Few decisions feel bigger than choosing a law school. Rankings, scholarship offers, bar passage rates, employment statistics, campus visits and countless online opinions can make the process overwhelming.
Yet when four past recipients of The National Jurist’s 2023 Law Student of the Year honor reflect on their own journeys, they share a surprisingly consistent message: focus less on prestige and more on finding the place where you can thrive.
Their experiences also reveal another important truth. Once classes begin, law school is rarely what students expect.
Consider more than rankings
If there is one piece of conventional wisdom these graduates challenge, it is relying on rankings alone in the decision process.
Jessica Collier, a 2024 graduate of Widener University Commonwealth Law School who now works as a legal process engineer at Baker Donelson, said she took a holistic approach when choosing a school.
“I considered not just rankings, but also overall fit, cost and the environment where I felt I would be most successful,” Collier said.
Nicole Jansma, a 2023 graduate of Chicago-Kent College of Law at Illinois Institute of Technology and now a judicial law clerk and staff attorney at the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals, agreed.
“I do wish people would stop focusing on chasing the rankings,” she said.
Instead, Jansma urges students to consider factors such as scholarships, legal writing programs, career outcomes and overall educational quality. In her view, financial flexibility can create opportunities after graduation that might otherwise be unavailable.
Sydney Warinner, a 2023 graduate of Case Western Reserve University School of Law, reached a similar conclusion when choosing her law school. Interested in international law, she looked beyond overall rankings and focused on specialized programs, practical experiences, faculty expertise and scholarship opportunities.
“Many schools with a slightly lower overall ranking have much higher scores for specialized areas of law,” she said. “And many schools in this tier offer more affordable tuition or better scholarship opportunities, smaller class sizes and more opportunities for practical education.”
For Warinner, affordability was especially important as a first-generation law student. The scholarships and opportunities available at CWRU Law helped make her legal education possible while supporting her long-term career goals.
Look beyond the LSAT
Collier also believes applicants place too much emphasis on one particular number.
“Many prelaw students place too much emphasis on the LSAT score,” she said. “While it is important, it doesn’t define who you are as a student or who you will become as an attorney.”
Collier said success does not hinge on admissions statistics or a single exam. Strong lawyers come from a wide range of schools and backgrounds.
The surprise of 1L
Law school has a reputation for being intimidating, competitive and relentlessly difficult. While the workload is certainly demanding, these graduates discovered that reality did not always match the stereotypes.
Jansma was pleasantly surprised.
“It was not as intimidating or cutthroat as perhaps popular lore makes it out to be,” she said. “Many students find that classmates become friends, collaborators and future colleagues rather than competitors.”
Dylan Gunaratne, who graduated from Southwestern Law School in 2023, said his biggest surprise about the first year of law school was more personal. He had been out of school for a few years before starting law school and it was hard to get back into the classroom setting.
“I felt a sense of inadequacy at first as I tried to keep up with the workload and readings,” he said. “But I soon found my bearings and built up my confidence.”
Finding what works
One lesson appears repeatedly throughout these graduates’ experiences: there is no single formula for academic success.
Collier succeeded by treating law school like a full-time job. She arrived early, reviewed notes before class, completed reading assignments between classes and maintained a consistent daily routine.
Jansma adopted a different approach. She preferred taking notes by hand and then typing them later to review, organize and synthesize the information.
Gunaratne became known for his intensive memory work. He spent countless hours mastering outlines and using recall exercises to ensure he knew the material inside and out before exams.
Their methods varied, but each student discovered a system that matched their learning style.
The important lesson for incoming students is not to copy someone else’s process. It is to find your own.
Don’t forget yourself
Perhaps the most consistent theme among all four graduates is the importance of maintaining balance.
Looking back, Collier wishes she had paid more attention to her mental health and stress management.
Warinner intentionally built personal time into her schedule. She set limits on evening work, tried to keep one day each weekend free and prioritized hobbies and time with loved ones.
“Law school can feel all-consuming and cause you to lose touch with the parts of your life that make you you,” Warinner said.
Whether it was a favorite comfort food or simply stepping away from the books for an evening, each graduate found ways to reconnect with life outside the classroom.
Their advice is simple but powerful: law school matters, but so do the people, interests and experiences that make you who you are.
Jessica Collier: J.D. ’24, Widener Law Commonwealth
Best study spot: The law school library
Law school comfort food: Chicken and dumplings
One thing every incoming law student should do: Develop a study system early
Dylan Gunaratne: J.D. ’23, Southwestern Law
Best study spot: Alone in his room
Study secret: Memorizing outlines through repetition and recall
Best law school advice: Don’t forget your “why”
Nicole Jansma: J.D. ’23, Chicago-Kent University
Best study spot: Coffee shops
Law school comfort food: Pasta carbonara
One thing every incoming law student should do: Build stress-relief and wellness habits into your schedule from day one
Sydney Warinner: J.D. ’23, CWRU Law
Law school comfort food: Homemade pizza and the occasional Dunkin run
One thing every incoming law student should own: A reliable coffee maker
Best law school advice: Trust who you are and why you want to become a lawyer
