Law Schools To Avoid At All Costs!

[lor]

http://www.shoplrp.com/product/p-30000.STUDEN3.html

[Western_MA_Law]

Florida Coastal had the second highest bar passage rate in FL last year, behind only UF.  So one would wonder why FSU and Miami aren't there as well.  Some of you people really are sickening, let me guess you are at or near the bottom of your class so you assume becaquse you can barely get by that those at lower ranked schools (USNews is a farce in its rankings anyway) must be dumber than you.  I am quite happy where I am and I am at the top of my class right now, I have no worries finding a job where I live.  I will almost feel bad you schmucks when you fail the bar exam, keyword there is almost.

[jippyjappa]

New England is a great school with a ton of brilliant people. I love it there.

No forced curve by the way (which is a good and a bad thing).

Also, I know people get all concerned about attrition rates. There are a few ways to look at it

 1) these fourth tier schools only attract bad students, some of whom are bound to fail out, whereas tier one schools attract only smart hardworking students;

2) these fourth tier schools let unqualified people in so they can take their one year of tuition;

3) these fourth tier schools let in people other schools wouldn't, not to take their money, but rather to give them a chance at a career they obviously want. And if they don't have what it takes, yeah they are gone after one year. But at least they give them the chance, recognizing perhaps that an individual is more than an LSAT and an undergrad GPA.

Obviously, I think there is at least some truth to number 3.

Of course, then again I have a full scholarship and upon graduation will be doing the kind of legal work I want to do, rather than slaving away in some corporate 80 billable hours a week hellhole to pay off my loans like many who go to tier one schools...

[tenth8sphere]

Hate on tier 4's in not the way, but neither is hate on tier 1's.

[jason1114]

I'd say the only law schools that should be avoided at all costs are the non-ABA accredited ones.

[Sarah22]

I'm starting in the fall at a tier 4 school, and I have found some of the comments in this thread surprising.  I was accepted to "better" schools (even a tier 1), but decided that this tier 4 school will be the best fit for me for a variety of reasons.  I do not intend on transferring, and kind of resent that so many people attending tier 4s are so incredibly quick to point out that they are going to end up transferring.  Can't anybody just be happy, even for a second?  I really don't see what the big deal is.  Tier 2-4 schools are all regional schools for the most part, so I strongly doubt that it really makes a huge difference between a tier 2 and a tier 4.  It reminds me so much of stupid girls (and guys, too) who get so label obsessed that they can't be seen in public without their fill-in-the-blank purse (or whatever).  Rankings are just labels, and it's pathetic to get so caught up in it and make major life decisions based on a silly magazine (and the people who subscribe to it).  Just do what makes you happy.

[4DClaw]

I don't know about that. There are a lot more Brooklyn grads (Tier 2) with good NYC jobs than grads of NYLS, Hofstra, or Pace.

I'm starting in the fall at a tier 4 school, and I have found some of the comments in this thread surprising.  I was accepted to "better" schools (even a tier 1), but decided that this tier 4 school will be the best fit for me for a variety of reasons.  I do not intend on transferring, and kind of resent that so many people attending tier 4s are so incredibly quick to point out that they are going to end up transferring.  Can't anybody just be happy, even for a second?  I really don't see what the big deal is.  Tier 2-4 schools are all regional schools for the most part, so I strongly doubt that it really makes a huge difference between a tier 2 and a tier 4.  It reminds me so much of stupid girls (and guys, too) who get so label obsessed that they can't be seen in public without their fill-in-the-blank purse (or whatever).  Rankings are just labels, and it's pathetic to get so caught up in it and make major life decisions based on a silly magazine (and the people who subscribe to it).  Just do what makes you happy.

[tenth8sphere]

I think an honest summation would be that yes, higher ranked school do offer more opportunities, but no, you're not doomed if you go to a lower ranked school. It would be wrong to say no tier 4's will ever find six figure jobs, but it would also be wrong to say a school's ranking has no influence on future job opportunities.

[Butch]

"The only trial law you will practice out of Widner is some DUI cases and a whole lot of personal injury"



That's not true. One of the partner's at my gf's law firm is a Widner grad and he is a very well respected trial attorney in the state of NJ. He's a great litigator, very well connected, and does a lot more than DUI or personal injury.

And he's definitely not earning under 6 figures!

[Sarah22]

I don't know about that. There are a lot more Brooklyn grads (Tier 2) with good NYC jobs than grads of NYLS, Hofstra, or Pace.

I would say in big cities, you are correct, and your point is well taken.  I was thinking more of schools in the middle of the county (Chicago excluded), where the school is one of 1 or  2 school in the general area.  Lets take Kentucky for example.  There's UK in Lexington, U of Louisville in Lousiville (duh), and Northern Kentucky (one of the schools mentioned in the "law schools to avoid" orginal post)(NKU is just outside of Cincinnati, BTW).  If you look at it from a regional perspective, I'd say that none of these schools really place that much better than the next. Really, law firms surrounding schools like these tend to gravitate toward schools in their particular region, despite the fact that these schools are ranked differently (tier 1, tier 2, and tier 4). Anyway, my point is that you're probably right when talking about schools that are in big cities (and are in high competition with other school), but I'd be inclined to say that for the rest of us (the majority), schools tend to be regional feeders.  If you want to practice in Akron, Ohio for example, you should go to U of Akron (a tier 3) over, say, U of Brooklyn (a tier 2), and so on and so forth.  This is, of course, assuming that your Career Services is worth a damn (which I think is more important than the rankings).

Furthermore, if you aren't interested in BigLaw (I'm not), I really don't think rankings matter very much at all. I think that it is more important to go to a school where you want to practice, and do well.  In a lot of cases, firms, organiztions, and businesses develop strong ties to their local school, and would rather hire a local student (assuming they did well in law school), than similarly qualified student from a better school.  Of course, there are always exceptions.  I am just speaking generally.

Hopefully, that makes sense.