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Which Law Schools Should I Choose? Clearly you can't (and shouldn't) apply everywhere you might consider going, if only because of the cost -- $70-80 in fees and postage per application! You've got to do some research and narrow it down.
You would be surprised at how little time most students dedicate to this task. One trap many students fall into is that they approach this question from the wrong side: they immediately think of a few schools (Harvard, Stanford, Yale, etc.) and then decide that those schools are the ones they want to attend.
Instead, try to think about what kind of experience you actually want from a law school. Small classes? An urban campus? An emphasis on public interest law? A focus on the law of a particular state? Despite all the glossy pamphlets that look and read the same, there are legitimate and significant differences among law schools. Do some research and figure out which ones offer the kind of experience you think you'll enjoy. The Internet is great for this purpose. The ABA offers an online searchable database of law schools, for example. You can search by keywords, geography, average LSAT, you name it. You can also go straight to the home pages of law schools that interest you.
To How Many Schools Should I Apply? This is obviously a matter of individual risk preferences. Some students choose only 2 or 3 schools (especially if they are certain of the geographical area where they want to be); others apply to 12 or more. On average, however, most students choose 8-10 schools -- typically a dream school or two, two good safety schools, and then several solid choices for their GPA/LSAT range.NOTE: Applications numbers have been climbing every year, with the result that it may be considerably more difficult to gain admission to major law schools. Applicants should be certain to read our special note on this surge in applications and our advice on how to insulate yourself against its worst effects.
