Here are some tips for selecting schools, based on an analysis comparing each school to all others across dozens of factors:
Schools Concentrating On Lawyers
- Focus: For schools with a focus on this career area, look at Atlanta's John Marshall Law School and Georgia State.
Fastest Response From Schools
- Request Info: For the fastest information for prospective students, look at the Spotlight schools on this page.
Student Body
- Part-Time: For schools emphasizing part-time studies, consider Georgia State.
- Diverse: For a diverse student body, consider Georgia State, Mercer University, and Emory.
- Adult Learners: For lots of adult learners, consider Mercer University.
School Setting
- Out of State: For geographic diversity, take note of Emory, Mercer University, University of Georgia, and Georgia State.
- Dorms: For a residential campus environment, take note of Emory, Mercer University, University of Georgia, and Georgia State.
Excellence
- SAT: For students with high SAT scores, look at Emory, University of Georgia, and Mercer University.
- % Accepted: For selective institutions, look at Emory, Georgia State, and University of Georgia.
- Class Size: For small class sizes, look at Emory, Atlanta's John Marshall Law School, University of Georgia, and Mercer University.
Student/Alumnus Reviews of Schools for This Career and State
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Emory University School Of Law • Atlanta, GA
Studying Law - JD (completion in 2012)
• 11/30/2011
"I am leaving with a great job and will look back on the experience fondly. However, regarding solely the job, I believe I am one of a lucky handful of students. Not many people in my graduating class are leaving with the job they want."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | It would depend on the student and his/her goals. I think the school is great for self-motivated students who want to stay in the Atlanta area. However, Emory doesn't have the national reach of many other comparably ranked schools. |
| Program Reputation | 9 | We are a highly ranked, tier-one law school. But we are not a top-14 law school. |
| Program Quality | 8 | The school is highly ranked. However, schools that are ranked higher tend to be better with job placement. |
| Instruction | 9 | I have learned a lot, but most law schools require a lot. Most of the classes have very little to do with the practice of law. Really knowing how to practice law comes with doing it in the field. |
| How Difficult | 5 | The program is difficult compared to other types of programs, i.e., master's and MBA. But compared to other law schools, it is probably about average in terms of workload and academic challenge. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | There is a variety of classes for whatever type of learning you want. The first-year classes are very book oriented, but the upper-level classes offer a lot of hands-on learning. We also have a huge externship program where students can work at various locations in the Atlanta area. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | There is a wide range of class times available during the week - students can be in the school as early or as late as they want. No weekend or online options are available. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | While the library gets crowded, it is a nice building and a great place to study. Most of the facilities are beautiful, but there never seems to be enough space for all the students. Professors are generally available for one-on-one time with students. |
| Social Life | 8 | I had a great experience and made a lot of lifelong friends. I wouldn't trade my experience for anything. |
| Placement Services | 2 | It is widely known that the career services office at my school is not effective. I rarely use their services. |
| Alumni Network | 4 | Our school does not have a good alumni network - it is probably its weakest point. The alumni are not as helpful or supportive as they are at most comparably ranked schools. |
Emory University • Atlanta, GA
Studying J.D. (completion in 1979)
• 12/31/2011
"I was very satisfied with the education I got from Emory. At the time, I thought it was a very expensive school, although it doesn't seem so expensive by today's standards."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Emory has a good reputation, and it lived up to that reputation for me. The physical learning environment was serene, Atlanta is a great town to live in, and it has a really nice climate as well. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | I am not really sure about its current reputation, but I would assume that it is still highly rated. When I went to Emory, it was considered one of the best law schools in the country. I would think that it still is considered one of the best. |
| Program Quality | 9 | I got a very good education at Emory. After graduation, I was well prepared academically for the law. |
| Instruction | 9 | Emory is a nationally rated law school, with first-rate professors. After the first year, the class student ratio was fairly small, and the classes were taught by seasoned professors, not TAs. |
| How Difficult | 8 | Generally, Emory's classes were designed to produce few high grades. As a result, you had to work hard consistently throughout the semester to get a decent grade. As a result, my classmates and I got the most out of each class. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Emory was academically oriented, rather than courtroom driven (which I believe would be the hands-on end). Emory did have 'mock trial,' but it did not otherwise address the real world of running a law business, such as dealing with the psychological side of client relations, or anything else like that. I don't think there were any law schools on that side of the professional landscape when I went through law school, although they certainly exist now (South Texas College of Law in Houston being one that seriously sits on the hands-on end of the landscape). | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 3 | Emory, like most law schools at the time, discouraged law student employment. The view was that law school was a full-time endeavor. Emory's class schedules were staggered, with one- and two-hour 'study' blocks between classes, to make it difficult to work during the day. In this regard, the schedule was very inflexible. There was no 'online' (or computers) in those days. |
| Academic Facilities | 9 | When I attended Emory, a new facility had just been completed, so everything was state of the art. Professors were very accessible. I don't remember much about tutors, but we all had our study groups, organized by the students, rather than by the school. |
| Social Life | 8 | I had a positive social experience at Emory. The school had a sufficient number of social events, given that it was law school (which is not supposed to be fun). |
| Placement Services | 6 | I don't have any real opinion on Emory's placement services, directly. After graduation, I was immediately hired by the U.S. Attorney's Office in Houston. While this employment was not the result of any direct efforts by Emory, it was related to earlier work I had done as a law student with HEW in Atlanta, which was a job I got through Emory's placement services. |
| Alumni Network | 6 | I did not remain in Georgia after graduation, so I have not participated in alumni networking. There is an alumni magazine that comes out once a month (I think), which I have received continuously since graduation. This magazine is very informative regarding what's happening at Emory, and what alumni are doing. |
Georgia State University • Atlanta, GA
Studying Law (completion in 2002)
• 2/21/2012
"Georgia State provided me with a true education. I learned how to think in law school."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | Law school is not the safe bet it was years ago. I would recommend pursuing this career only if you have a true passion and not for the money. |
| Program Reputation | 9 | Georgia State has a fantastic reputation among Georgia residents. It is gaining respect nation-wide, especially after being featured in US News and World Report. |
| Program Quality | 10 | Georgia State has a wonderful law school. The professors are fantastic and I cherish the time I spent at the College of Law. |
| Instruction | 10 | All of my professors had 'real life' experience to bring to the class room. Small classes and a fantastic faculty really made the difference for me. |
| How Difficult | 10 | Law school is nothing like undergraduate studies. Typically, you have one test that determines your entire grade for the semester. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | I know that school is expanding and growing its programs every year. I would not be surprised to discover they offer more 'hands on learning' now. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | I believe Georgia State has the only law program in the state that offers both day and evening classes. I took several evening classes because I am not a morning person. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | The law school is downtown and not in the best area. I can't wait until it moves off of Peachtree Street. |
| Social Life | 10 | I met my husband while we were attending law school. I made some of my closest friends during this period of my life. If you have the chance to study abroad, do it! |
| Placement Services | 8 | I did not use these programs to the extent I probably should have while I was in school. I know others that benefited from using the career services office. |
| Alumni Network | 8 | I know that we have a strong network in the city of Atlanta. I would like to see that program expand to reach the entire state of Georgia. |
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