The law is an exciting field with high earning potential. That is if you're a good lawyer. It's best to choose your law school carefully if you want to be a good lawyer.
Considering that there are hundreds of law schools scattered across the country, this is easier said than done.
In this post, we'll review each American Bar Association-accredited school in Missouri to make the selection a little easier for you. In Missouri, you have four ABA-accredited options:
- University of Missouri School of Law: Located in Columbia.
- University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law: Located in Kansas City.
- Saint Louis University School of Law: Located in St. Louis
- Washington University School of Law: Located in St. Louis.
You have three choices when it comes to the city that you'd like to stay in. Which suits you best?
University of Missouri School of Law
- Ranking: 64.
- Bar Passage Rates: 93.3% percent.
- Post-Graduation Salaries: $49,254 to $60,000.
- Acceptance Rate: 78 percent.
- LSAT: 1120 – 1350
- ACT: 23 – 29
This law school actively promotes high achievement among students. It's a popular school with a larger campus. There are around 22,200 students on campus year-round. Admissions are not extremely competitive, but, as you see, you need good LSAT scores.
This school offers value for money. It also provides an outstanding financial aid program for students. The social scene is fun and exciting.
University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law
- Ranking: 108 for full-time law, and 52 for part-time law.
- Bar Passage Rates: 74.07 percent.
- Post-Graduation Salaries: $45,185 to $60,000.
- Acceptance Rate: 64 percent.
- LSAT: 1,100 to 1,420.
- ACT: 21 – 28
This is a public university that consistently puts in an above-average performance. Its size is moderate, with fewer than 6,800 students. The admission rate is low at around 64 percent, meaning that competition is strict, so bring your A-game.
The campus focuses strictly on academics, and students are expected to work hard. The school does have a great sports program, as well.
Saint Louis University School of Law
- Ranking: 90 for full-time law, and 30 for part-time law.
- Bar Passage Rates: 94 percent.
- Post-Graduation Salaries: $45,000 to $70,000.
- Acceptance Rate: 64 percent.
- LSAT: 1,170 to 1,390.
- ACT: 25 – 31.
Saint Louis is a Catholic private school with an outstanding reputation. The school is strict, with an emphasis on strong academic performance. The school does offer a good sports program as well. The moderately sized school caters to around 6,800 students.
If you're hoping to apply, make sure that your marks are excellent. The competition to get into this school is high. The costs are reasonable, and there is financial aid available to students.
Washington University School of Law
- Ranking: 18
- BAR Passage Rates: 95.5 percent.
- Post-Graduation Salaries: $57,000 to $162,500.
- Acceptance Rate: 16 %
- SAT Range: 1,470 to 1,570.
- ACT Range: 30 to 34.
This ranks as one of the top schools in the country. As a result, it is challenging to get in. With an acceptance rate of only 16 percent, you'll need to work hard if you hope to get a place here. As you'll notice, the school is a lot stricter in terms of LSAT scores.
The school works hard to provide an exceptional education and expects students to work just as hard. It looks for the best and brightest students. There are no free passes here.
On the upside, the bar passage rates are exceptional. Job prospects in the private sector with this school on your resume are excellent.
Which School is Right for Me?
All four schools offer excellent educational opportunities. The average bar passage rate between the four is 89.2 percent. All the schools have exciting programs and also sports programs as well. But one school outdistances itself from the other three – the Washington University School of Law.
Why?
- It's in the top 20 schools in the country.
- The bar passage rate is the highest at 95.5 percent.
- The school is extremely strict about who it admits. Only prospects with LSATs of 1,470 or more qualify to apply. For many other schools, this figure is on the upper range of the limit of what they'll accept.
- Career prospects in the private sector are enticing. You could find yourself making double what the other college graduates make.
- Washington is a prestigious college.
Should I Drop the Top School?
Let's be honest here; not everyone is going to make it into the Washington University School of Law. The application criteria are strict. And, if you don't meet them, you'd battle to keep up with your fellow students.
The Saint Louis University School of Law is a little laxer with entry requirements. It offers a similar bar passage rate. It's also a good option if you're interested in faith-based education.
The University of Missouri School of Law comes third on our list. Even so, it has an impressive bar passage rate that's almost on a par with our top choices. Acceptance into the school is a little easier to achieve here. The one downside is that it's something of a party school.
The University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law comes in the last place because of the lower bar passage rate. Don't get us wrong – 74.07 percent is a reasonable rate in terms of the country averages. But, compared to the percentages of the other ABA-accredited schools in Missouri, it looks anemic.
Still, it's a good school and is relatively simple to get into. We'd recommend considering applying to one of the others first. This school could work well as a safety school instead.
Final Notes
Overall, attending any of the schools on this list will land you an excellent education. Overall, though, none of the schools can quite measure up to the strict standards of the Washington University School of Law.
Employers know which schools are easy to get into and which aren't. That is one of the reasons that graduates of Washington University School can command such high salaries overall.
To choose between these schools might be difficult. Are you able to deal with a higher-pressure environment? Would you like more individualized attention? Do you want a more active social life? These are all things to consider before making your final decision.
