3 answers
Mira ..
Student
Whitmore Lake, Michigan
15
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3 answers
Desiree Giler Mann
Attorney
Armonk, New York
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Desiree’s Answer
Hi Mira,
It's wonderful that you are exploring careers already!
To become an attorney, you're going to need two schools*: an undergraduate university/college and a law school. In the U.S., Law is a post-graduate degree, requiring first an undergraduate (Bachelor of [Art/Science/etc] - typically, 4 years) and then a law degree (Juris Doctor - typically, 3 years). Thus, it takes at least 7 years of university study to be a U.S., attorney (plus passing the Bar Exam, Ethics Exam and Character Interview).
*Some people go to the same school for all 7 years, but this not necessary or common.
There are plenty of sites that rank law schools, the most notorious of which is this one: https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-law-schools/law-rankings You can easily do an on-line search for "law school rankings".
How you define the best will be individual to you - best for your budget, best in your state/region, best for diversity in the student population, best for a certain specialty areas of the law (e.g., a law school which offers specific certificates or clinic experiences). Consider the factors that UN News uses, but also take into account your unique situation.
Research law school rankings on line - both general/overall rankings and the rankings for speciality areas
Consider the factors you will use to define what is "best".
It's wonderful that you are exploring careers already!
To become an attorney, you're going to need two schools*: an undergraduate university/college and a law school. In the U.S., Law is a post-graduate degree, requiring first an undergraduate (Bachelor of [Art/Science/etc] - typically, 4 years) and then a law degree (Juris Doctor - typically, 3 years). Thus, it takes at least 7 years of university study to be a U.S., attorney (plus passing the Bar Exam, Ethics Exam and Character Interview).
*Some people go to the same school for all 7 years, but this not necessary or common.
There are plenty of sites that rank law schools, the most notorious of which is this one: https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-law-schools/law-rankings You can easily do an on-line search for "law school rankings".
How you define the best will be individual to you - best for your budget, best in your state/region, best for diversity in the student population, best for a certain specialty areas of the law (e.g., a law school which offers specific certificates or clinic experiences). Consider the factors that UN News uses, but also take into account your unique situation.
Desiree recommends the following next steps:
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Patrick Irish
Analytical chemistry
Columbus, Ohio
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Patrick’s Answer
Hi Mira,
It is very competitive to get into law school, so how well you do in high school and undergraduate university, as well as the quality of the university, will largely play a role. Harvard Law is generally recognized as a top tier law school in the US, but Cooley Law is a very well attended school in your own state, with multiple campuses.
Best of luck,
Patrick
It is very competitive to get into law school, so how well you do in high school and undergraduate university, as well as the quality of the university, will largely play a role. Harvard Law is generally recognized as a top tier law school in the US, but Cooley Law is a very well attended school in your own state, with multiple campuses.
Best of luck,
Patrick
Andrew Mackin
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Ithaca, New York
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Andrew’s Answer
Desiree has a great answer! I would just want to add that when looking at undergraduate colleges, which you will need to attend before going to law school, you should consider many of the same factors. Try to research what pre-law looks like at different colleges and take that into account when deciding.
