Best Law Schools in USA -Studying law is never easy, as lawyers determine a lot of things in this new age. Especially in countries like the United States, law schools have a lot of admission requirements that may be above average for most students. This makes sure that only students who are hard working and studious may get into an American law school.
The United States has some of the best law schools in the world, with some ranking among the top fifty in the world. If you look forward to studying law in America, the topic of these law schools and their requirement must greatly interest you.
In the last ten years, these American law schools have consistently been ranked as the best in the country and some of the best in the world, with the order hardly changing. This consistency proves that the schools have made a very solid mark in the American law school society.
The law schools mentioned in this article are old schools that have established a tradition of success and productivity, training lawyers who would become very important personalities of the society. The admission criteria listed by these schools indicate the level of competition for admission.
This article ranks the universities based on world rankings by notable organizations but does not define what is best for you. Depending on your preferences, you may have a different opinion but the law schools mentioned below are considered the best in USA due to various factors, including achievements and efficiency of teaching systems.
Best Law Schools in USA
Here is a list of the best law schools in USA. The schools are listed in no particular order but are ranked the top nine best law schools in USA.
- Stanford University
- Columbia University
- New York University
- University of Pennsylvania
- University of Virginia
- Yale University
- University of Chicago
- University of California (Berkeley)
- Duke University
The next part of this article explains some things you may want to know about these best law schools in USA.
Columbia University
Columbia University is the fifth oldest institution of higher learning in the United States having being established in 1754. The school has an acceptance rate of 7.2% and a graduation rate of 96%. It is also the oldest institution of higher education in New York.
It is regarded one of the best universities in the United States and is notable for producing notable American leaders who were either students or members of staff.
In 2021, the school was known to have produced seven founding fathers of the United States, ten justices of the supreme court (a testimony of the quality of its law schools and professors), 33 foreign heads of state, 99 Nobel laureates, and 53 billionaires, all of whom are still alive at the time of this publication.
The law school of this institution is known as the Columbia law school and has written a lot of history. It was founded over a hundred years after the university was established, in 1858. The law curriculum in this law school is known for being very rigorous, grooming the student lawyers to fine gentlemen and women of the society.
Columbia law school is ranked among the top five law schools in USA and no doubt offers one of the best legal education you can ever find in the US.
Contact Information
Telephone: 212 854 1754
Website: columbia.edu
New York University
With about 53,000 students, New York University has established itself, making a mark in the American educational system.
The school was formerly called the University of the City of New York and is now called the New York University. It is also the oldest university in New York city. This law school has more than 16 areas of study and over forty clinics.
No matter what line of career you wish to follow after graduating, the New York University Law prepares you for the challenges you will encounter. This does not mean that you will have it very much easier in your legal career but your approach to challenges will be quite different.
Contact Information
Telephone: 212 998 4550
Website: nyu.edu
Yale University
Yale University is one of the American universities with the lowest acceptance rates. It was established in 1701, making it the third oldest higher institution in the United States. The university is one of the most prestigious institutions in the world.
It is located in New Haven, Connecticut and is recognized as one of the elite law schools in the world. The environment beams excellence and integrity and has churned out a magnanimous amount of quality lawyers in the past three hundred years.
The environment is also very fair for foreign students as many of them admit that the opportunities and reception was quite unexpected. Without any doubt, this world class law school is one of the best law schools in USA.
Contact Information
Telephone: 203 432 4992
Website: yale.edu
Stanford University Law School
Stanford Law School is the law school of Stanford university, the world class university in California. The law school was founded in 1893 and is one of the oldest law schools in America. The university itself is known to offer high standard education and this is the same with the law school.
The law curriculum here is very rigorous and the students are encouraged to perform excellently. This is evident in the fact that the average GPA of Stanford law school students is a huge 3.89.
Admission is quite competitive as they offer admission to only ten percent of applicants on the average. The average LSAT score of students in the school is also 171. This shows the depth of the competition for admission at Stanford law.
The school is very focused on the progress and growth of the students rather than just moving up the ranks globally. The school has successfully built a world class profile thanks to its alumni, hardworking students, and faculty members.
Contact Information
Telephone: +1 650-723-2465
Contact address: 559 Nathan Abbott Way, Stanford, CA 94305, United States
Website: online.stanford.edu
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia law school is almost as old as the institution itself, as law was one of the courses taught in the first place. The school was founded in 1819 and quite unlike other American law schools, the enrolment size is low.
The acceptance rate at Virginia law is almost 20% but the enrolment size is about 950 on the average. This law school is the fourth oldest active law school in USA and just like its contemporaries, the standard is overwhelming.
UVA Law school offers students up to three degrees in law; Juris Doctor, LL. M., and S.J.D. Since its establishment, the school has produced more than 20,000 American and foreign law graduates.
Contact Information
Telephone: +1 434-924-7354
Contact Address: 580 Massie Rd, Charlottesville, VA 22903, United States
Website: Law.virginia.edu
Why Should I Study Law in USA?
If you are really interested in studying law but have no exact reasons why you should become a lawyer in the US, here are a few facts to validate your interest and further motivate you. The law profession is very rewarding in the United States. Compared to some other professions, even new lawyers can earn as much as 150,000 US dollars in a year.
The best job you can ever get is one that lets you help and save people while paying you very well at the same time. According to statistics, the United States’ legal system is very intense and will offer exciting experience to young lawyers.
This means that you can save lives, help people gain freedom and do a host of other good things while earning lots of money. The United States law is also very challenging, meaning that you have a very interesting career ahead of you.
Types of Law Programs in USA
There are three types of law programs you can pursue in the United States. The first one is the Juris Doctor Program. All American law schools offer this program because you need it to practise law in the US.
The program usually lasts three years and is common in some other countries like Canada. For students who are studying part-time, the course is extended to four years.
The second type of degree is the Master of Laws degree. It is just like a Master’s degree in any other course and is done to give you advance knowledge, usually in a few sectors of law. The program lasts one year and you will acquire a lot of knowledge in one or very few aspects of law within that period.
When studying law in USA, you may wonder what the apex of your career is. The apex of studying law in school is the SJD degree. The Doctor of Juridical Science degree is the highest degree you can get as a lawyer.
It is the equivalent of a doctorate degree in other disciplines and lasts three years. Not every law school in USA offers this course, as it takes a lot to make a lawyer a doctor.
In your first year in law school in USA, you may not study anything about law yet. These law schools want to groom your mind with general courses. Some of these courses may be English language, sociology and a few other courses centered on the study of people.
By the second year, the law students are introduced to law itself and usually, it is general law. The students are guided so that they can select a specialty in their third year. This may determine the type of courses they take in their next few years of studying law.
How to Study Law in USA
Here are the application requirements to Study Law in USA:
The prerequisite for a law school application in the United States is a Bachelor’s degree or its equivalent. Applicants usually do a four year degree in any course before making applications.
A majority of the law schools in USA carry out their admission using a general system, the LSDAS (Law School Data Assembly). However, some law schools that are not ABA approved may not need you to apply through the data assembly.
In order to submit your application through the LSDAS, you need to take the law school admission test. It is the standard test for all law school candidates. Your score determines if you can get into the best law schools in USA or any law school at all, so remember to work hard.
If you are a foreigner, you need to take and English test like IELTS or TOEFL. This is required if your native language is not English language. There may be special requirements or exception depending on where you are from, so remember to check during application.
You need recommendation letters for admission into law school. If you are a foreigner, you also need to show that you have enough money to sustain yourself through law school.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are the frequently asked questions and answers about the best law schools in USA:
Yale University’s Law School is often considered the number one law school in America, and while this is arguable, the University of California’s Law School, Berkeley is considered the best public law school in the United States.
According to US News, these are some of the best law schools in USA. There is a full list in the first part of this post:
- Stanford University
- Harvard University
- Columbia University
- New York University
- University of Pennsylvania
- University of Virginia
- Yale University
Yale University’s law school is known to be the most difficult American law school to get into. The school has an acceptance rate of 6.9%, despite the fact that only high scoring LSAT aspirants apply for its admission. One out of five applicants with high qualifications is likely to gain admission.
A majority of law students who gained admission
Conclusion
Law is a noble course of study that allows humans to help other humans achieve freedom or justice in this world. Alongside helping humanity, lawyers are very well paid and the career is very interesting.
The United States of America has just the right law schools to help aspirants achieve the perfect start to their law career. This article has been written to help people who are interested in law understand how to get into law school, also listing the best law schools in USA. Kindly leave a comment if you found this article helpful.
References
Velocitylsat.com: Top 50 Law Schools
Thoughtco.com: Best Law Schools in the US
Usnews.com: Best Law Schools in USA
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