Should you enroll in a law school ranked high in the law school rankings? Should you look for the top law school in the country? Does being enrolled in the best law school even matter?

A lot of people these days are entertaining the thought of going to law school and earning a law degree and their first concern is finding the best law school. Of course, nothing is wrong with going to Yale or Harvard Law School but prospective law students should also consider other factors and not just the ranking.

While it is true that you can have a better chance of landing a job at top law firms if you came from one of the top law schools, it does not mean that you don’t have a chance if you’re not from one of those schools. Partners are not that shallow. The reason why  they mostly choose prospective associates from top law schools is that those graduates most probably have the qualities they desire such as intelligence, perseverance, diligence, and work ethics, among others. One cannot graduate from the country’s best law schools without those qualities.

But it does not mean that you don’t have those qualities if you’re not from a highly ranked law school. And they know that. You just have to show it. Think of it this way: Partners of prestigious law firms desire some qualities from future associates. These qualities are presumed if you are from a prestigious law school. If you are not from a prestigious law school, it is just not presumed but still provable.

With that in mind, try to go after the most highly ranked law school in the law school rankings that your situation and circumstance will allow but don’t dwell on it. The lower you fall on the list only means the more evidence you need to offer. It does not negate your chances of landing that dream job. Good luck.

Filed under: Law School, Law School Rankings, Top Law Schools