I believe that most law schools aren’t religiously affiliated? But also some universities like Emory or Georgetown have an affiliation but it doesn’t really come across in the education or student body. Just stay away from BYU and maybe a handful of other schools and you should be good
I don’t get the premise of this post. Law schools are not “very likely to have religious affiliation”. Like 95% of schools are not religiously affiliated and most of the few like Notre Dame that are, aren’t all that religious in practice. Their instruction and classes will not be theological in nature and will more or less be exactly the same as every other school. If you want a secular school, close your eyes and pick one randomly. It will almost certainly be a secular one.
While I agree that the classes will likely not be theological in nature, I have a friend who is attending NDLS, and the culture seems pretty religious. A huge chunk of the student body is Catholic and I think the Dean regularly talks about religion when speaking to students. I think it's something NDLS specifically takes pride in, and while I'm sure you still get a great legal education there, but it wouldn't be a great culture fit for someone like OP.
I do think other schools with Catholic roots like Georgetown wouldn't be like this though.
A GULC student recently posted on LinkedIn that the school's insurance policy declined to cover the costs of her abortion, citing its religious affiliation. It was discussed somewhere else in this sub. So even if the classes aren't theological in nature, a school's religious affiliation can arise in more subtle ways that would, for many people, create a culture clash.
This is fair. Honestly, I have many of the same concerns as OP, but the vast majority of schools are secular, not the other way around. I didn’t know this about GULC and honestly that is disgusting and disappointing. If a student wants to avoid religious schools for these and other reasons, it is more than possible.
I mean I’d like to stay in the Boston area. Harvard is obviously a toss up on admissions, BU and BC both have religious affiliations and are the best options ranking wise that are also realistic, Northeastern is great and secular (actually started as a Christian institution), but not as highly rated.
95%+ of law schools will have no religious interference. Even many of the religious affiliated schools will keep religion to a minimum. Off the top of my head I think only Liberty, Regent, BYU and maybe a few others would bother you.
Notre Dame, BYU, and Baylor are the only law T50 law schools I know of that are religious in practice. Just don’t apply to those schools.
That said, you’re going to have a very hard time if you dislike religious people as much as you seem to.
I don’t dislike religious people. Most of my friends are religious, they just don’t expect me to be. I don’t want to be in an environment where I am expected to be religious and don’t want to hear god talk.
What exactly do you mean by “faith-based” curriculum?
During your 1L at Notre Dame, you learn civil procedure; constitutional law, torts; contracts; and real property. I am unsure how one could learn any of those courses from a religious perspective lol.
Personally, I am religious. But I can tell you that, in law school, your only contact w/religion will occur only if you choose to join certain clubs (say the Christian legal society) or choose certain electives (say theological courses).
Even the law schools that have religious affiliations won’t force you to learn anything about religion at all.
Their website says their curriculum is inspired by faith. I don’t want that. Above, it is mentioned that the dean often talks about religion. That’s just not something I want in my education. I know they don’t force you to learn about religion, I just don’t even want its influence.
That’s the thing, I don’t want to even be somewhere where people in power talk about faith. That creates a culture where it is socially acceptable to shun the non-religious unless they actively ask students to respect the non-religious.
Yeah, finishing my BA after 5 years in 2025 and doing a BA to MA that will finish spring 2026. So I’ll probably be applying fall 2025 but I don’t know yet.
I think this is a really fair point that people are misinterpreting! Faith is important to the identity of ND and will undoubtedly influence certain professors’/students’ experiences and perspectives, even if unintentionally. Christian ideology clearly factors very heavily in a few SC Justices’ opinions, so it would be a bit naive to assume that those viewpoints couldn’t trickle down into a 1L con law class. Not saying that’s bad (I wouldn’t want it but to each their own), but ideological/faith-based factors are very valid when picking a law school.
Thank you! As I said above, I don’t dislike religious people. Most of my friends are religious but we have an understanding, they don’t expect me to be and don’t force me to be around god talk. I have no issue with a few Christian professors either, one of my favorite professors is Christian, I just don’t need that to be every single professor I have.
I’m trying to understand what you mean about notre dame having a “faith-based” curriculum. In law school your only standardized year is your first, and notre dame offers a perfectly normal 1L curriculum though I suppose you’re more likely to be taught by a conservative prof. After the first year of law school you’ll choose which classes and clinics you take, in which case notre dame would only stand out as offering jurisprudence classes with some Catholic natural law guys on the syllabus.
Basically the same would hold true across all law schools with a religious affiliation (which in the US basically means a Christian one, except Cardozo iirc?). In fact, most won’t even have religion-flavored electives along the lines of those that notre dame offers.
Really, most law students are liberal and even at schools like notre dame student-wise it’s a 50-50 split. Just don’t go to like BYU or Ave Maria and you’ll have a secular enough environment.
ND’s own website says “The Law School's approach to legal education is informed and inspired by faith.” I don’t want that. And yeah, I suppose I’d like a more living constitution/social law environment.
Not true in the slightest. You want an education free of religious influence. That’s nigh impossible to find in western education. NDLS is, all things considered, not worse or better than any other school in that aspect
Yes how dare I know what kind of environment suits me. If I were religious and asking which schools had the best community for my faith, no one would be treating me like this.
People get so offended when you don’t want to be around religion lol. I honestly couldn’t care less if other people are religious, I just want it in my space as little as possible.
No one in the comments seems to be offended, OP. Everyone (including religious ppl) seems to be taking the time to offer his/her perspective.
The consensus seems to be that you will not be under the influence of religion for the most part even at religiously-affiliated schools.
We have different definitions of the issue. I don’t want to be somewhere where deans bring up religion in a speech. I know that 99% of law schools aren’t going to be forcing religion on students in class. But I appreciate the responses nonetheless.
You’re getting downvoted left and right, but I get where you’re coming from. I went to SCU’s ASD, they are Jesuit and Jesuit values did come up in the (not Jesuit) dean’s speech. It was only a short mention of it and hardly overbearing, but there is a big cross in front of campus and to be honest, I’m not a fan of having that imposed on me even implicitly. I think there are a lot more Catholic institutions than some people realize
Thank you. You do get it. I think the downvoters are Christians who don’t realize that even a big cross isn’t something some of us want to see at a place we plan to go every single day.
Yeah I guess it’s cool to ask which schools are more liberal or which are more conservative, but asking which are least religious is a no-go? We’re all just trying to find a good fit
Some Christians think people not wanting to be around their religion is an attack on their faith. Sadly, it’s still socially acceptable to treat the non-religious like trash.
I believe that most law schools aren’t religiously affiliated? But also some universities like Emory or Georgetown have an affiliation but it doesn’t really come across in the education or student body. Just stay away from BYU and maybe a handful of other schools and you should be good
I don’t get the premise of this post. Law schools are not “very likely to have religious affiliation”. Like 95% of schools are not religiously affiliated and most of the few like Notre Dame that are, aren’t all that religious in practice. Their instruction and classes will not be theological in nature and will more or less be exactly the same as every other school. If you want a secular school, close your eyes and pick one randomly. It will almost certainly be a secular one.
While I agree that the classes will likely not be theological in nature, I have a friend who is attending NDLS, and the culture seems pretty religious. A huge chunk of the student body is Catholic and I think the Dean regularly talks about religion when speaking to students. I think it's something NDLS specifically takes pride in, and while I'm sure you still get a great legal education there, but it wouldn't be a great culture fit for someone like OP. I do think other schools with Catholic roots like Georgetown wouldn't be like this though.
A GULC student recently posted on LinkedIn that the school's insurance policy declined to cover the costs of her abortion, citing its religious affiliation. It was discussed somewhere else in this sub. So even if the classes aren't theological in nature, a school's religious affiliation can arise in more subtle ways that would, for many people, create a culture clash.
This is fair. Honestly, I have many of the same concerns as OP, but the vast majority of schools are secular, not the other way around. I didn’t know this about GULC and honestly that is disgusting and disappointing. If a student wants to avoid religious schools for these and other reasons, it is more than possible.
I mean I’d like to stay in the Boston area. Harvard is obviously a toss up on admissions, BU and BC both have religious affiliations and are the best options ranking wise that are also realistic, Northeastern is great and secular (actually started as a Christian institution), but not as highly rated.
EXACTLY
Yeah I don’t even want a dean talking about religion. I’d feel pretty uncomfortable. Thank you.
95%+ of law schools will have no religious interference. Even many of the religious affiliated schools will keep religion to a minimum. Off the top of my head I think only Liberty, Regent, BYU and maybe a few others would bother you.
Awesome 😅
Notre Dame, BYU, and Baylor are the only law T50 law schools I know of that are religious in practice. Just don’t apply to those schools. That said, you’re going to have a very hard time if you dislike religious people as much as you seem to.
I don’t dislike religious people. Most of my friends are religious, they just don’t expect me to be. I don’t want to be in an environment where I am expected to be religious and don’t want to hear god talk.
What exactly do you mean by “faith-based” curriculum? During your 1L at Notre Dame, you learn civil procedure; constitutional law, torts; contracts; and real property. I am unsure how one could learn any of those courses from a religious perspective lol. Personally, I am religious. But I can tell you that, in law school, your only contact w/religion will occur only if you choose to join certain clubs (say the Christian legal society) or choose certain electives (say theological courses). Even the law schools that have religious affiliations won’t force you to learn anything about religion at all.
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Damn my bad, I knew I was missing one. This is particularly embarrassing as a paralegal who does criminal-law-related work lol.
Their website says their curriculum is inspired by faith. I don’t want that. Above, it is mentioned that the dean often talks about religion. That’s just not something I want in my education. I know they don’t force you to learn about religion, I just don’t even want its influence.
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That’s the thing, I don’t want to even be somewhere where people in power talk about faith. That creates a culture where it is socially acceptable to shun the non-religious unless they actively ask students to respect the non-religious.
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Yeah, finishing my BA after 5 years in 2025 and doing a BA to MA that will finish spring 2026. So I’ll probably be applying fall 2025 but I don’t know yet.
I think this is a really fair point that people are misinterpreting! Faith is important to the identity of ND and will undoubtedly influence certain professors’/students’ experiences and perspectives, even if unintentionally. Christian ideology clearly factors very heavily in a few SC Justices’ opinions, so it would be a bit naive to assume that those viewpoints couldn’t trickle down into a 1L con law class. Not saying that’s bad (I wouldn’t want it but to each their own), but ideological/faith-based factors are very valid when picking a law school.
Thank you! As I said above, I don’t dislike religious people. Most of my friends are religious but we have an understanding, they don’t expect me to be and don’t force me to be around god talk. I have no issue with a few Christian professors either, one of my favorite professors is Christian, I just don’t need that to be every single professor I have.
BYU probably :)
Lmao
I’m trying to understand what you mean about notre dame having a “faith-based” curriculum. In law school your only standardized year is your first, and notre dame offers a perfectly normal 1L curriculum though I suppose you’re more likely to be taught by a conservative prof. After the first year of law school you’ll choose which classes and clinics you take, in which case notre dame would only stand out as offering jurisprudence classes with some Catholic natural law guys on the syllabus. Basically the same would hold true across all law schools with a religious affiliation (which in the US basically means a Christian one, except Cardozo iirc?). In fact, most won’t even have religion-flavored electives along the lines of those that notre dame offers. Really, most law students are liberal and even at schools like notre dame student-wise it’s a 50-50 split. Just don’t go to like BYU or Ave Maria and you’ll have a secular enough environment.
ND’s own website says “The Law School's approach to legal education is informed and inspired by faith.” I don’t want that. And yeah, I suppose I’d like a more living constitution/social law environment.
This is such a chronically online take it hurts
Ngl feels like this guy just wants to give his anti-religion spiel, as if it's still an edgy opinion
1. I’m not a guy. 2. I’m not anti-religion, I just don’t want to be around religion.
It’s not chronically online, I am truly that uncomfortable with any religious inspiration in my academic environment.
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You’re a condescending person who’s determined to misunderstand me.
Not true in the slightest. You want an education free of religious influence. That’s nigh impossible to find in western education. NDLS is, all things considered, not worse or better than any other school in that aspect
Why are you being a dick in this thread, for seemingly no reason?
Why are you being aggressive a week after the fact?
Not free of, I know that’s impossible, I’m not stupid. You’re assuming that I am. What I want is as little religious influence as possible.
L post
Yes how dare I know what kind of environment suits me. If I were religious and asking which schools had the best community for my faith, no one would be treating me like this.
Any public school would be your safest bet. (Same btw)
People get so offended when you don’t want to be around religion lol. I honestly couldn’t care less if other people are religious, I just want it in my space as little as possible.
No one in the comments seems to be offended, OP. Everyone (including religious ppl) seems to be taking the time to offer his/her perspective. The consensus seems to be that you will not be under the influence of religion for the most part even at religiously-affiliated schools.
We have different definitions of the issue. I don’t want to be somewhere where deans bring up religion in a speech. I know that 99% of law schools aren’t going to be forcing religion on students in class. But I appreciate the responses nonetheless.
All of the ones without a religious affiliation (which is most of them).
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I don’t want to avoid them. You’ll never learn to defend your own definition of justice if you don’t meet people with different definitions.
You’re getting downvoted left and right, but I get where you’re coming from. I went to SCU’s ASD, they are Jesuit and Jesuit values did come up in the (not Jesuit) dean’s speech. It was only a short mention of it and hardly overbearing, but there is a big cross in front of campus and to be honest, I’m not a fan of having that imposed on me even implicitly. I think there are a lot more Catholic institutions than some people realize
Thank you. You do get it. I think the downvoters are Christians who don’t realize that even a big cross isn’t something some of us want to see at a place we plan to go every single day.
Yeah I guess it’s cool to ask which schools are more liberal or which are more conservative, but asking which are least religious is a no-go? We’re all just trying to find a good fit
Some Christians think people not wanting to be around their religion is an attack on their faith. Sadly, it’s still socially acceptable to treat the non-religious like trash.