Finding school

[Norwegian]

Hi, this is maybe a little of topic, but I was wondering, how much, do where you went to law school count, when it comes to job hiring in law firms?

 

[quincy]

It depends. Sometimes it can matter a lot, sometimes not so much. Other factors beside the law school itself come into play when a law firm is looking at candidates and hiring.

For a good overview, check out Law School Information.

 

[Norwegian]

What about promotions? What schools are we looking at then? Columbia in New York costs 33 000(I think?) dollars in tuition.

 

[cbg]

I used to work for a law firm. While it might matter somewhat during hiring, after hire it's strictly performance. What law school you went to means diddly once you sign on the dotted line. All anyone cares about after that is how well you perform.

 

[Norwegian]

What school did you went to?

 

[Mass_Shyster]

It depends. Sometimes it can matter a lot, sometimes not so much. Other factors beside the law school itself come into play when a law firm is looking at candidates and hiring.

For a good overview, check out Law School Information.

One note is that the above article is from 2003. The tuition numbers have risen.

Tuitions can range from as little as $5,800 for in-state tuition at the University of Georgia School of Law, to $29,500 at Harvard Law School .

I believe Harvard is closer to $45,000

 

[Norwegian]

Hope that while America is under Obama, that the price will be forced lowered, I mean if it is so your coming from a poor family, and want to study law, then your chances are lesser-ed to be so successful as a person who can afford Columbia or Havard. I probably get help from my parents as they are also lawyers, only their lawyers here, in Norway. Going to university's in Norway is free, you just need to have good enough grades/marks. With less it is a private practice one.

 

[quincy]

I posted it more for the content of the text than for the numbers, Steve - I actually didn't even look at numbers (including, obviously, the 2003 ). But, yes, tuition at Harvard is higher now. As are they all.

And, for Norwegian's benefit:

Sing to the colors that float in the light;
Hurrah for the Yellow and Blue!
Yellow the stars as they ride through the night
And reel in the rollicking crew;
Yellow the field where ripens the grain
And yellow the moon on the harvest wain.
HAIL!
Hail to the colors tht float in the light
Hurrah for the Yellow and Blue!

Blue are the billows that bow to the sun
When yellow-robed morning is due.
Blue are the curtains that evening has spun
The slumbers of Phoebus to woo;
Blue are the blossoms to memory dear
And blue is the sapphire and gleams like a tear.
HAIL!
Hail to the ribbons that nature has spun;
Hurrah for the Yellow and Blue!

Here's to the college whose colors we wear,
Here's to the hearts that are true!
Here's to the maid of the golden hair,
And eyes that are brimming with blue!
Garlands of bluebells and maize intertwine,
And hearts that are true and voices combine.
HAIL!
Hail to the college whose colors we wear;
Hurrah for the Yellow and Blue!

University of Michigan - the leaders and best. And most students will not pay full tuition at any of the schools - they will get financial aid and scholarships to help with the costs (and often personal loans to finance the balance). Certainly not free like in Norway, however.

 

[Silverplum]

Hope that while America is under Obama, that the price will be forced lowered, I mean if it is so your coming from a poor family, and want to study law, then your chances are lesser-ed to be so successful as a person who can afford Columbia or Havard. I probably get help from my parents as they are also lawyers, only their lawyers here, in Norway. Going to university's in Norway is free, you just need to have good enough grades/marks. With less it is a private practice one.

Sure. Obama's going to "reward" his alma mater by *forcing* them to lower their tuition.

 

[Norwegian]

Thanks, when lawyers are appointing to the elite schools, what is set to that category? Is it just the 5 best, or is it like to the 30'ed best? Also what is ranked as good schools? Is university of Alabama a good school? Its on the top 30

 

[Norwegian]

Sure. Obama's going to "reward" his alma mater by *forcing* them to lower their tuition.

Can't say it would be an disaster if he did so?

 

[quincy]

Norwegian, as Steve noted, the link I provided above is not up-to-date as far as the dollar figures quoted (tuitions are a lot higher now than they were in 2003, for instance, but so is the starting pay of most law school graduates). But I suggest you read through the information there.

It tells you what school rankings mean (and don't mean) and it tells you ways to judge which school is best for you.

Then look at the most recent copy of the U.S. News and World Report's law school rankings publication (available online). It explains more about each school and what the school has to offer, and it will give you a better idea of which schools are likely to accept you, based on your undergraduate work and LSAT score.

If you live in Alabama, and plan to work and settle in Alabama, and if the University of Alabama offers the programs you are interested in at a cost you can handle, then the University of Alabama is probably a good school for you. Alabama might not be the best school to attend if your long range goal is to live and work in Massachusetts or New York. Then again, it might not matter at all.

It all really depends.

 

[Norwegian]

Last question( I think ) when a professor of a law school are correcting a test or report, are they running a spell check? Also would your spelling mistakes adjust your grade?

 

[cbg]

That depends on the individual professor. There is no one-size-fits-all answer.

My husband teaches political science and not law, but if you have a lot of spelling or grammar errors in a paper you submit to him, he WILL adjust your grade adversely. How hard can it be for you to run the spell check?

 

[Humusluvr]

Last question( I think ) when a professor of a law school are correcting a test or report, are they running a spell check? Also would your spelling mistakes adjust your grade?

Think about it this way -

Do you think the judge, who would most likely be an educated person, would question your professionalism if they were to receive court documents full of misspellings or grammatically incorrect phrases?

Since, many times, the law comes down to exact wording, I believe that a law school professor would expect proper grammar and spelling. And if you are not typing in Word or using a spell checker, that might be a habit you want to form early.