Does it matter which state I go to law school?
Asked by: Wilma Rowe | Last update: November 22, 2025Score: 4.3/5 (3 votes)
Forty US states and DC have adopted the Uniform
Does it really matter where you get your law degree from?
Earning a law degree from any reputable program is an impressive achievement. Read the bios for any major law firm and you will see many successful lawyers who attended low-ranked schools. That said, the job market is easier for graduates of top-ranked law schools.
Does the location of law school matter?
When choosing where to apply, it's important for aspiring lawyers to consider where a law school is located. Think about factors, like where you want to practice and what kind of work you want to do, as well as the most conducive environment for you during three tough years.
Should you go to law school in the state you want to live in?
Once you go below the national level of law schools, the teaching tends to be more oriented towards the state where the law school is located, so it is a good idea to attend a law school in the state where you want to practice.
Do law schools care if you are in state?
Additionally, in some cases, being a resident of the state in which your target law school is located can confer an admissions boost. In other cases, being a resident confers virtually no such boost whatsoever.
Does It Matter Where Your Attorney Went to Law School?
What is the hardest state to become a lawyer?
California is widely considered to have the hardest bar exam, due to its low pass rate and the difficulty of the content and constraints of the exam.
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.
What state is it easiest to become a lawyer?
Statistically speaking, Oklahoma has one of the easiest bar exams based on first-time passing rates. Nearly 87% of first-time exam takers pass the Oklahoma state bar exam. In comparison, California has a much lower first-time passing rate at 58.1%.
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.
Does it matter in what state I go to law school?
In short, you shouldn't choose your law school on the basis of a mistaken belief that attending an in-state school will give you a leg up on the bar exam. But there might be other reasons why attending a law school that is located in the region where you plan to practice law might make sense in your individual case.
Do law schools care where you went to school?
Top Law Schools are unlikely to admit people who attended less impressive undergraduate schools, especially if there were opportunities you did not pursue (such as independent academic research, challenging courses, and intellectual pursuits outside of the classroom.)
Do employers care what law school you go to?
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.
Where do most lawyers go to school?
- Yale University. ...
- Stanford University. ...
- Harvard University. ...
- Columbia University. ...
- University of Chicago. ...
- New York University. ...
- University of Pennsylvania. ...
- University of Virginia.
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.
What degree is most useful for law school?
- English. Regardless of their niche, the cornerstones of every successful lawyer are exceptional reading comprehension and persuasive writing. ...
- Classical Studies. ...
- Environmental Sciences. ...
- Literature. ...
- Policy Studies. ...
- Industrial Relations. ...
- History. ...
- Math.
Do law schools care about your GPA?
While law schools consider applicants' letters of recommendation, personal statements, work experience and extracurricular activities, many experts say undergraduate GPA and LSAT scores are often the most heavily weighed factors in admissions decisions.
What do most lawyers make out of law school?
The Bureau of Labor Statistics states that the average lawyer salary out of law school in the US is $163,770.
Does it actually matter where you go to law school?
School rankings matter because they matter to employers. There are always exceptions to the rule, but generally, students at higher-ranked schools have better post-graduate outcomes.
Is law school hard or just a lot of work?
Being prepared to work hard – Law school classes are part of a demanding program, and you need to be prepared to be a good student and put in the time and effort to succeed. That work includes doing all of the assigned reading, avoiding low grades, and preparing well for final exams.
What state bar exam is the hardest?
Which bar exam is hardest? California is considered by many to be the most difficult bar exam. It has a relatively low pass rate and a relatively high minimum passing score and covers a lot of state law.
What is the cheapest law school?
The cheapest law schools in the US are the University of the District of Columbia law school and the University of North Dakota law school, which are cheapest only for in-state residents.
What lawyer is in most demand?
Some of the most universally in-demand legal specialties include intellectual property law, family law, immigration law, real estate law, and corporate law.
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.
Is a 3.5 GPA ok for law school?
What GPA Is Needed for Most Law Schools? Most law schools require a minimum GPA of 3.5 for admission.
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.