Purchasing Resources for Tennessee Law Schools

Tennessee Law Schools Advice and Ratings

Find the best TN law schools for your needs using advice and ratings resources
By Emmet McMahan Tennessee law schools advice and ratings use many statistics, such as employment prospects, median salary and tuition. Intangibles such as campus life, teaching methods and learning atmosphere also may form the basis of a law school evaluation.
 

Applicants to accredited law schools in Tennessee should begin their search by first considering law schools located in their desired geographic area. They also should consider the top law schools in the state where they plan to practice. Applicants should then select the schools that are within their budget and meet their specific needs. There are three general sources for evaluating Tennessee law schools:

1. Blogs and forums on getting a TN law degree. A credible blog, forum or other type of social media may have posts from students, faculty and law school experts sharing their personal experiences or professional opinions about Tennessee law schools.
2. Rating services of law schools. Recognized experts may provide ratings or rankings of law schools that offer exceptional educational programs or opportunities.
3. Recognition for individual law schools. The best law schools will earn awards, grants and other accolades for their programs.
   

Get advice for ABA approved law schools in Tennessee through blogs and forums

Blogs and forums contain advice, opinions and comments from law students, professors or lawyers on law schools in Tennessee. They also may rank law schools according to specific criteria.
Try: Law Crossing provides basic ranking information on Vanderbilt, as well as comments on professors and their teaching methods. Law School Discussion is a forum that provides advice on law schools, including posts about the University of Tennessee.

Study rankings of ABA law schools in Tennessee

Rankings for law schools in Tennessee are an effective and credible source of advice and ratings. Each rating service should provide its methodology. Rankings typically consist of weighted factors, such as assessments of law professors, selectivity and placement rate.
Try: U.S. News and World Report ranked Vanderbilt University in Nashville 15th in 2008. LawSchoolNumbers.com provides the percentile rankings for the University of Tennessee Law School compiled from several national sources.

Look at Tennessee law schools that are the recipients of awards

Awards and accolades can be an excellent way of identifying top tier law schools in Tennessee. Law schools may receive awards for legal research, academic programs or specific papers. The best law schools also will receive grants for their programs.
Try: According to the Conference on International Criminal Justice, Planethood Foundation awarded Vanderbilt a grant in 2008 to support externships on criminal law. The Tennessee Legislature passed a joint resolution in 2008 honoring the University of Tennessee College of Law's Legal Clinic.

• Law school applicants seeking highly rated Tennessee law schools should use the law school ratings to get a good overview of the schools. However, applicants should be more concerned with finding a law school that will meet their particular needs, rather than attending the highest ranked law school on a list. Law school students may also wish to consider pursuing an online law degree in Tennessee. A TN online law school may provide a more affordable option for busy law school students.