Future law students will find the ABA guide to approved law schools important because whether a legal institution is accredited by the ABA can have an impact on the student's career. For example, in some states, a law student graduate must attend an ABA-approved law school in order to be eligible to sit for the state's bar examination. Also, students who attend an ABA-accredited school have a better chance of passing a bar examination on the first try.
The ABA guide to approved law schools can be purchased in print or retrieved for free online. As of March 2011, there are 200 ABA-approved legal educational institutions in the United States. Both public and private schools nationwide are on the list. Also, five schools are in the provisional stage. Schools can be found using one of four search methods: by accreditation year, in alphabetical order or by public/private institution. Although no schools are currently on probation, the website does have a method for indicating such information, when applicable.
Following submission of an application, the ABA accreditation process consists of two stages. In the provisional approval stage, which occurs for a minimum of three years, an ABA committee conducts onsite evaluations of the school in order to monitor whether the institution is in compliance with ABA educational standards. During this time, the school must submit a plan for achieving full compliance with ABA mandates. Once the school is able to demonstrate that it is in full compliance with all ABA requirements, accreditation may be granted.
The ABA accreditation process is designed to assure students that they will receive an adequate legal education. To that end, the ABA looks at a variety of factors in deciding whether to approve a law school. Thorough evaluations of the campus infrastructure, staff, enrollment, fiscal health, tuition, technology and extracurricular activities are undertaken.
Attending an ABA-approved law school is not for everyone for a variety of reasons. If you are in doubt as to whether attending an ABA-accredited law school is vital to your career goals, speak with an educational adviser who can help you determine which path is best for you.