How to Choose a Law School That Fits Your Goals

Quick answer: choose based on where you want to work, job and bar passage results, and your total cost after scholarships. Rank matters more for some careers than others. Every ABA school publishes data on this, so you can compare them with real numbers.

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What to Compare

Factor	Where to find it	Why it matters
Jobs	ABA employment reports	Shows real results for graduates
Bar passage	ABA disclosures	You generally need to pass to practice
Cost	ABA 509 report	Debt shapes your choices later
Location	School site	Many graduates work near their school
Scholarship terms	Your offer letter	Some depend on your law school GPA
Class profile	LSAT chart	Shows how you compare

Questions to Ask Yourself

Where do I want to live and work?
What kind of law might I want?
How much debt can I handle on my likely salary?
Does this school place people into those jobs?
How did I feel when I visited?

When Rank Matters More

Some paths, such as certain large firms and federal clerkships, tend to hire more from highly ranked schools. For many local careers, a strong regional school with a good scholarship can be a great choice.

Use Scholarships to Compare

A bigger offer at a slightly lower ranked school can leave you with much less debt. See how a higher score can save you money and tuition costs.

FAQ

Should I go to the highest ranked school I get into?

Not always. Compare jobs and debt too.

Does location matter?

Often yes, since many graduates stay near their school.

How do I compare offers?

Work out your total three year cost at each school.