Dickinson

[stewart]

What is the latest on Dickinson? I read somewhere on this board that they may lose their ABA accred. I thought that Penn State has taken over the law school.

[shadowcreeper]

Penn State did take over the law school. I am not sure if it is true that their ABA accred. is in jeopardy. They are a third tier school, the stats are 3.05 to 3.63 152 to 157 with a 30% accept rate. Starting salary range is 43k to 95k with 62.5k as the average. The bar passage rate is 80%, the statewide bar rate is 76%. They have a low job rate at graduation 51%, employed 9 months later 87%.

[PennState3L]

I am currently a 3L at Dickinson and would like to set a few things straight.  I see how you all could be confused and/or misinformed about this entire situation.  I am graduating in May from Dickinson and absolutely love it.  The faculty are amazing and they truely have an open door policy.  I worked as a summer associate in a large Philadelphia firm and received an offer at the end of the summer.  I accepted.  The education I received at Dickinson adequately prepared me for the summer.  Penn State/Dickinson is the oldest law school in Pennsylvania and has been accreditted for many, many years (much longer that 1997). 

Carlisle is a nice part of the state - albeit in Central Pennsylvania.  One of the reasons that the Board opted not to move the school to State College is because there are so many opportunities for employment (during the school year) in private law firms (as I have done), government agencies, clerkships, etc.  These would not be available if we moved to State College.  Moreover, Penn State would probably have lost faculty if it moved to State College because many of the professors have families that live in Carlisle. 

Dickinson has improved since I was a 1L.  We have a lot of new technology, great trial advocacy programs, and we are getting a new courtroom.  Please do not let any of the negative publicity, associated with the recent events at Dickinson, get to you - and make you decide not to apply.  Come see it for yourself - that is what I did - and loved it.  I got out in Harriburg frequently, and Philly is not too far away!  If you have any questions about the school, please do not hesitate to ask!   

[vagrant]

I am currently a 3L at Dickinson and would like to set a few things straight.  I see how you all could be confused and/or misinformed about this entire situation.  I am graduating in May from Dickinson and absolutely love it.  The faculty are amazing and they truely have an open door policy.  I worked as a summer associate in a large Philadelphia firm and received an offer at the end of the summer.  I accepted.  The education I received at Dickinson adequately prepared me for the summer.  Penn State/Dickinson is the oldest law school in Pennsylvania and has been accreditted for many, many years (much longer that 1997). 

Carlisle is a nice part of the state - albeit in Central Pennsylvania.  One of the reasons that the Board opted not to move the school to State College is because there are so many opportunities for employment (during the school year) in private law firms (as I have done), government agencies, clerkships, etc.  These would not be available if we moved to State College.  Moreover, Penn State would probably have lost faculty if it moved to State College because many of the professors have families that live in Carlisle. 

Dickinson has improved since I was a 1L.  We have a lot of new technology, great trial advocacy programs, and we are getting a new courtroom.  Please do not let any of the negative publicity, associated with the recent events at Dickinson, get to you - and make you decide not to apply.  Come see it for yourself - that is what I did - and loved it.  I got out in Harriburg frequently, and Philly is not too far away!  If you have any questions about the school, please do not hesitate to ask!   

This smells like a recruiter.

[dimitr17]

dickinson may be a good regional law school, but i have read (especially after turning down PSU's proposal to move its campus to state college) that PSU may end its affliation with dickinson and create its own law school.

[imtheantelope]

that does smell like a recruiter... too much time invested in that post...

[PennState3L]

I do not know what I could do or say to prove to you that I am not a recruiter - but I am in Carlisle at this very moment.  I just believe in the school a lot.  I am frustrated that Dickinson is in the current state that it is in - but still believe in the school.  As for the time that it took me to type the last post - as a 3L - I type all of my exams, and type all of my notes - I type quickly, that post didn't take me very long at all.

If there is any specific questions that you have about Dickinson I would love to answer them.  I also work part time at a small firm in Carlisle and can provide insight into the opportunities for work in and around the Carlisle area during school.  Again - I have secured full time employment in Philly after graduation - so opportunities are not a problem.