Legal Education in the USA

Education in the USA

If you ask any scholar which country in the world has the best system of legal education, in many cases the answer will be the United States of America. Indeed, a legal education is one of America’s prides. The number of international law students in the US exceeds the number of all international law students studying in all countries combined!

LAW SCHOOLS IN THE USA

Legal education in the USA is different from other countries. In different countries, a student, in order to obtain a degree in law, must immediately enter the first year of the university in this specialty. To enter most universities, students only need to provide a certificate of secondary education. In the US, education is structured quite differently. The system of legal education and law itself in the United States is regarded as a professional-academic field, it is the equivalent of master’s programs in most universities in the world. This means that students can enter universities in the specialty of law only after completing a bachelor’s degree. Law in the United States is not taught in bachelor’s programs.

Law schools in the United States are part of commercial and public universities and offer students the opportunity to earn the Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree. The Juris Doctor (J.D.) program lasts 3 years (full-time study) or 4 years (correspondence study). The most difficult stage in learning is the first year because of the core subjects, exams and the Socratic method, which is used in teaching Law to students. The Socratic Method attracts many international students to study law at US Universities. Most students do not like this method very much, as it is very difficult, causes a certain tension and creates confusion. But it is this method that helps students develop a unique legal mindset and easily master the practical skills of a lawyer.

The Socratic method is a form of learning through the study of court cases and legal issues. Students read the case before class, then they are invited to explain it themselves. The professor never explains anything, but in return demands an explanation from the student by asking him questions. However, the professor does not just ask questions, but does it according to a certain system, as a result of which his questions more and more clarify the student’s thinking, draw attention to nuances that the student did not initially imagine existed. The idea of ​​the method is that the student himself develops his own logic of proof and convinces himself that a certain decision of the judge in this case is the best.

US SYSTEM OF TRAINING IN LAW

The American system of education in the field of law consists of 5 main stages:
1. Bachelor’s degree from university or college (4 years)
2. Preparing for the test, and passing the test on the right LSAT
3. School of Law, Juris Doctor Program – (3 years)
4. Bar Exam – qualifying exam for the status of a lawyer
5. Obtaining a certificate for legal practice, based on a successfully given exam

HOW TO APPLY TO LAW SCHOOL IN THE USA

Many students do not understand the difficulty of entering law school. The admission process is very complicated and lengthy, so there are several preparatory points that every foreign student should take into account. Every year the competition for studying at law schools is growing due to the popularity of the direction.

What you should pay attention to if you want to become a student of a prestigious law school:
• Good, even excellent estimates first of all. Law schools pay special attention to the average score of a bachelor’s degree – GPA. Therefore, students must provide the highest possible marks.
• Passing the profile exam LSAT . The result of this exam is very important for admission, so do not be lazy, it is advisable to start preparing as early as possible. We also recommend that students take an optional test-taking course directly in the United States. This will allow you to prepare faster and successfully pass the test. The LSAT is an entrance exam for law schools.
• A high level of English. For admission to US universities, law schools, you will need to pass the TOEFL test. We recommend taking this particular test for further study in the USA. Courses in language schools in the USA or in Ukraine will help you prepare for the English language test.

IMPORTANT! Students from Ukraine who plan to enter law school should know that not all universities accept foreign students for this specialty. Education of foreign students in the specialty of law is regulated by the laws of each particular state.

WHAT DOCUMENTS SHOULD I PROVIDE FOR ENTRY
To enter the university for the Juris Doctor program, you need to provide the following package of required documents:
1. Bachelor’s degree (4 years) in any specialty;
2. Registration with the Law School Data Assembly Service (LSDAS) – many law schools in the US accept applications exclusively through this service.
3. LSAT test result
4. 2 letters of recommendation from university teachers
5. TOEFL test result
6. Financial documents that confirm your ability to pay. In this case, students (or the sponsor) must provide certificates from the bank on the availability and status of the account. There must be an amount on the account that corresponds to the cost of education and living for one academic year

EDUSTEPS consultants will help you correctly draw up a package of documents and form documents depending on the requirements of the university.

LLM PROGRAM (MASTER OF LAW DEGREE)
Many universities, in addition to a bachelor’s degree, may additionally require a master’s degree in law – LLM (MASTER OF LAW DEGREE). This is a one-year program that is introductory to, but in no way replaces, the Juris Doctor. It is necessary to check the need to complete the LLM (Master of Law Degree) program before submitting documents.

TUITION COST FOR THE J.D. PROGRAM
Studying at law faculties of universities is not a cheap pleasure. You need to count on an amount of $35,000 or more per year. Education in the most prestigious and ranking schools ranges from 55 to 70,000 US dollars per year. Scholarships in this area are extremely rare, otherwise they are not available at all, especially foreign students cannot count on a scholarship.

Law is considered one of the most expensive specialties (after medicine) at US universities. This is due to the fact that the level of earnings in this area is very high and in a few years you can return the money spent.

The material was prepared by EduSteps consultants.
The use of any materials posted on the site is permitted provided the link to EduSteps.com.ua.