Top Law Schools

Hi all,

This will sound trite, but here goes. I currently work an AmeriCorps job for an sustainable ag nonprofit and also work with another worksite on public health initiatives related to obesity prevention. I have been looking at J.D.'s and Masters Degree mash-up's probably since before graduating from undergrad in 2010 (I spent some time traveling, organic farming, etc.) and now I'm trying to decide how I can best advocate for the causes I love to support. Being boots on the ground is great and engaging but I haven't had a real paycheck in quite some time. Halfway through my AmeriCorps service I am trying to decide if I need to be a producer (I have a real itch to start my own fresh-cut flower shop), a consumer of products (i.e. local foods), an advocate (policy and nonprofit work), or a donor (pro-bono legal work and/or donations coming from surplus income).

I went to a regional state school, graduated with a 3.9 UGPA majoring in Political Science and minoring in Psychology. I also spent 2 semesters abroad in Eastern Europe and completed two independent studies (Political Psychology: Mortality salience and economic voting; Political Philosophy: The nexus between human development and economic freedom). After school, I worked a few months for my sister's law firm before heading back to Europe for another six months, then worked on a farm in North Carolina, and am set to finish a full-time AmeriCorps year in September.

I am interested in environmental law, working with non-profits, etc., and I think I would like to go to a school that supposedly specializes in environmental law but these seem to be T3. I am worried about finding employment if I don't go to something ranked a bit higher. Do employers really not care about the specialty rankings? Should I just apply for T1-T2 and bank on better employment rates regardless of dual degrees that appeal to me?

Thoughts?

Specialty rankings are completely useless. Ignore them.

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First off, you'll need an LSAT score.

Second, never base your decision about going to a better school based on specialty. If they are peers and scholarships/location are same, sure why not consider it as a factor. But do not choose based primarily on specialty. It should probably be your last consideration in a long laundry list of factors.

rad lulz wrote:

chimp wrote:Specialty rankings are completely useless. Ignore them.

Bad schools gun after specialty rankings for their brochures. To paraphrase a recent thread, te best schools for environmental law are Yale, Harvard and Stanford.

Thanks, guys.

Yes, I know I need an LSAT yet. I'm really not that worried. I'll study (intensely) of course. The only thing in my history that I'm worried about is my po-dunk school. I got through college without any debt but now I'm not sure that the Ivy Leagues will look at me...

Also, love the Mugatu avatar.

cjogro wrote:Thanks, guys.

Yes, I know I need an LSAT yet. I'm really not that worried. I'll study (intensely) of course. The only thing in my history that I'm worried about is my po-dunk school. I got through college without any debt but now I'm not sure that the Ivy Leagues will look at me...

Where you went to undergrad has basically no effect on law school admissions.

Well, that's a relief. Thanks for the prompt responses. Awesome forum.