Quick Highlights:
- Top paralegal programs are accredited and offer a comprehensive curriculum that covers essential legal skills and knowledge, including legal research, case management, and various law areas such as civil, criminal, and family law.
- The best programs feature experienced faculty and provide opportunities for gaining practical experience through internships and networking events.
- Strong paralegal programs offer career support services, including job placement assistance, and have high job placement rates.
In every field, studying in a top program is going to give you an advantage. When you finish school and look for a job, the accomplishment of finishing a top program won’t be lost on your potential employers. Also, such programs will give you the knowledge needed to thrive once you start working in the real world.
On this page, we are going to discuss finding the top paralegal studies programs. What is it that makes a good program in this field? Choosing a paralegal program can seem like an intimidating task but it will get easier once you learn more about the options. Let’s get started!
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Key Features of Great Paralegal Programs
To dive right in, we are going to use this first section to look at some characteristics of what the best paralegal programs have in common. While paralegal education criteria will vary a bit from program to program, the best paralegal schools will share these characteristics. As you think about what to look for in paralegal programs, these three points should always be near the top of your mind.
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Accreditation
Without a doubt, this is the starting point. If you are even considering a school, make sure it is properly accredited. If not, just walk away and look for another option. Accreditation is your assurance that the education you receive will be a good one. Also, passing a course with a non-accredited school won’t be worth much and employers might not give you a second look.
Comprehensive Curriculum
You want to leave your paralegal program with a well-rounded understanding of the tasks you’ll be facing in the real world. This is why making sure paralegal coursework essentials are all in place is so important. You want a curriculum that tests you in various ways and exposes you to as much information as possible.
What will you be learning in paralegal school? Some of the basics include gaining a general understanding of law areas like civil, criminal, and family. You’ll develop the ability to do legal research, manage cases, and write properly. The better the curriculum of your program, the more prepared you will be to take a job and thrive.
Quality Faculty
Look at paralegal faculty credentials when trying to pick out a program to attend. You want to make sure the faculty are experienced in this field. Not only should they have a background in education, but also in working in the field. Learning directly from someone experienced will make your journey much more likely to succeed.
Opportunities to Gain Practical Experience
Good programs are also going to help you get out in the real world to gain experience. Like every other field, it’s a different thing to learn in the classroom as compared to putting your knowledge to use. Paralegal internships are often a great way to learn the ropes and your program could help you land one.
Additionally, strong paralegal programs promote networking. They might have certain events throughout the year that you can attend to meet people in the industry. Or, they might be able to connect you with a helpful mentor. This is where a top-tier program can separate from the rest. When you get more out of the experience than just the education, you’ll really be getting value for your tuition.
Look for Student Support and Other Resources
Speaking of getting value, programs that provide paralegal career guidance are a step ahead of the rest. The whole point of this education is to find a quality job, after all. You’ll need to do plenty of the work to make that happen, but it’s nice to have support in your corner.
Some programs even provide job placement in paralegal studies. This means as you work through your course and perform well you could find a role waiting for you when all is said and done. You don’t want to count on this to be a sure thing but it’s another feature to ask about. Speak with program administrators or previous students to see what kind of help might be available to transition into the working world.
Check on Success Metrics
You might be able to check on some metrics that will indicate how effective the program is in preparing students for jobs. For instance, ask about information on job placement rates. If a program is regularly placing graduates in good positions shortly after they finish their studies, that bodes well for your future.
In addition to rates, look at where graduates are getting jobs. Are they working for leading firms? If so, that indicates that top firms who are hiring paralegals respect the program and your education will be valued. The last thing you want to do is invest time in a program that isn’t going to look that great on your resume.
Consider These Signs a Warning
There are some warning signs in paralegal education to watch for when picking a program. Most likely, you won’t run into these problems, but it’s good to be aware of them just in case.
We already mentioned this point earlier, but a lack of accreditation is the biggest warning sign of all. In fact, this isn’t really a warning sign so much as a stop sign. If a program isn’t accredited, feel free to ignore it as an option.
Also, if there are limited career services offered by the program, that’s concerning. You are going to need some support along the way, especially as graduation nears and you think about your future. Do your best to judge how much support is being provided to current and past students.
It might also be a warning sign, depending on your needs, if a program has limited flexibility. You want the ability to work on your courses online, or in the evening, as your schedule requires. Find options that are going to allow you to do just that.
Arm Yourself with Information
Evaluating paralegal programs comes down to collecting as much information as possible. Taking a close look at the options and what they provide will quickly make it obvious which is going to be the right fit for your needs. For example, a program that offers strong paralegal student support services will have an edge over one that leaves students mostly on their own.
Once you’ve picked a program, dive into your studies and make the most of the opportunity to train for a job in this field. Working as a paralegal is a rewarding challenge and this program is the first step. Good luck along the way!