IV. THE ACCEPTANCE

• Consider the geographical area of the schools. Will you be happy in a large city for the next three years? Do you want a school that emphasizes the law of the state in which it is located? Is the law school connected to a university? Are there opportunities to work in the area? Will you want to work in this area after law school? Your network of friends and professors as well as your placement office will provide you with referrals in the area after graduation.
• Consider the cost - how expensive is the school? How easy is it to procure a loan? How much financial aid is available?
• Consider the law school faculty - their backgrounds, both educational and extracurricular. Are they big names? Will they teach? Check the catalog course schedule and find out how often the courses you are interested in are offered.
• What is the student-faculty ratio? How accessible are the professors?
• Consider the student body - how large is it? Are they all from the same general area? What schools do they represent? How competitive are they? What size is the law library?
• Consider the law school's Career Services Center - how active is the office on behalf of students? What percent of graduates receive jobs at graduation? Where do they go? How many recruiters visit the school each year? Are they accessible to each student, or only to the top 10% of the class?
• Consider the housing. Are you on-campus or off-campus? How much assistance will the school provide in obtaining housing?
• Consider the curriculum - do you have the opportunity to take electives in areas that interest you? Are there clinical programs? Are there joint degree programs available? Can you take courses in other areas of the university?

For some of these questions there are no easy answers. The first place to look is the law school catalog. Although the catalogs become repetitious after awhile, they do provide a great deal of useful information about faculty and staff, the law school curriculum, financial aid and admissions procedures. A much more condensed version of the same material can be found in The Official Guide to U.S. Law Schools available at the CMC Career Services Center.

While both of these sources are excellent as far as they go, they do not go far enough to satisfy the curiosity of most students. They do not give a feel for the all-important "atmosphere" which can make a difference in the student's law school experience. This kind of nitty-gritty material must come from people who have actually attended a particular school. Where possible, it is important to visit the campus and talk to students. Ask to sit in on a class. Once you have been accepted, a law school should accommodate your questions. If their attitude is warm and hospitable during this period it is probably a fair indication that it will be a warm, hospitable environment for you as a student. During the fall, attend law-related presentations and Graduate and Professional Schools Night to talk to any law school representatives. These representatives are extremely valuable as a means to learn more about a given institution. Also consider contacting Claremont McKenna College's friends and acquaintances that attend law schools you are interested in. They may be your best resource. The Pre-law Advisor also should be regarded as an excellent resource, since she has contact with both law students and admissions representatives.

B. EARLY DECISION
Several law schools encourage applicants to apply early. In many cases the deadlines for Early Decision or Early Action are in October. As opposed to undergraduate early decision rules, many law schools do not view an early application as binding, if the applicant gains acceptance. One exception to this is the Early Decision application to Columbia University School of Law. If you apply to that program, you are making a commitment to attend Columbia if you are accepted. If a decision is made to apply Early Decision/Action, please review the application material carefully for other requirements if you are interested in this option. Early decision/action also affects when you take the LSAT. In most cases the last LSAT exam that will qualify is the June exam. Check deadlines carefully!

C. DEFERRED ADMISSION
If you are admitted to law school and suddenly discover that you have won a fellowship to study abroad for a year or you have gotten a job offer you can't refuse, can you defer admission? That depends on the policy of each school to which you apply. The general rule is that law schools like students to apply for the year when they plan to matriculate. However, they are also interested in having students who have varied experiences. If you wish to request a deferral after acceptance, write to the school and explain why the other opportunity seems most appropriate. The admissions committee could grant your deferral request or require that you reapply.

D. DELAYED APPLICATION
Is it advisable to take one or more years off from school before entering law school? Often students wish to delay entrance to law school for a year or two. They are tired of the academic grind and wish to work before they begin to study law. This will certainly not hurt you in the admissions process, and may well be a plus. Many law schools prefer an applicant with a year or two of employment, volunteer work, foreign travel, or even graduate work; such applicants tend to be more mature and successful in their law study. You also will have the advantage of having your senior year grades counted in your LSDAS-computed G.P.A., and these grades are usually higher.

You should not be afraid of delaying your law school applications for one or two years because you desire to do something else worthwhile. You will probably be better off for it. There is probably nothing negative about taking a "year off." In fact, some feel that people who take time off after college are better prepared and perform better than their classmates just out of college. Keep in mind the average entering age for law school is almost 26 years old.

E. FINANCIAL AID
Money for law school is available, in the form of scholarships, grants, work-study, and loans. Most students finance their education through loans, either from the federal government or private sources. The amount of aid you receive and the form it takes is largely determined by the law schools; therefore, the law schools to which you are applying should be your primary source of information.

In applying for financial aid file all the required financial aid forms and pay close attention to deadlines. Most schools will not look at a file until it is complete. A good deadline to consider is December 1. Be sure to check each school's website to find out exactly what is required by the schools to which you are applying for financial aid. In an effort to attract a balanced, competitive student body, many law schools may offer grants or financial assistance as an incentive for your attendance. It is important to weigh all your options when your letter of acceptance is received.

F. BAR REQUIREMENTS
Another step in the decision-making process is determining the bar requirements for admission to the bar in the state in which you wish to practice. Some states require individuals to file a statement of intention to study law shortly after starting classes. To find out about registration requirements for particular states, write to the Supreme Court of the state in question, or to the National Conference of Bar Examiners, Suite 1025, 333 North Michigan Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60601 (www.ncbex.org). Once you enroll in law school you will be advised about meeting standards for admission to the bar. Most law schools will readily give you information regarding their students' success in passing the bar examination.

G. JOINT DEGREE PROGRAMS
Joint programs involve the simultaneous pursuit of two separate courses of graduate study under a combined degree arrangement. Law schools have developed structured programs within their own university or in conjunction with another college or university. Programs at the master's level are numerous. A few select schools offer joint programs at the Ph.D. level as well. Applications for joint degree programs must be made to each of the schools involved, and admission is based on acceptance by both schools. A student may be accepted at the start of law school studies or at the beginning of the second year. Normally about four years are required to complete the requirements for joint programs at the master's level.

H. PLACEMENT AFTER LAW SCHOOL
In choosing a law school it is wise to inquire about that school's career services. Many schools try to accommodate employers who wish to interview on campus, and several also offer individual and group counseling. Some career offices also handle summer and part-time jobs. One should also find out for a given school: 1) the number and range of employers who interview students from private law firms, the public sector, and corporate or business organizations; 2) the number of judicial clerkships awarded to its students, and 3) a student's accessibility to employers.