Deciding to Attend Law School

The first question you should consider as you think about attending law school is what kind of outcome are you seeking? Is being able to develop a bit of a specialty or have access to certain kinds of elective courses important to you (e.g., environmental law, patent law)? Is being a lawyer your goal or do you intend to use your degree for other purposes (e.g., a career in government or public policy)?

What qualities are you looking for in a program? competitive or cooperative? High-ranking? Urban or rural? What locations have you targeted? Consider the state in which you will want to take the bar and eventually practice law.

It should come as no surprise that law schools are highly selective. A few have recognizable, national status such as Harvard and Yale. There may be good reasons, however, to consider a school with a strong regional reputation. The national prestige and selectivity of a law school will not necessarily mean a more successful career for you as a lawyer in the state in which you choose to practice. For rankings of law schools check into one of the many books the Career Development Center has in their library.

Criteria for Admission to Law School

There are various criteria for admission used by law schools. This list of criteria is in a typical order of importance as determined by law schools

1. LSAT scores
2. GPA
3. Letters of recommendation
4. Personal statement
5. Course of undergraduate study (rigor)
6. Out of class activities
7. Work experience
8. Motivation for law school
9. Ethnic background
10. State of residency

Choosing a Law School

Researching law programs and deciding which ones to apply to can be an enormous task. The CDC library has many directories to assist you in your search. In addition, there are many on line directories. Check out these links.

• The Best Law Schools (Princeton Review)
• Law Schools & Law Directories (USC)
• Law Schools & Law Firms (Univ. of IN)
• Online Law School Locator (Boston College)

LSAT

Law schools accredited by the American Bar Association use test scores from the LSAT (Law School Admissions Test) as one of the primary criterion for admission.

• LSAT Intensive Review program

Networking with Caltech Alumni

Caltech students have access to a number of alumni. These alumni have agreed to talk about their education and work experience with students.