Complete high school or earn an General Education Development diploma. Many paralegal schools require that entering students have completed high school for admission. If you have not yet received that diploma, you may seek a high school equivalency diploma instead.
Select a paralegal school. You may study at a two-year college, a four-year college or university or earn a certificate from a business school or for-profit institution. There are advantages to each of these, and your situation will determine the best choice for you. You can earn an associate's degree in two years or less at most community colleges. Paralegal certificates take only a few months to complete and are designed for those who have already completed undergraduate college.
Get your general education credits under your belt. Most colleges or university programs will require you to take general education courses and electives in basic math, English and humanities in addition to your legal education courses. You may opt to take some of these at a different location or online to save money and time.
Decide where you want to live and work. Choose a paralegal school that is in the same jurisdiction as where you plan to reside, as legal procedures and practices vary from state to state, county to county and even between nearby cities.
Research the types of law firms and public legal offices in your area. You may find some law firms in your area of interest offer on-the-job training to paralegals. If you know where you hope to work, ask what they look for in the education of their paralegals and plan your educational track accordingly.