about gaining entrance to a law school as long as they are not unrealistically fussy about location and "image."

Cost, Size, Location

The costs for the study of law vary widely, depending principally upon the type of institutional or state support. Annual tuition ranges from about $1,800 to $40,000 at publicly supported schools, from $25,000 to $50,000 at private schools, all escalating at an average rate of nearly 5 percent a year. In general, tuition has been increasing by 6 to 7 percent each year. Always check with the institution in question regarding current tuition charges.

Student bodies of professional schools are customarily in the 300 to 700 range, but some exceed 1,000 in enrollment. Women make up about 35 to 45 percent of the total law school enrollment and minority enrollments range between 7 and 10 percent.

There are law schools in forty-nine states, in the District of Columbia, and in Puerto Rico; only Alaska is without at least one law school. Even with this broad geographical base, full-time law students can expect to en roll at institutions farther away from home than their undergraduate colleges were.

The schools emphasize in their catalogues that general liberal arts studies are more important for their students than specialized majors in fields thought to be closely related to law. For example, a major in economics, history, English, sociology, or even business administration, with a heavy emphasis on writing, would prove to be very advantageous to a law applicant.

Credentials

In addition to official transcripts of undergraduate and any graduate study completed, applicants are nearly always expected to provide one to three letters of recommendation, LSAT scores, and a personal statement/resume. In many cases, the letters of recommendation may be replaced totally or in part by the recommendations of the undergraduate pre-professional faculty committee. In the case of joint-degree applicants, the results of the appropriate entrance examinations prepared and/or administered by the professional associations or a testing agency may also be required. The addresses of these associations/agencies are as follows:

Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) -- applications available from Graduate Management Admissions Test, P.O. Box 6101, Princeton, NJ 08541- 6101. Phone: (601)771-7330.

Graduate Record Examination (ORE)--applications available from Graduate Record Examinations, Educational Testing Service, P.O. Box 6000, Princeton, NJ 08541-6000. Phone: (609)771-7670 or in the California Bay Area, (510)654-1200.

Law School Admission Test (LSAT)--applications available from Law School Council, Box 2000, New town, PA 18940. Phone; (215)969-1001.

Miller Analogies Test (MAT)-applications available from The Psychological Corporation, 555 Academic Court, San Antonio, TX 78204. Phone: (800)622-3231 or (210)299-1061.

Test of English as a Foreign Language, Test of Spoken English, Test of Written English (TOEFL, TSE, TWE)- applications available from TOEFL, P.O. Box 6151, Princeton, NJ 08541-6151. Phone: (609)771-7100.

A few law schools may require an interview, by invitation, for the special applicants or special scholarship programs, but, generally speaking, not one law school uses the interview as part of any admissions decision process. However, most law schools do encourage cam pus tours, group informational interviews, and class visits.

Deadlines

Law schools customarily accept applications for admission starting in September of the year proceeding the proposed term of entrance. Most law schools set closing dates for the receipt of completed applications in January or February, although these dates for many schools are often flexible. An indication of this flexibility is the statements some law schools use, i.e., "priority deadline" or "applicants by a certain date given special consideration." Be sure to confirm with the institution its current deadline.

In the case of transfers or visiting students, many law schools accept applications well into the summer proceeding the term of entrance, although some of the more prestigious schools have deadlines in May.

Almost all schools restrict entrance for first-year students to the fall term, or occasionally to the summer (for special admission programs or accelerated programs). Transfers can generally enroll in any term when space is available. The only restriction for a transfer applicant is usually an official transcript showing one full year of academic work, a statement of good standing at his/her previous school, and a limit on the amount of credit that can be applied toward the J.D.

Common Application Services

In an effort to ease the burden on student's intent on applying for admission (and to cut their own clerical cost) all law schools subscribe to the services of a centralized processing agency (LSDAS). This processor accepts academic credentials and other data from applicants, summarizing them in uniform formats and passing them on to the designated schools. The clearinghouse does not offer advisement or make admission decisions; that still remains the province of the schools themselves. After determining the schools in which the student is interested, he or she should write to the LSAC at:

Law School Admission Council (LSAC) Law Services, Box 2000, 661 Penn Street, Newtown, PA 18940- 0977; Phone: (215)968-1314.

In addition, there is a new application process which is being used by about fifty to sixty law schools, both public and private. These law schools accept the Law Multi-App in lieu of their own institutionalized application forms. The computer software application form is available from: Law Multi- App, 740 South Chester Road, Suite F, Swarthmore, PA 19081; Phone: (800)515-2927.

There is a fee associated with these applications/services, usually escalating with the number of schools to which the materials are to be sent. Some of the schools require supplementary materials and/or an interview. All schools expect payment of application fees with admission application.

Standards

It is probably safe to say that at least 30 percent to 40 percent of the applicants to most professional schools are accepted for admission. Allowing for duplication of applications, available statistics suggest that an even larger percentage of students eventually gain acceptance to some school, perhaps as many as two- thirds of all applicants.

Most law schools claim to seek students with under graduate grade point averages of B. Depending on the degree of competition created by the number of applicants, this may be interpreted to mean an average as low as C plus or as high as A minus. It is generally agreed, in any event, that the grade point average is the single most reliable predictor of success in post baccalaureate professional studies. While the scores on the LSAT are undeniably important in the deliberations of admissions committees, students should not expect strong scores to outweigh mediocre grades in undergraduate course work, even if the degree is from a prestigious institution.

Financial Assistance

Professional law study is expensive, and although various forms of aid are available, most students must plan to meet costs through loans or their own resources. Most law schools provide a limited numbers of scholarships, grants, and tuition waivers from institutional funds. In addition, some schools may have research assistant- ships/fellowships for first-year students as well as for advanced students. Low-cost loans are widely available through governmental agencies, some banks, private lending groups, professional associations, and private or community groups, in addition to the loan resources available from schools themselves.

Students apply for several governmentally- (state/ federal) sponsored loan programs through the individual law schools to which they seek admission or through the parent institution's financial aid office. Information with reference to other loan programs can be obtained from banks and private agencies as well as from the law schools themselves. Many law schools assist the spouses of students in obtaining local or institutional employment. Although part-time employment is out of the question for first-year students, given the workload, this possibility should be explored in the second and third years of legal study.

The Structure of Professional Study of Law

Programs leading to the J.D. degrees require three years of full-time study or where permitted, four years in part-time attendance.

Law students can anticipate a beginning year of introductory work, usually conducted in lecture classes. The following two years permit more latitude in course selection, and seminars are more commonly available. Course work is generally supplemented by tutorial work, law clinics, pro bono legal experience, and training in research and various forms of legal writing.

Programs leading to J.D. degrees are demanding, and standards of performance are rigorous, but the rewards are substantial. If the potential student is realistic in selecting a school consistent with his/her interests and aptitudes, the experience will test his mind and spirit and lead to the kind of lifelong fulfillment few others are fortunate to enjoy.

Several law schools offer advanced study beyond the J.D. Graduate study in law may be administered by the graduate schools of the parent institution with which the law schools are affiliated, or administered by the law school's graduate division/program. In the case when graduate study is coordinated by the parent institution, students usually must meet admission and degree requirements established by both the graduate school and professional school's graduate divisions. In most law schools, however, graduate study is located in and governed by the dean and faculty of the professional school.