A great institution also plays a big role in determining the fate of your career. When you’ve studied law at a well-known college, then you have more chances of gaining potential clients or getting a job placement. Also, most of the judges and best lawyers have a background of studying at a prestigious law school. So, if you want to study law, which University should you choose? As every university claims itself to be the best. Let us discuss, the Top 5 Law Schools In The World.
Many Universities around the world provide top-notch law courses and a friendly environment. But it’s not easy to get admission to such colleges as you need to have a good GPA or LSAT score. A few of the best law colleges include Harvard Law School, Sanford Law School, and New York Law School among others.
Hence in this article, we’ll discuss the top 5 best law colleges or universities in the world, their admission procedure, fee structure, scholarships, and other details.
Let’s start with Harvard University which is said to be one of the best law schools in the world.
- Harvard Law School (Cambridge, Massachusetts)
Overview: Found in 1817, it is known as one of the best law schools in the world. It is a branch of Harvard University that is especially for law courses and training. It has a record for having the most graduates in US Supreme Court as clerks. Students work together with scholars and researchers to gain the most proficient knowledge about the development of law in America and the world. It also has a global approach as many students come from abroad every year to study and research law.
Courses: Harvard has over 260 courses and 3-degree programs that are as follows:
- J.D. Program (Juris Doctor)
- 3-year program
- Gives intellectual knowledge of legal study
- Allows students to research and study their particular areas of interest.
- Every year, about 560 students are enrolled
- LL.M. Program (Master of Laws)
- A one-year postgraduate degree course
- for students that already have legal experience as lawyers, government officials, law professors, etc.
- a good program for discussion and researching legal environment around the world
- includes 180 students from 70 countries
- S.J.D. Program (Doctor of Juridical Science)
- most advanced law degree
- good for legal academics, research, and writing.
- Overall, 70 candidates from 30 countries.
Admission Procedure: admissions start in early September and close in February. So, you have 6 months to turn in your application. What you’ll need to submit your application form are:
- Application form
- Application fee of 85 USD.
- GPA or LSAT score
- A resume
- Recommendation letters- at least two or three. One should be an academic recommendation.
- College certification
- Character and fitness question
- A two-page essay for a personal statement.
After turning in your application, you need to wait. They’ll notify you about the status of your application. Though you can also check the application status from their website. In some cases, they ask for an interview for special students.
Required: LSAT Score- 170-176 GPA Score- 3.82 – 3.98
Tuition fee- $71,000 (estimated)
Acceptance Rate- 15.6%
Location: Cambridge, Massachusetts (United States)
- Stanford Law School (Stanford, California)
Overview: established in 1893, it is a private law school of Stanford University. It has been ranked among the top 3 prestigious law schools in the US. At Stanford, they provide knowledge in innovative ways to students to prepare them for the globally interconnected world. They prefer having fewer students and preparing them individually according to the need of every student. Therefore, they have a low student-to-faculty ratio of 7.3 to 1.
Courses: it offers about 21 joint-degree programs, more than 25 academic programs, and 3 degree programs.
- JD Program
- offers multidimensional legal education
- innovative study methods
- about 180 students are accepted every year
- Joint Degree and cooperative program
- students can take multiple courses
- three types of joint degree programs- Master’s, MD, Ph.D. in 21 areas
- can be completed within 18 months to 2 years
- Advanced Degree Programs
- Offers the following programs- Masters of Laws (LLM), SPILS, JSD, MLS.
- You can learn more about the law with the Master’s program and engage in research with programs like SPILS.
- the LLM program accepts about 15-20 applications every year
Admission Procedure: the applications for the 2023-24 batch start in December and ends in February. The application process requires:
- application form
- application fee (about 85 USD)
- Resume of the applicant
- Essay of personal statement
- Two letters of recommendation
- Test scores for LSAT or GRE
- Transcript from your previously attended colleges
Wait for the application result and keep checking the status now and then. You can also reapply in case the first application is rejected. Also, you need to apply for the latest LSAT or GRE test score.
Required: LSAT Score- at least 171 GPA Score- 3.93
GRE Score- 161-169
Tuition Fees- start from about $65000
Acceptance Rate- 9-11 %
Location- Stanford, California (United States)
- Yale Law School
Overview: it was founded in 1824 and is known as one of the best law schools in the US. The study here includes earning experience by students through clinical training and case studies. Classes here are small, and students can independently study and research. Here, students also prepare for self-organized seminars. It also ranks first in the rankings of US News and World Report. It also has the highest yield ratio, that is, about 87% amongst all other schools. Many of the country’s famous public figures have studied here.
Courses: It offers more than 200 courses related to academic and experiential learning and five degree courses.
- JD program
- 3-Year course
- Provides legal education in depth
- Students also prepare two research papers about their ideas for law
- The first term classes are ungraded
- LL.M. Degree
- One-year course
- Limited number of candidates selected
- Not designed to take New York Bar Examination
- Elective Courses
- J.S.D. Degree
- Only open to LL.M. students at Yale Law School
- Students must have to perform well in the LL.M. Program
- Students should be prepared to create a dissertation
- M.S.L. Degree
- One-year terminal program
- For those that want to know more about the law but have no desire of taking any academic degree
- Small-sized classes with other course members
- Joint Degree
- Pursue two courses at once
- No admissions are available. Only already studying students at Yale University can apply
- Students need to submit a proposal to Faculty Committee on special courses
- The students also need to satisfy all the writing requirements
- Ph.D. Program
- Designed to prepare JD Program graduates as scholars and teachers
- Emerging scholars can work on their own research regarding law
- The anticipated time for a Ph.D. degree is three academic years.
Admission Procedure: applications will begin on September 1, 2022, and the submission process will begin on October 1, 2022. And the last day of applying is February 15, 2023. Willing applicants need to submit their application through LSAC (Law School Admission Council) electronic application service. But first, you need to subscribe to CAS (Credential Assembly Service). The application form needs:
- application form
- application fee (about 85 USD)
- Resume of the applicant
- Essay of personal statement
- Two letters of recommendation
- Test scores for LSAT or GRE
- Transcript from your previously attended colleges
Required: LSAT Score- 155-180 GPA score- 3.32 – 4.24
Tuition Fees- $69,100
Acceptance Rate- 9.7% (Estimated)
Location- New Haven, Connecticut, United States
- New York Law School (Tribeca, New York City)
Overview: Found in 1891, New York Law School is a private law school in New York. It is also the oldest law school in NY. Its goal is to create practice-ready lawyers for the new generation. The strategic location of this university is in the middle of courts and the law firm also shows this. The school’s motto is “We are New York law School”.
Courses: it offers about 250 elective courses and two degree courses.
- J.D. Program
- Full-time and part-time courses are available. The students can choose either a full-time 3-year course or a part-time evening course for four years.
- the curriculum is divided into theoretical and practical classes for widening the student’s knowledge and giving them a chance to experience.
- LLM in Taxation Program
- Learn what you need to become a tax professional.
- You can choose from the courses available and design your own LLM course.
- This course also gives you real-world training and makes you prepared to receive clients.
Admission Procedure: Application forms are available from September 1. Firstly, register at Credential Assembly Service (CAS) and fill out the application form at LSAC. You’ll be needing the following documents with your application:
- application form
- Resume of the applicant
- Essay of personal statement
- Two letters of recommendation
- Test scores for LSAT or GRE
- Transcript from your previously attended colleges
Requires: LSAT Score- 155-172 GPA Score- 3.33-3.78
Tuition Fee- $73,216
Acceptance Rate- 34%
Location- New York City, New York (United States)
- Columbia Law School (New York)
Overview: Founded in 1858, it is a prestigious law school that has always been on the list of one of the top five law schools in the US. This law school is also known for its reputation in the legal world. It has over 97% rate of students getting employed, and many of the school’s graduates have been featured in Forbes.
Courses: with more than 345 courses and degree programs, Columbia offers a diverse field of study of law.
- J.D. Program
- you’ll be connecting and interacting with many legal and law communities.
- wide scope of knowledge with diverse ways of studying.
- Increase in global knowledge about the law.
- LL.M. Program
- Programs start with a 3-week long orientation
- You’ll be gaining intellectual and professional knowledge
- Students learn and research the US laws and legal practices.
Admission Process: the deadline for applying is on February 15, 2023. So, if you want to apply, do before the deadline arrives. You’ll be needing the following documents for the application process:
- application form
- an application fee of $85
- Resume of the applicant
- Essay of personal statement
- Two letters of recommendation
- Test scores for LSAT or GRE
- Transcript from your previously attended colleges
Required: LSAT score- 153-178 GPA Score- 3.23-3.84
Tuition fee- $76,088
Acceptance Rate- 18.4%
Location- New York City, New York (United States)
Job Opportunities After Graduating
If you’re wondering what are the career options for law students at these colleges. Then don’t worry, because the graduates of these top colleges have high opportunities for various job fields. Students mostly get employed in many big or small law firms, government, or business organizations. Many even open their own law firms or businesses. Many students have been appointed as judges in courts. Many students work on research related to laws. A lot of past students of these universities have also become prestigious people in the country.
Financial Aid
Looking for financial aid that can help you while studying in these colleges? Let’s check which of these colleges offers them to its students.
Harvard Law School- financial aid is provided based on the financial situation of the student. Remember, HLS doesn’t give scholarships based on “merit”. Instead, financial assistance on certain levels is given to students that need them.
Stanford Law School- just like Harvard, Stanford also chooses whom to give financial assistance. The minimum amount of money given to assist a student’s financial situation starts from $25,000 to $28,000 annually. The assistance money is provided through government loans, private loans, or tuition fellowships.
Yale Law School- the scholarship amount starts from $31, 120. About 79%students received $20,000 and more as financial aid from Yale Law School.
New York Law School- Donor scholarships are used to raise money for supporting the financial needs of students.
Columbia Law School- they have scholarships and loans for students with financial needs. The scholarships at Columbia Law School are:
- Human Rights Fellowship
- Jagdish Bhagwati Fellowships
- Appel Fellowship
- CPRL Lemann Scholar Award
Besides these, Columbia law school also provides loans that require full repayment of the loan with interest like:
- Columbia Law School Loans
- U.S. Federal Loan Programs
- Private Loan Programs
Conclusion
These are the top five law schools in the world . When you compare them, you’ll find many things that are the same for all colleges. Such as the application process, available courses, etc. Remember, when you apply to any school of your choice, keep in mind to carefully fill out the application form and thoroughly follow the whole admission process. After you’ve filled and submitted the form, then it is up to the college to decide whether to accept or reject your admission request. although these law schools are the best, you don’t need to only get admission here. By any chance, if your application is rejected then don’t worry, as many other colleges are good even if they’re not one of the tops.
FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
- Can I apply to two Law schools at the same time?
No, you can’t apply to two or more colleges at the same time and if you do so, the Universities may find out, and worse, they may cancel your application.
- Which one is easier to get into – Harvard or Stanford?
Both these schools have a low application acceptance percentage. But comparatively speaking, getting into Harvard is easier. Stanford has the lowest acceptance rate all across the US, that is, 9.1% meanwhile the acceptance rate at Harvard is 15.6%.
- Cons of Harvard Law School?
Harvard Law School has a high student-faculty ratio of 7.1:1 which makes it difficult for professors to keep track of every student.
- Can I visit Law School’s campus before filling out and submitting the application form?
Yes, you can visit the campus before becoming a student at one. It will also help you to check if the college is good for you or not.
