To Find A Career In As A Paralegal, Do I Have To Attend An Aba Approved College?
February 4, 2010 – 4:52 pmI plan on becoming a paralegal, and I have seen that only a few colleges are ABA approved. Does this matter? Or can I go through any program and receive exact same title/degree. Will it matter when it comes to an attorney hiring me?
Tags: Approved, Attend, Career, College, Find, Have, Paralegal
2 Responses to “To Find A Career In As A Paralegal, Do I Have To Attend An Aba Approved College?”
Going to an ABA-approved program definitely helps, as it’s seen as the “gold standard” of certification when it comes to paralegal programs. However, you CAN attend other programs and get a good job, too.
I’d recommend you check out local job postings to see what employers in your area are looking for. Do they ask for a degree from an ABA-approved school? If lots do, then it might be necessary.
The other thing you should do is check out any accreditation that non ABA-approved schools have. You should know that ABA-approval can be a lengthy process and some very good schools may choose not to pursue it. A good benchmark is to see whether schools you’re interested in are accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Finally, I’d recommend you talk to the career services people at any schools you’re considering. Ask them where people typically get jobs coming out of their program. Also ask what percentage of students have a job within a few months of graduation. That will help you see whether the school’s graduates are in demand.
Good luck!!
By Patricia on Feb 4, 2010
Easier to get hired; otherwise its up to teh state specifics for the licensing
By wizjp on Feb 5, 2010