Applying to law school how many schools

Most applicants have no trouble selecting dream schools — those that are almost, but not quite, beyond their grasp — or safe schools — those for which admission is virtually certain. A common strategic error made by applicants is failure to evaluate realistically their chances for admission to a particular law school. Check your qualifications against the applicant profiles of the law schools that interest you. Comparing your credentials to those of previous applicants will give you a general sense of your competitiveness at that school.

These charts will help you determine which schools are your dream schools, your realistic schools, and your safe schools. If your profile meets or exceeds that of a school, it is likely that the school will be as interested in admitting you as you are in being admitted.

Skip to main content. The Best Law School for You. Curriculum The first year of classes is similar, but not identical, at all law schools. School Offerings Consider the size, composition, and background of the student body as well as the location, size, and nature of the surrounding community. Other areas to consider are: Overall size of school Average class size Demographics of the student body The library and other physical facilities Availability of part-time or evening programs Joint-degree programs, LLM programs, other special-degree programs Clinical programs Moot court competitions Student law journals Academic support programs Student organizations Career services and employment Honor societies such as Order of the Coif Diversity and Inclusion You may wish to consider a school with a strong commitment to diversity recruitment, retention, and mentoring.

Financial Impact The single best source of information about financing a legal education is the financial aid office or the website of any LSAC-member law school. Learn more about Paying for Law School Assessing Yourself When selecting law schools to which you will apply, the general philosophy is that you should have a threefold plan: dream a little, be realistic, and be safe. A few words of caution: Law schools consider many other factors beyond the LSAT score and UGPA, and the grids and data about these credentials only give you part of the story.

When you put together a list of law schools, you should prepare for the worst and hope for the best. I advise many applicants to use the rule of three: apply to at least three reach, target, and safety schools, respectively. Other factors like character and fitness issues, multiple LSAT takes, or being an international applicant can affect your chances. A target is a school you have a decent chance of getting into.

We made a statistical model of real results to build a 7Sage Predictor. I like to break schools into five categories based on the predictor's "estimated chances":.

You can use this template to put together your own school list. If you get in, then you won't have to stress until April to find out where you'll be spending the next three years of your life. If you don't get in, it can help you see what your chances are at other schools. Plus, it's better to get waitlisted in December than April or whenever you would be notified for regular admissions.

If there's a tie among applicants on the waiting list, there's a good chance the school will admit whoever applied first. Your best bet is to apply to a minimum of two reach schools, two match schools, and three safeties. Don't be discouraged from applying, but based on the numbers alone your chances are not outstanding. Your scores combined with a strong application mean you have a good shot here.

Your chances here are pretty high! Why seven schools? Better safe than sorry. Most admissions experts agree with the 2—2—3 or 2—3—2 ratios. If you feel that you must really play it safe, apply to three in each category.