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Yale Law Students have a picnic

Yale Law Students have a picnic

Law School Is Still Worth It Even If You Don’t Get Into Harvard Or Yale

 
Over the years, one consistent theme in legal education is the dominance of the Tier 14. The top 14 law schools have remained consistent, even as they’ve moved up and down over the years.  No other school has been able to bust in. Another consistency is the importance, nay, essential importance of attending a Tier 14 to improve competitiveness for jobs. However, according to a recent Business Insider study, graduating from a tier 14 school isn’t as essential as everyone is making it out to be.
The survey polled 371 legal professionals and found 49.4% said they would still attend law school even if they didn’t get into a top-tier program. What’s more, only 35.7% said they wouldn’t attend law school if they didn’t get into a top program. The rest either said “it depends” or did not respond. So, if law school rankings are not as important to current practicing attorneys, what is?
Critical thinking, according to this survey. Respondents weighed the critical thinking provided by law schools as the most important factor when ranking law schools at 43.3% – above the school’s network and brand value. Additionally, some respondents put weight on graduating in the top 10% of your class regardless of the law school being attended.
Nevertheless, when asked to rank the top 10 law schools in terms of preparing work-ready students, traditional top 10 schools such as Yale, Columbia, and Harvard were chosen. Names still do matter at least a little. Regardless of which school a student goes to, many respondents emphasized the importance of working hard during and after attending school. Again, graduating in the top 10% of a class shows academic prowess and a willingness to work hard—both attractive qualities to future employers.
Source: Business Insider
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