American Law School?

[AllisonAzee]

What is the general opinion on American Law School?  Reputation/job wise and also general student life.  I know it's in GW and Georgetown's shadow even though it's a pretty high ranked school.

[Erapitt]

I don't think you can call rank number 56 "pretty high ranked."  However, I know ppl. that went to the law school and they seem to enjoy it.  It is extremely liberal (if that matters to you).  One word of warning, it is EXTREMELY out of the way.  Tenleytown is a pain to get to and then you have to take a shuttle from the metro to get to campus.  One of my coworkers is finishing her masters there and it takes her 40 minutes each way from arlington........  Total pain, but other than that, I have heard decent things.  I don't buy into the whole "can't get a good job in DC unless you are going to GULC or maybe GW" and I am one of the ppl. who will be likely attending GW.  I think its all what you make of it and if you bust your ass you will get a good job.  Not to mention I have heard American's International Law program is pretty stellar.

[dallas]

Another way to get to the LS is to take the metro to Friendship Heights stop and then get on the N4 bus (a bus transfer is available in the metro). The route has a stop right in front of the building and is IMO easier than the AU shuttle.

[stuvxyz]

Let me reiterate how incredibly liberal American University is.  It's possibly  the most liberal law school in the nation. 

With that said, if you want to work in the DC area, you're going to have an uphill battle.  You've got a healthy percentage of Harvard, Yale, Stanford grads all gunning for DC, then GULC, George Washington, Washington & Lee, William & Mary, University of Virginia, and George Mason all calling DC their "home mega-legal-market." 

Additionally, only about 70% of American grad's pass the bar on their first try--when you've got 1/3 of the school failing the bar exam, that speaks to some academic problems.  Also, only 86% are employed 9 months after gaduation, that's also pretty depressing. 

Here is the layout of what professions people go into:
Law firms: 47%
 Business/industry (legal): 4%
 Business/industry (nonlegal): 8%
 Government: 20%
 Public interest: 8%
 Judicial clerkship: 10%
 Academia: 2%
 Unknown: 1%

The median salary is $100,000 for private sector (the 47% who do private sector) and that's with 81% reporting (so think more like $75k, which isn't much in the DC area).

Anyway, HTH

[AllisonAzee]

I don't think you can call rank number 56 "pretty high ranked." 

Hey it's pretty high ranked for some of us.  Good for you, you got into GW, but turn down the snobbery a notch.

[SuntoryTime]

Yea, it's got a good rep., but you'll definitely be in the shadow of UVA, GULC, GW, Mason, W&L, and W&M grads when it comes to getting a job...if you do well, this won't be a problem, but if you're not in the top 25-33% you may have trouble finding a $100K+ job - which is an essential amount to live comfortably in DC

[AllisonAzee]

Yea, it's got a good rep., but you'll definitely be in the shadow of UVA, GULC, GW, Mason, W&L, and W&M grads when it comes to getting a job...if you do well, this won't be a problem, but if you're not in the top 25-33% you may have trouble finding a $100K+ job - which is an essential amount to live comfortably in DC

Yeah that's what I'm kind of worried about and I like DC, but I don't know if I would want to be there permanently.  I'm guessing I would be in the top quarter or so, but there are no guarantees of course.