Top Law Schools

What schools should I be reaching for? What schools are safe bets?

I'm an Army vet and a Hispanic man.

You're asking the wrong questions. Where do you want to practice? How committed are you to that region? Are you GI Bill eligible?

Numbers are a good gauge for where you might get in to a law school, but it's not a good indicator for where you should apply to law school. If you're from AZ and want to practice in Phoenix, you should apply to UA/ASU, maybe UCLA/USC (a bit skeptical here, but they can likely place you there as well), and maybe paper the lower T14 if you're 100% GI Bill eligible.

UVA2B wrote:You're asking the wrong questions. Where do you want to practice? How committed are you to that region? Are you GI Bill eligible?

Numbers are a good gauge for where you might get in to a law school, but it's not a good indicator for where you should apply to law school. If you're from AZ and want to practice in Phoenix, you should apply to UA/ASU, maybe UCLA/USC (a bit skeptical here, but they can likely place you there as well), and maybe paper the lower T14 if you're 100% GI Bill eligible.

Because I can't edit here, I now realize you're applying to FLEP, so this is somewhat moot. But it also makes this question less relevant, because if you're selected for FLEP, the cost and career are taken care of, meaning what school you attend matters much, much less.

UVA2B wrote:

UVA2B wrote:You're asking the wrong questions. Where do you want to practice? How committed are you to that region? Are you GI Bill eligible?

Numbers are a good gauge for where you might get in to a law school, but it's not a good indicator for where you should apply to law school. If you're from AZ and want to practice in Phoenix, you should apply to UA/ASU, maybe UCLA/USC (a bit skeptical here, but they can likely place you there as well), and maybe paper the lower T14 if you're 100% GI Bill eligible.

Because I can't edit here, I now realize you're applying to FLEP, so this is somewhat moot. But it also makes this question less relevant, because if you're selected for FLEP, the cost and career are taken care of, meaning what school you attend matters much, much less.

If I go into the private sector after my service obligation to the Army is complete, which school I went to will matter quite a bit, correct? Or does the 6 years of on-the-job experience I'll have from being a JAG officer negate some of the school's importance?

My impression is that JAG --> private sector (or the kind of private sector that cares about your school pedigree) is relatively unusual. It seems much more common to go JAG --> federal work or criminal work. (I know it will depend on what you end up doing in JAG, of course.)