1. Law School and Beyond: What You Need to Know About The Law School Admissions Process Choosing Where to Apply to Law School
David A. Reichard
Professor of History and Legal Studies
Division of Humanities and Communication (HCOM)
Tel:
This series is co-sponsored by the Division of Humanities and Communication and the Center for Advising, Career & Student Success

2. Monday, September 12, 12-2 PM, Library 3145
Preparing for the LSAT
Monday, September 12, 12-2 PM, Library 3145
The Law School Application Process
Monday, September 19, 12-2 PM, Library, 3145
Choosing Where to Apply to Law School
Monday, September 26, 12-2 PM, Library, 3145
What Makes a Good Personal Statement?
Monday, October 3, 12-2 PM, Library, 3145
Lunch and Law Panel
Monday, October 10, 12-2, University Center
MUST RSVP

3. Choosing Where to Apply
Today’s Agenda
Law school options
Factors to look for
Doing a self-evaluation
Final questions—check in

4. Choosing Where to Apply
Types of Law Schools
Research oriented law schools with international reputations for scholarship as well as solid teaching, accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA)
Mid-range law schools, solid teaching and research by faculty, also accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA)
Community-based law schools, staffed by part-time faculty—mostly working lawyers—which are not accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA) but which are accredited by the state bar
Unaccredited law schools
EXAMPLES
Harvard, Yale, Columbia, Chicago, Wisconsin, NYU, Cornell
In California: Boalt Hall at UC Berkeley, UC Hastings Law School, Stanford, UCLA

5. Choosing Where to Apply
Types of Law Schools
Research oriented law schools with international reputations for scholarship as well as solid teaching, accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA)
Mid-range law schools, solid teaching and research by faculty, also accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA)
Community-based law schools, staffed by part-time faculty—mostly working lawyers—which are not accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA) but which are accredited by the state bar
Unaccredited law schools
EXAMPLES
University of New Mexico School of Law, Villanova University School of Law, Pace University School of Law
In California: Santa Clara Law School, Golden Gate Law School, University of San Francisco Law School, Loyola Law School, Whittier Law School, McGeorge School of Law of the University of the Pacific

6. Choosing Where to Apply
Types of Law Schools
Research oriented law schools with international reputations for scholarship as well as solid teaching, accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA)
Mid-range law schools, solid teaching and research by faculty, also accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA)
Community-based law schools, staffed by part-time faculty—mostly working lawyers—which are not accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA) but which are accredited by the state bar
Unaccredited law schools
EXAMPLES
In California: Monterey College of Law, Lincoln Law School of San Jose, John F. Kennedy School of Law

7. Choosing Where to Apply
Types of Law Schools
Research oriented law schools with international reputations for scholarship as well as solid teaching, accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA)
Mid-range law schools, solid teaching and research by faculty, also accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA)
Community-based law schools, staffed by part-time faculty—mostly working lawyers—which are not accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA) but which are accredited by the state bar
Unaccredited law schools
AVOID!

8. Choosing Where to Apply
Some Factors to Consider
in Selecting Where to Apply:
ABA accreditation
Student composition
Quality of the faculty
Overall reputation
Learning environment
Curriculum offered
Clinical opportunities
Academic support programs
Cost and financial aid
Career services
Alumni networks
Choosing Where to Apply
For more detail, see the ABA Standards for Accreditation for
Sources for suggestions on the next slides include the Law School Admissions Council, the ABA, and the State Bar of California

9. Choosing Where to Apply
What is ABA accreditation— sometimes called “ABA approval”?
What are the benefits of attending an ABA accredited school?
What are the consequences of not attended an ABA accredited school?
Accreditation process reviews aspects such as
Curriculum
Quality of faculty
Financial aid processes
Student services
Library resources
Bar passage rates
Revisions in included:
more attention to assessment of student learning outcomes—to include bar passage rates and employment
Requires 6 credit hours of “experiential” learning—such as a clinic experience—and encourages at least 50 hours of “pro bono” community service
Source: ABA

10. Choosing Where to Apply
What is ABA accreditation— sometimes called “ABA approval”?
What are the benefits of attending an ABA accredited school?
What are the consequences of not attended an ABA accredited school?
Source: ABA Standards

11. Choosing Where to Apply
Source: ABA Standards

12. Choosing Where to Apply
What is ABA accreditation— sometimes called “ABA approval”?
What are the benefits of attending an ABA accredited school?
What are the consequences of not attended an ABA accredited school?
Can sit for the bar examination in any state
Ensure that school has gone through rigorous review process—and constantly monitored for quality
This includes “law school's responsibility to assess an applicant's character and fitness qualifications and to advise applicants that such qualifications exist for admittance to the school and for admission to the bar.”
Source: ABA

13. Choosing Where to Apply
What is ABA accreditation— sometimes called “ABA approval”?
What are the benefits of attending an ABA accredited school?
What are the consequences of not attended an ABA accredited school?
In many states, a candidate “cannot sit for the bar examination unless that person holds a J.D. degree from an ABA-approved law school.”
Some states “have additional requirements that a student must meet in order to qualify to sit for that state's examination”
Check the requirements of state(s) where you wish to sit for the bar (find the ABA guide here).
Source: ABA

14. Choosing Where to Apply
Key Requirements for Admission to the Bar in California:
General education requirement: completion of at least 60 hours/90 quarter units college credit in good standing (Bachelor’s degree fulfills this)
Determination of “good moral character” (see more about the requirement here)
Required legal education—graduation from an ABA approved school, State Bar of California accredited school, four years of study in law office/judge’s chamber’s program (more here), or certain number of hours completed with unaccredited program
Passage of Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam
Passage of the California Bar Exam (see here for what is on the exam)
Source: State Bar of California

15. Choosing Where to Apply
Some Factors to Consider
in Selecting Where to Apply:
ABA accreditation
Student composition
Quality of the faculty
Overall reputation
Learning environment
Curriculum offered
Clinical opportunities
Academic support programs
Cost and financial aid
Career services
Alumni networks
Choosing Where to Apply
Choose a school where you will be challenged
The diversity of student body
Check on class size—both individual classes and “years” (for example, how many students in the first year class-sometimes called 1L-and how many in your course sections?)
Types and number of student organizations

16. Choosing Where to Apply
Some Factors to Consider
in Selecting Where to Apply:
ABA accreditation
Student composition
Quality of the faculty
Overall reputation
Learning environment
Curriculum offered
Clinical opportunities
Academic support programs
Cost and financial aid
Career services
Alumni networks
Choosing Where to Apply
The diversity of the faculty
Ratio of full time to part time faculty
Academic reputation of faculty in terms of their research
Availability of visiting faculty and other scholarly events

17. Choosing Where to Apply
Some Factors to Consider
in Selecting Where to Apply:
ABA accreditation
Student composition
Quality of the faculty
Overall reputation
Learning environment
Curriculum offered
Clinical opportunities
Academic support programs
Cost and financial aid
Career services
Alumni networks
Choosing Where to Apply
Rankings—not used by ABA—but commonly available. Examples include:
“Find the Best Law School” site
US News and World Report
Explore bar passage rates for schools you are considering

18. Choosing Where to Apply
Recent first time passage rates, California Bar Exam by rate of passage and numbers of exam takers
Choosing Where to Apply
School
February 2016
July 2015
February 2015
July 2014
Golden Gate
Not available
39% (48/122)
36% (8/22)
44% (64/146)
Stanford
89% (87/98)
79% (11/14)
88% (92/105)
Santa Clara
69% (122/176)
63% (20/32)
60% (131/217)
UC Berkeley
85% (173/204)
100% (4/4)
88% (181/205)
UC Hastings
68% (185/274)
56% (9/16)
68% (246/360)
UCLA
85% (240/281)
71% (5/7)
82% (236/289)
Whittier
38% (46/122)
30% (3/10)
43% (70/164)
Monterey CL
(Not ABA, CA Accredited
25% (2/8)
60% (6/10)
11% (1/9)
Overall Passage Rates
46% CA ABA
17% CA Accred
14% CA Unaccr
68% CA ABA
21% CA Accred
21% CA Unaccr
54% CA ABA
30% CA Accred
35% CA Unaccr
69% CA ABA
33% CA Accred
23% CA Unaccr
Source: State Bar of California

19. Choosing Where to Apply
Recent first time passage rates, California Bar Exam by rate of passage and numbers of exam takers
Choosing Where to Apply
School
July 2015
Harvard
86% (80/93)
NYU
86% (36/42)
Duke
74% (17/23)
Northwestern
79% (38/48)
Yale
93% (28/30)
Georgetown
71% (60/84)
Arizona State
62% (8/13)
Overall Passage Rates
59% ABA
(not CA)
Select out of state law schools with 10 or more bar exam takers
Source: State Bar of California

20. Choosing Where to Apply
Cumulative Bar Exam Passage Rates, California Accredited Law Schools ( )
School
Cumulative Rate
Monterey College of Law
57%
John F. Kennedy School of Law
63%
Lincoln Law School, Sacramento
70%
Empire College Law School
72%
the “minimum, cumulative bar examination pass rate” (MPR)
required for CALS is 40%
Source: State Bar of California

21. Choosing Where to Apply
Some Factors to Consider
in Selecting Where to Apply:
ABA accreditation
Student composition
Quality of the faculty
Overall reputation
Learning environment
Curriculum offered
Clinical opportunities
Academic support programs
Cost and financial aid
Career services
Alumni networks
Choosing Where to Apply
Facilities—classrooms, library, information technology
Curriculum—especially beyond the first year
Support for legal research and writing skill development
Moot Court programs
Clinical programs and internships
Law Reviews and other journal opportunities
Areas of specialization available (not necessary in law school)
Joint degree programs
Full-time and part-time programs

22. Choosing Where to Apply
Some Factors to Consider
in Selecting Where to Apply:
ABA accreditation
Student composition
Quality of the faculty
Overall reputation
Learning environment
Curriculum offered
Clinical opportunities
Academic support programs
Cost and financial aid
Career services
Alumni networks
Choosing Where to Apply
First Year Curriculum
Fairly standard in U.S. law schools. Includes courses in the following areas:
Criminal Law
Torts
Civil Procedure
Property
Contracts
Legal Research and Writing
And maybe…. Constitutional Law
Moot Court can be a required part of Legal Research and Writing courses in law school

23. Choosing Where to Apply
Some Factors to Consider
in Selecting Where to Apply:
ABA accreditation
Student composition
Quality of the faculty
Overall reputation
Learning environment
Curriculum offered
Clinical opportunities
Academic support programs
Cost and financial aid
Career services
Alumni networks
Choosing Where to Apply
Concentration or Specialization Areas
While law school generally trains you in the essential basics of the law, after the first year, most law schools provide concentration areas for students to focus a portion of their studies
Hastings College of Law: Examples include Civil Litigation and Dispute Resolution, Environmental Law, Government Law, Social Justice Lawyering
Golden Gate Law School: Calls these “specialization certificates,” including Business Law, Litigation, and Public Interest Law
Loyola Law School Los Angeles: Includes Corporate Law, Cybersecurity and Data Privacy, Intellectual Property, Immigrant Advocacy

24. Choosing Where to Apply
Some Factors to Consider
in Selecting Where to Apply:
ABA accreditation
Student composition
Quality of the faculty
Overall reputation
Learning environment
Curriculum offered
Clinical opportunities
Academic support programs
Cost and financial aid
Career services
Alumni networks
Choosing Where to Apply
Examples of Clinical Programs
University of New Mexico School of Law
Criminal Law
DWI and Domestic Violence
Appellate Law
Innocence and Justice Seminar
Hastings College of Law
Business Tax Practicum
CJC Individual Representation—Health, Employment
Community Economic Development
Community Group Advocacy and Social Change Lawyering
Criminal Practice
Environmental Law
Immigrant Rights
And… several more

25. Choosing Where to Apply
Some Factors to Consider
in Selecting Where to Apply:
ABA accreditation
Student composition
Quality of the faculty
Overall reputation
Learning environment
Curriculum offered
Clinical opportunities
Academic support programs
Cost and financial aid
Career services
Alumni networks
Choosing Where to Apply
Tutoring
Mentoring programs
Alumni mentoring (Loyola Law example)
2L and 3L mentoring programs for 1L students
Student Disability Services

26. Choosing Where to Apply
Some Factors to Consider
in Selecting Where to Apply:
ABA accreditation
Student composition
Quality of the faculty
Overall reputation
Learning environment
Curriculum offered
Clinical opportunities
Academic support programs
Cost and financial aid
Career services
Alumni networks
Choosing Where to Apply
So you know….
Be prepared—at ABA accredited schools students cannot work the first year and law school is expensive!
Important to prepare a budget—tuition, living expenses, books, insurance, transportation etc.

27. Choosing Where to Apply
Example: Hastings College of Law—Estimated Costs for Academic Year
FIRST YEAR STUDENTS
FALL
SPRING
TOTAL
Enrollment Fees
21,747
43,486
Activity Fee 82
Housing and Utilities
15,768/ 9 mos.
15,768
Book Allowance
575
1,150
Food
3,240/9 mos.
3,240
Health Services Fee
317
316
633
Insurance
1,982
2,774
4,756
Transportation
1,432/9 mos.
1,432
Personal Expenses
$2,520/9 mos.
2,520
Total Budget
72,985
WHAT?? Yes! But this “sticker price” can be offset by grants, scholarships

28. Choosing Where to Apply
Some Factors to Consider
in Selecting Where to Apply:
ABA accreditation
Student composition
Quality of the faculty
Overall reputation
Learning environment
Curriculum offered
Clinical opportunities
Academic support programs
Cost and financial aid
Career services
Alumni networks
Choosing Where to Apply
Research Options
The Law School Admissions Council (LSAC) has many kinds of resources about how to finance law school
Watch this video tutorial
Review this summary of options
Research tips for funding laws school, such as U.S. News and World Report
Explore loan programs, scholarships, veteran’s benefits, specific to each school
Explore loan forgiveness programs—for example, public interest (see here for ABA information on this topic)

29. Choosing Where to Apply
Some Factors to Consider
in Selecting Where to Apply:
ABA accreditation
Student composition
Quality of the faculty
Overall reputation
Learning environment
Curriculum offered
Clinical opportunities
Academic support programs
Cost and financial aid
Career services
Alumni networks
Choosing Where to Apply
Explore Scholarship Opportunities
Internal scholarships—explore each law school’s financial aid website. Note—some not available to first year students
Example: UC Irvine Law financial aid—note different types of funding
Recruiting with money! More common now to offer a substantial discount for promising students
Outside organizations
Example: California Bar Foundation 1L Diversity Scholarships
Law schools also advertise these—for example UC Irvine Outside Scholarships

30. Choosing Where to Apply
Some Factors to Consider
in Selecting Where to Apply:
ABA accreditation
Student composition
Quality of the faculty
Overall reputation
Learning environment
Curriculum offered
Clinical opportunities
Academic support programs
Cost and financial aid
Career services
Alumni networks
Choosing Where to Apply
Placement Center resources
Career development opportunities—panel discussions, workshops on skill development
On-campus interviewing opportunities?
Support for seeking summer positions?
Placement statistics—what are alumni of program doing?
Availability of career advising after graduation?
Alumni association—how active and involved with school?

31. Choosing Where to Apply
How To Research and Decide
Which Law Schools Might Be for You
ABA: ABA Disclosures database—search by school
LSAC: LSAC website by LSAT and GPA
Law school locators: Boston College link to various law school locaters
Law school websites: For example, see Golden Gate, Santa Clara, UC Hastings, and McGeorge
Attend a law school fair or open house: Upcoming ones include—
October 20: LSAC Law School Recruitment Forum (San Francisco) (pre-registration required)
October 29: Santa Clara Law School Open House (pre-registration required)
Spend a day at a law school! Contact the admissions office of law schools you are interested in to see if this is possible (see UC Hastings College of Law example here)

32. Choosing Where to Apply
Self Evaluation
Choosing Where to Apply
Ask yourself the following questions as your research:
How will law school contribute to my professional goals?
Is law school the best choice for meeting those goals?
Do my LSAT scores and GPA align with the schools I want to attend?
What are my geographic preference/limitations? What law schools are located in that area?
How do I plan to finance law school?
Is an ABA accredited school my preference? Am I willing to entertain another option?

33. Choosing Where to Apply
Questions or Comments?