Picking a law school can be a very taxing process. It should be, to some extent. You may be at that same school, located within the same city, surrounded by many of the same people for three or more years. When I first started the process, I began the same way I did when I was picking my undergraduate school. First, I looked at the schools I knew great things about, and then considered the schools I simply heard of, and finally expanded my consideration to include just about every single school that seemed interesting in the United States. Ultimately, I narrowed it down significantly because, let’s be honest, those applications can take forever and the fees can really add up. In the end, my final list consisted of schools located in cities I wanted to live in: San Diego, NYC, Los Angeles and San Francisco.

Once schools began responding with either a “Congratulations,…” or “Thank you for your application. Unfortunately, …”, I began to look further into the schools I was accepted to and visited a couple campuses. I found visiting schools was the best thing I could have done for myself because you get a pretty good feel for the school, the prospective students that could potentially be your classmates, and the faculty and staff you could work with.

When I visited California Western, I got a very unique feeling I did not get from many of the other schools. There was a sense of a genuinely tight-knit community where the students, faculty, and staff worked together and supported one another. More importantly, it felt like a place I could be comfortable at where people were truly invested in my success. It was clear their academics and curriculum were at the level I was seeking, as most law schools are, but the camaraderie and welcoming atmosphere at Cal Western were beyond my expectations. Their faculty and staff were approachable and friendly, the current students were interested in meeting the prospective students, and everyone was available to discuss questions, concerns, fears, and comments.

Unlike picking an undergrad, I factored other things into my decision. For me, I wanted my law school to be more than just a place to study and obtain my JD. It was not like undergrad, mainly a school to put on my resume. I realized the law school I attend and my experience there could actually help mold what type of lawyer I would become, impact where I would work, and affect the rest of my life. Here are some additional factors that really came into play for me in choosing Cal Western…

Family and friends: While many people move away from their families and friends, I definitely wanted to have my family and friends close by to provide me a solid support system. I am originally from San Diego, but had not lived here since I graduated from high school. To be frank, I never thought I’d live here again because I just saw it as the place I grew up in. However, I knew law school was going to be very demanding and challenging so I wanted to have a nice “comfort zone” for when times get tough. My family and friends always provided a nice outlet and safe-zone for me and I knew I would need that as I undergo this 3-year roller coaster ride. For years I lived away from them. After graduating from UCLA, I moved to NYC and got as far away as I could, but at this point in my life, I realized I literally wanted them by my side, especially for this law school experience.

Location: Once I realized how much I actually love San Diego, I decided I wanted to study here and hopefully practice in this city once I graduate. Given that realization, I figured it would be to my benefit to study in a city where I can continuously network with future employers, obtain internships at firms or offices I’d like to work at, and begin building my legal reputation and community. Many Cal Western alumni practice in San Diego, many of which will be those just a year and two ahead of me, and many people here will tell you Cal Western has a very strong network within the city. It may be cliché, but I believe there is some truth to the phrase, “it’s not what you know, but who you know”.

Finances: Looking at the cost of law school and thinking about the current economy, finances and financing law school were big considerations for me. Unlike undergrads, I wanted to finance the tuition, books, and the like without much of my parents’ help. Fortunately, I was awarded a scholarship from Cal Western that would help with most of the cost. Additionally, my family is located here and can help with basics such as housing and other living expenses, which is incredibly beneficial for me.

While there are so many other factors to consider in picking a law school, these were just some of the ones I considered most. Choosing a law school is a very personal decision and everyone will factor in different things. I suggest taking everything into consideration, but going with what feels right based on what is most important to you, be it a particular focus or program at the school, location, finances, your family, or even the school’s ranking. In the end, I chose California Western because of the feeling I got from my visits and the additional factors I weighed in my decision. At this time, I feel very confident in my choice and am ecstatic to be a 1L at Cal Western this year. I look forward to a very challenging, yet rewarding new experience and I am incredibly excited to share it on this blog.