The first thing you need to ask yourself is—why? You see, not only will you face a long and difficult course of study, but it can be quite expensive as well. For these reasons you’ll really want to be certain of your career goals before embarking on a path that may not be right for you.

Once, however, you have asked yourself the difficult questions and you’re truly convinced you want to get a law degree, you have two possible methods to choose from. Each has its own distinct advantages and disadvantages.

1) Traditional Method to Get a Law Degree

In the United States this means first earning a college degree with a good Grade Point Average and then taking and passing the Law School Admission Test (LSAT). Assuming you score well on this very difficult examination, you’ll need to make it past the admissions’ committee of the particular law school from which you wish to get a law degree.

If you are admitted you must then complete a comprehensive program for three years full time or four years part time in most cases before you finally get a law degree.

But, you’re not ready to practice law just yet, first you must pass the state bar examination—congratulations, you’re now a lawyer!! (Better get a job quick to pay off those student loans)

2) Alternative Method to Get a law Degree

Here you can enroll in a law school with 60 college credits, avoid taking the LSAT (in most cases) and get a law degree from a non ABA law school.

So what’s the difference? Well, ABA law schools have a well established standard of excellence. If you have the opportunity to attend an ABA law school to get a law degree (and if you can afford it), by all means take it. But, there are opportunities to get a law degree through non ABA law schools such as the California law schools and earn a high quality if not equally great legal education. It has been reported that some non ABA law schools and graduates have equal or higher pass rates than some traditional law schools.

The point here is that these law schools offer a viable alternative for those who are not able, for one reason or another, to get a law degree by more traditional means. Both paths lead to the same place and for some the alternative approach is a good fit. Still, irrespective of the method you choose, you must be prepared to make sacrifices and work hard. The study of law is one of the arduous courses of study you’ll undertake—perseverance and hard work are the only way to reach your goal.

Perhaps you need to consider the alternatives when deciding to get a law degree. Don't abandon your dreams — put The Law School Bible to Work today!