The law school you attend will determine what you learn, and will affect the career choices that you have upon graduation. Take the time to find a school that is the right fit for you. This page will outline how to choose a law school that's right for you.

• There are many law schools in the United States, and each is unique. Assuming you have the grades and LSAT scores to choose among several law schools, you'll need to think carefully about what makes the most sense for you, both as a person, and as an aspiring lawyer. Take the time to think about the type of law you want to practice, where you'd like to live, and how much you can afford to pay, when picking a law school to attend.

Think about what type of law you'd like to practice (Creative Commons photo by umjanedoan)

• Law schools have strengths and weaknesses. Some do a good job of preparing students to enter public service, while others provide a fast track to big Wall Street Firms. Some have professors doing cutting edge work in intellectual property and copyright law, while others have faculties that are filled with renowned constitutional scholars. Review course catalogs, faculty biographies, and statistics on what types of law alumni are practicing, to get a sense of the school's strengths.

• Although some law schools have national draw when it comes to hiring, most have better relationships with firms in their state or region. Attending a law school in the state you're looking to practice in will also help when it comes to the bar exam, as the bar is state specific, and some schools offer courses in state law.Wall Street Journal: Best Defense? Seeking a Haven in Law School (March 19, 2009)

• Don't discount the cost of law school when comparing schools. If you're hoping to land a job as an associate with an elite firm and a large paycheck, attending an elite law school with a large price tag might make sense. On the other hand, if you're looking to open a small town practice, or pursue public interest law, you won't want to be burdened with hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt when you graduate.

Yale University Law School (Creative Commons photo by thewastedsmile)

If prestige is important to you, as you're looking to get a job with an elite firm that primarily hires from top ranked schools, then you might want to consider applying to one of the schools that U.S. News and World Report ranked as the top law schools in the country in 2008:U.S. News and World Report: Best Law Schools (Ranked in 2008)

1. Yale University
2. Harvard University
3. Stanford University
4. Columbia University
5. New York University
6. University of California at Berkeley
7. University of Chicago
8. University of Pennsylvania
9. Northwestern University
10. University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
11. University of Virginia
12. Cornell University

• If you've carefully considered what type of law you're interested in, where you want to practice, and how much you can afford to pay, you'll have a good sense of what you want that you can use to evaluate offers from different law schools.