The Howard Law/HBCU Law Schools Thread

[Burning Sands, Esq.]

This is the official BLSD thread for Howard University School of Law and other Historically Black College and University law schools.  The members of the BSLD have observed that every year the new admissions cycle invariably produces many new posters who, in turn, raise many questions regarding the decision to attend Howard or other HBCU law schools as opposed to other predominantly white law schools.  Therefore, the members of BLSD have decided to consolidate these and other discussions regarding HBCU's for the benefit of future posters.

This thread represents a compilation of over 30 Howard & HBCU law school threads appearing on the BLSD from March 2005 to December 2006.  To better assist your research of Howard and other HBCU law schools, please use the index below:



HOWARD COMPARO's

Page        Topic                             Link                                                       
1      Howard v. Catholic      http://www.lawschooldiscussion.org/prelaw/index.php/topic,27865.msg408087.html#msg408087
10     Howard v. GW            http://www.lawschooldiscussion.org/prelaw/index.php/topic,27865.msg573263.html#msg573263
17     Howard v. T14's         http://www.lawschooldiscussion.org/prelaw/index.php/topic,27865.msg599262.html#msg599262
47     Howard v. UVA         http://www.lawschooldiscussion.org/prelaw/index.php/topic,27865.msg1023952.html#msg1023952
71     Howard v. Wash & Lee  http://www.lawschooldiscussion.org/prelaw/index.php/topic,27865.msg1082767.html#msg1082767
88     Howard v. Hastings    http://www.lawschooldiscussion.org/prelaw/index.php/topic,27865.msg1202906.html#msg1202906
91     Howard v. FSU         http://www.lawschooldiscussion.org/prelaw/index.php/topic,27865.msg1221554.html#msg1221554
91     Howard v. GSU         http://www.lawschooldiscussion.org/prelaw/index.php/topic,27865.msg1221554.html#msg1221554
91     Howard v. USD         http://www.lawschooldiscussion.org/prelaw/index.php/topic,27865.msg1221554.html#msg1221554
93     Howard v. Houston     http://www.lawschooldiscussion.org/prelaw/index.php/topic,27865.msg1242591.html#msg1242591
94     Howard v. Cardozo     http://www.lawschooldiscussion.org/prelaw/index.php/topic,27865.msg1294645.html#msg1294645
94     Howard v. GW part II  http://www.lawschooldiscussion.org/prelaw/index.php/topic,27865.msg1261962.html#msg1261962
97     Howard v. GW part III http://www.lawschooldiscussion.org/prelaw/index.php/topic,27865.msg1346262.html#msg1346262
112    Howard v. Rutgers     http://www.lawschooldiscussion.org/prelaw/index.php/topic,27865.msg1867586.html#msg1867586
217    Howard v. Wash & Lee  http://www.lawschooldiscussion.org/prelaw/index.php/topic,27865.msg2531072.html#msg2531072


HOWARD IN GENERAL

Page        Topic                             Link                                                         
2      Howard Moot Court       http://www.lawschooldiscussion.org/prelaw/index.php/topic,27865.msg460669.html#msg460669
3      Howard misconceptions   http://www.lawschooldiscussion.org/prelaw/index.php/topic,27865.msg460795.html#msg460795
30     Howard experience       http://www.lawschooldiscussion.org/prelaw/index.php/topic,27865.msg646602.html#msg646602
37     Frustration w/ admsns   http://www.lawschooldiscussion.org/prelaw/index.php/topic,27865.msg845707.html#msg845707
45     More frustration        http://www.lawschooldiscussion.org/prelaw/index.php/topic,27865.msg919674.html#msg919674
45     Merit scholarships      http://www.lawschooldiscussion.org/prelaw/index.php/topic,27865.msg869314.html#msg869314
56     Chances with 2.5 GPA  http://www.lawschooldiscussion.org/prelaw/index.php/topic,27865.msg1033615.html#msg1033615
75     A 1L's perspective    http://www.lawschooldiscussion.org/prelaw/index.php/topic,27865.msg1093217.html#msg1093217
81     Wash law committee    http://www.lawschooldiscussion.org/prelaw/index.php/topic,27865.msg1118559.html#msg1118559
77     Open house            http://www.lawschooldiscussion.org/prelaw/index.php/topic,27865.msg1106549.html#msg1106549
88     For Biglaw in Cali    http://www.lawschooldiscussion.org/prelaw/index.php/topic,27865.msg1202906.html#msg1202906
87     Waitlist              http://www.lawschooldiscussion.org/prelaw/index.php/topic,27865.msg1197867.html#msg1197867
94     Grading curve         http://www.lawschooldiscussion.org/prelaw/index.php/topic,27865.msg1254409.html#msg1254409
95     Appeal to Biglaw      http://www.lawschooldiscussion.org/prelaw/index.php/topic,27865.msg1297415.html#msg1297415
97     HBCU undergrads       http://www.lawschooldiscussion.org/prelaw/index.php/topic,27865.msg1335727.html#msg1335727
100    General discussion    http://www.lawschooldiscussion.org/prelaw/index.php/topic,27865.msg1517196.html#msg1517196
102    Job prospects         http://www.lawschooldiscussion.org/prelaw/index.php/topic,27865.msg1732044.html#msg1732044
103    Latino applicants     http://www.lawschooldiscussion.org/prelaw/index.php/topic,27865.msg1816165.html#msg1816165
104    Effect of AA bans     http://www.lawschooldiscussion.org/prelaw/index.php/topic,27865.msg1828945.html#msg1828945


HBCU LAW SCHOOLS

Page        Topic                             Link                                                         
8      Texas Southern       http://www.lawschooldiscussion.org/prelaw/index.php/topic,27865.msg503184.html#msg503184
17     Southern             http://www.lawschooldiscussion.org/prelaw/index.php/topic,27865.msg597217.html#msg597217
17     NC Central v. Miami  http://www.lawschooldiscussion.org/prelaw/index.php/topic,27865.msg599199.html#msg599199
26     Texas Southern $ aid http://www.lawschooldiscussion.org/prelaw/index.php/topic,27865.msg635459.html#msg635459
61     NC Central           http://www.lawschooldiscussion.org/prelaw/index.php/topic,27865.msg1075732.html#msg1075732
98     FAMU's LEAP program  http://www.lawschooldiscussion.org/prelaw/index.php/topic,27865.msg1463131.html#msg1463131
113    FAMU                 http://www.lawschooldiscussion.org/prelaw/index.php/topic,27865.msg1915305.html#msg1915305
121    NC Central           http://www.lawschooldiscussion.org/prelaw/index.php/topic,27865.msg2197420.html#msg2197420
121    FAMU Admissions      http://www.lawschooldiscussion.org/prelaw/index.php/topic,27865.msg2190113.html#msg2190113

[mash1]

Hi, I'm new to the board. I am deciding between attending Catholic and Howard because of their location. Any suggestions on which one is better? BTW, Howard did not give me any money, Catholic gave me a $15,000 scholarship.

[Lexington]

Hi, I'm new to the board. I am deciding between attending Catholic and Howard because of their location. Any suggestions on which one is better? BTW, Howard did not give me any money, Catholic gave me a $15,000 scholarship.

Since no one else has replied, I'll put in my 2..  Let me preface this comment by saying I am NOT an admissions authority  In fact, I haven't even been accepted anywhere (yet).

I believe Howard is T4, so Catholic can't be any lower, but that's the first thing I would check into.  Next, I would check salaries...  You should double-check, but I think Howard blows all the other t4's out the water in that regard.  Here's a link to the salary info. 

http://www.ilrg.com/rankings/law/median.php/1/desc/MSPublic

It's not what I would call user friendly, but you should be able to find what you need.   If you haven't been to that site before, there's all sorts of other info on the site that you may want to consider as part of your decision.

Even though it's T4 (??), Howard is known across the nation because it is an HBCU.  With that said, you should also consider where you plan to practice after law school.  IMO, you have more options with Howard but if you plan to stay local then you should be fine with Catholic.

Next, you should decide whether the HBCU experience is important to you.  Is it worth $45,000 over three years? 

Lastly, you've got to factor in your own circumstances and values.  Are you a prestige whore?  (like some people who shall remain nameless)  Maybe you plan to stay local after LS.  In that case, don't pay for something you don't need.  Or, maybe you can't qualify for private loans.  If not, what good is an acceptance if you can't afford it? 

All that said, *I'd* pick Howard 

Ok, I'll shutup now... Blk_reign probably has some valuable input.

[mash1]

Thanks for the input! I didn't attend a HBCU for undergrad and really wanted that experience. I plan on staying local regardless (I'm from MD). As far as prestige, I'm not that concerned as long as I can find a job. I have a lot to consider before April 1st.

[never2bsy]

Thanks for the input! I didn't attend a HBCU for undergrad and really wanted that experience. I plan on staying local regardless (I'm from MD). As far as prestige, I'm not that concerned as long as I can find a job. I have a lot to consider before April 1st.

Go to Howard, what do you plan on studying?

[mash1]

I plan on studying international law. I was almost completely conviced on going to Howard until I received an email from Case Western offering a $19,000 scholarship. This tempts me because they have a really strong international law program.

[Ragnar Danneskjold]

Go to Case Western. It is a good school, and i think you will like it.

I am in no way biased just because i am waiting on an admit from Howard...

PLEASE go to Case.

just kidding.(?)

[jsonlaw]

I'd go to Howard...

[rhapsody]

It sounds like Case Western is the best choice of the three for you, since they have a strong program in a field you want to study and they offered you the most money.  Go for it!

[kilroy55]

Its actually according to US News a tier 3, not that it matters.  Just got where you feel most comfortable.  Visit and see.