Located in the attractive region of Stanford in Santa Clara County, Massachusetts, Stanford Law School presents an appealing choice for potential law students. Established in 1908, the school consistently achieves a top three ranking as one of the best destinations in which to study law across the whole of the US, offering an undeniably stimulating and positive environment in which to learn the trade.
The faculty boasts a number of specialities including international law, business and corporate law and environmental law. In practice, however, the faculty offers one of the most balanced law programs in the whole of the US. Students enjoy an excellent student-faculty ratio of just 7.5 to 1. The typical size of a first year small section course is just 30 students, ensuring a meaningful and beneficial relationship can develop between the students and the 55 full-time faculty members.
The Stanford Law School admissions department attracts over 4000 applications for a highly coveted 170 places each year. A successful application will depend upon a multitude of factors. Emphasis is placed on both Grade Point Average and Law Schools Admissions Test (LSAT) results. The quality of personal recommendations, a Dean’s Statement and a two page personal statement also play a significant role in the demanding application process. Applications for consideration cost $75 and must be received by the annual deadline of February 1. Pursuing a career in law at Stanford is expensive with annual tuition fees coming in at $42,420. The high cost of living in the Bay Area will further hike up the expenses of law students to over $65,000 a year. That said, the school is committed to offering financial aid to those students who would be otherwise unable to pursue a course at Stanford. Nearly 80% of students qualify for some level of financial assistance.
Those lucky enough to gain one of the few places at Stanford Law School can anticipate a highly enriched educational environment. Around 70% of students undertake work on law reviews and journals and further enjoy the opportunity to work on U.S. Supreme Court Cases. Over 50 individual student organizations represent the diverse interests and activities of the student body.
Life aside from study presents an attractive proposition for potential students. Stanford was described by former Dean, Kathleen Sullivan, as paradise. A unique blend of architectural beauty, the natural splendour of the sunny Californian surroundings and a close community has indeed propelled Stanford to become one of the most sought-after law school destinations in the country.
To find out more about the spectacular job prospects presented by Stanford Law School, visit law.stanford.edu.
Greg Smith
Greg took the LSAT in 2002 receiving a high score that got him into the law school of his choice. This led him to teach LSAT classes while attending law school at the University of British Columbia and continued teaching while practicing law with top international law firms Borden Ladner Gervais LLP and later Blake Cassels & Graydon LLP, in the area of Securities and Capital Markets. Read more
