Analyze the student-to-faculty ratio amongst law schools in California. In order to rank a California law school, research the student-to-professor ratio at the school. Generally, law schools that have a 10-to-1 ratio or less have more student-faculty interaction. According to Top-Law-Schools.com, Stanford Law School ranks #1 in a long list of California law schools. Stanford Law School has an 8.6 to 1 student to faculty ratio. Involved interaction with faculty enables law students to learn first-hand knowledge from those most experienced in the field. California law schools with a low student-to-faculty ratio rank better overall.
Research the grading system. California law schools with competitive grading systems tend to have a strong academic reputation and therefore a higher competitive rank. Many law instructors have done away with the A-to-F grading system and have chosen a four-grade style. This grading system assigns a grade as honors, passing, partial credit, or no credit at all. According to Top-Law-Schools.com, The University of Berkely Law School and Standford Law School have both adopted this style of grading. A California law school that implements this grading system is focused on helping students gain a complete educational experience and a well-grounded knowledge of the subject. As a result, students are less concerned about one final exam and work to gain a comprehensive knowledge of the law. On the other hand, UCLA Law School uses the A-to-F grading scale and ranks slightly lower than both Stanford and U.C. Berkeley. A law school with a fair and student-minded grading system ranks higher.
Assess the professors' quality of teaching. Positive student surveys reflect the nature of interaction in the classroom. Research student reviews and California law school websites to determine whether the professors are interesting, accessible, knowledgeable, and fair. According to Top-Law-Schools.com, students at Stanford Law School say their professors "truly want to teach." Examine the faculty members' educational history, experience, reputation, and authorship. Distinguishable and well-respected professors enable a California law school to gain a more prestigious ranking. According to Pepperdine.edu, The Princeton Review has ranked the Pepperdine law faculty as one of the most accessible in the country in 2009 and 2010.
Compare tuition rates and financial aid packages. California law schools have competitive tuition rates, and most offer scholarships and grants to help with financial concerns. Assess whether the California law school offers financial aid based on merit or need. Need-based scholarships tend to be the most advantageous for the majority of students. Affordable tuition rates and helpful financial aid packages help a law school rise up the ranking scale. According to Top-Law-Schools.com, UCLA is generous with its financial aid. In the 2009-2010 school year, 61 percent of students admitted to UCLA received a financial aid grant from the school. Even though most students do have to borrow money to finance their education in law, UCLA Law graduates generally enjoy stellar career prospects. Similarly, a high percentage of students at Stanford Law School receive financial aid. Roughly 80 percent of students receive some combination of loan and grant assistance. Students interviewed described Stanford's financial aid as "tremendously generous" compared with offers from other schools. "Stanford's need based financial aid blew everyone else's financial aid of any flavor away," reported one student.
Study the curriculum standards and internship availability opportunities. Determine whether the law school offers a study on various avenues of law including business law, environmental law, and international law. Check if the law school offers public-interest programs for eligible students. Study whether the law school offers clerkships and internships with reputable law firms. These curriculum and internship offerings help a California law school rank above other schools. According to Top-Law-Schools.com, Loyola Law School in California is first the American Bar Association-approved law school in California to have a pro bono requirement for graduation. Students must complete at least 40 hours of "uncompensated, legally related public service." The dean emphasizes the importance of this requirement, writing: "Loyola was one of the first schools in California to require its students to complete 40 hours of pro bono work. Social justice just isn't a phrase on our website, we care about training our students to be positive members of the bar and to hopefully, go on to have a positive impact on our community, whether in public interest or business or politics."