Does it matter where your law degree comes from?

Asked by: Willa Pollich  |  Last update: January 13, 2026
Score: 4.2/5 (40 votes)

Does It Matter Where You Go to Law School? Law school rankings do matter to employers. Typically, the higher your school is ranked, the greater your chances of securing a post-graduation career—especially when it comes to prestigious large law firms.

Does it matter where you get a law degree?

Your career trajectory and financial stability will primarily be shaped by three factors: your law school's ranking, your ranking in law school, and your total debt. School rankings matter because they matter to employers.

Does it matter which law school you graduated from?

However, if you don't graduate from a top-ranked law school, it can be hard to get clerkships and job openings in a different part of the country from where you study. Many 'Goldilocks' law schools, which offer a high-quality education without being dishearteningly selective, primarily serve their home region.

Do law schools care where you get your undergrad?

Undergrad school does not matter in law school admission. Law schools care about their median accepted LSAT and GPA because that's what affects their ranking.

Does location matter for law school?

The location of a law school can impact everything from your day-to-day routine to your long-term career trajectory. Though the location is not the only consideration to weigh in your decision-making process, below are additional factors detailing how the location of a law school should impact your decision to attend.

Does It Matter Where Your Attorney Went to Law School?

24 related questions found

Do law firms care where you went to law school?

Your Previous (On-the-Job) Training

Certain firms have the reputation for training people very well—and everyone knows that they have high expectations for the people there. If you get a good job right out of school or thereafter (with a major law firm), firms no longer really care about where you went to law school.

Should you tell other law schools where you are applying?

You do not need to list any other schools specifically. Instead, provide an honest but vague response that indicates you are applying to other graduate schools and highlight the reasons you are applying to this particular program.

Do law schools care what you major in?

The American Bar Association (ABA) states that they do not recommend any specific major for undergraduates or coursework to prepare for law school.

Is 174 a good LSAT?

So, a great score on the LSAT is a 172, but more than 100,000 people take the LSAT every year and only 1% score 172 or higher. For the top 50 law schools, the median LSAT score is between 164 and 174. A good LSAT score for top tier(defined by T14 schools for this article) law schools is between 171 and 174.

Where do Harvard law students come from?

On the list you'll see that some of the law school students graduated from elite institutions, but there were plenty of successful applicants from schools that most Americans probably have never heard of including Biola University, Hamline University, Missouri Valley College, Norwich University and Walla Walla College.

Is a law degree prestigious?

Whether you are a high school or undergraduate student, or a professional considering a mid-career switch, read ahead for insights that will help you take your next steps with greater confidence! Law is well regarded as a prestigious and alluring profession across the globe.

How many law schools should I apply to?

How Many Law Schools Should I Apply To? Your best bet is to apply to a minimum of two reach schools, two match schools, and three safeties. A reach is a law school whose students' average LSAT and GPA scores are higher than yours.

Is law school easier than college?

With the exception of legal research and writing courses, many law school classes don't have graded homework, and they have few, if any, quizzes. Don't be alarmed if you can't keep up the same fabulous GPA you had in undergrad. Law school is almost universally harder than college—but this is a good thing.

What is the hardest law degree to get?

The hardest law school to get into is Yale Law School, with an acceptance rate of 5.5%. Followed by: Stanford Law School: 7% acceptance rate. The University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School: 3.8% acceptance rate.

How do you know law school is right for you?

Shadowing attorneys and legal internships are the best gauge of whether law school is right for you. After seeing what typical weeks in the office are like for an attorney, you'll be able to gauge if law school is a good path for yourself.

Is it hard to find a job with a law degree?

Many law students and graduated law students struggle to find a job after law school. It is no secret that the legal job market is at an all-time low.

What was Obama's LSAT score?

The easiest to predict, by far, is Barack Obama's score, mostly because we have some data. Based on admissions records, we can deduce — somewhat reliably — that Barry-O scored between the 94th and 98th percentile on his LSAT. Using today's grading system, that would place him somewhere around a 170.

How rare is a 180 LSAT?

How Hard Is It To Get A Perfect Score On The LSAT? According to LSAC, only 119 test-takers out of nearly 60,000 achieved this in 2022. So when you ask, “How many people get a 180 on the LSAT?” the answer highlights the rarity and difficulty of this achievement.

Is a 138 LSAT bad?

“If you have a 2.3 GPA and a 138 LSAT, you — unfortunately — are very unlikely to be able to make it through law school and pass the bar exam after graduation.

Does where I go to law school matter?

Does It Matter Where You Go to Law School? Law school rankings do matter to employers. Typically, the higher your school is ranked, the greater your chances of securing a post-graduation career—especially when it comes to prestigious large law firms.

What major do most lawyers have?

Top 10 Most Popular Undergraduate Majors for Prospective Law Students
  1. Political Science. Percentage of Students Admitted: 74.0% ...
  2. Economics. Percentage of Students Admitted: 78.2% ...
  3. History. Percentage of Students Admitted: 79.1% ...
  4. Philosophy. Percentage of Students Admitted: 75.5% ...
  5. English. ...
  6. Finance. ...
  7. Arts & Humanities. ...
  8. Psychology.

Do law schools consider where you went for undergrad?

While the reputation of your undergraduate college can have some impact on law school admissions, it's far from being the most important factor that admissions committees will consider.

How do I know if I am fit for law school?

Readers can test their potential fit for law school by speaking to current law students or recent graduates in position they are excited about, attending a law school class, watching videos of law school lectures, reading a book about the law school experience, or taking a look at a law school casebook and reading an ...

Do law schools know where you've been accepted?

Unlike in the past, the LSAC no longer provides reports to law schools about where each applicant has made a seat deposit or accepted a binding commitment. Still, law schools have other ways to learn this information, so don't try to hide it.

Should I tell a law school they are my first choice?

If the school is your first choice and you would attend if admitted, say so.