NOVUS LAW SCHOOL?

[UNLVmom06]

Does anyone know a NOVUS LAW SCHOOL graduate? Has anyone ever taken any of the programs they offer??? Is it a real school?? I am sure that someone has some information about it??

Did you ever get the response you were looking for.  I am having difficulties contacting them or getting any type of response after the fact.

[Jeannie0012]

Yes this is true but I would still like to hear from people who went to the school or took the courses. I checked them out on the Better Business web site and they look clean. If this is a scam we should try and get as much information out on it as possible to prevent anyone from being burned.

Dear Discussion Members:

Novus isn't a "sham" school. Many DL (distance learning) schools do not have a campus - University of Phoenix for example (until recently) the Open and Distance Learning University in the UK and so on. Here's the thing...distance education has notoriously been considered sub-standard - yes and no. Having taken many, many course online, I can tell you all that the level of interaction, course development and delivery methods should be a primarly consideration for those of you who have never taken a distance course.

Of paramount importance when chosing anyinstitution - traditional or DL - is that you must make sure that it is accredited. There are two types of accreditation, Regional and National. Accreditation allows you to take the credits you earn at one instituion and transfer them to another. For example, if you recieve a lesser degree from a non-accredited institution, then attempt to use that degree to obtain a higher degree (sometimes a necessary requirement) your credits will not be acknowledged. The U.S. Board of Higher Education can help you find and/or confirm whoch schools have accreditation. Generally, Regional accreditation is the one most accepted. Although Novus' information states that having accreditation does not necessarily guarantee transfer of credits - NOT having accreditation most assuredly guarantees a 99% chance another school will not allow the transfer.

Faculty interaction, student support services (including online tutoring) and accessible course design are worth their weight in gold - trust me on this. I recently graduated from the Masters in Distance Education program at University of Maryland University College. I have also been a distance education program coordinator and advisor for a Criminal Justice and Criminology program..and, as I stated, a long time distance learner. I know the difference between a well designed program and one that is not.

Although Novus is a wonderful financial "deal", you must research their qualifications, take into account what you might need in the future ("I want to teach when I grow up"), how it is you learn, time considerations and committments. Novus is, essentially, a map to help you get where you want to go - a law degree - sort of like a blue print. If you aren't an architect you may find yourself having a heck of a time building that house. Of course, this doesn't mean that you cannot get what you want from Novus, it means that you must chose what is right for you. This is what will guarantee your success.

My e-mail is not blocked. If you have questions about a program, please feel free to contact me...I'm always happy to help. We're in the same boat!

Jeannie

[NovusComServices]

Does anyone know a NOVUS LAW SCHOOL graduate? Has anyone ever taken any of the programs they offer??? Is it a real school?? I am sure that someone has some information about it??

Dear James1968,

Concerning Novus Law School programs you can receive a free online catalog and video by simply going to www.novus.edu.

Sincerely,

Scott Andrews
Novus Law School

[NovusComServices]

Isn't the fact that there is *no* information informative?

Dear UChi2L,

Concerning Novus Law School programs you can receive a free online catalog and video by simply going to www.novus.edu.

Sincerely,

Scott Andrews
Novus Law School

[NovusComServices]

Yes this is true but I would still like to hear from people who went to the school or took the courses. I checked them out on the Better Business web site and they look clean. If this is a scam we should try and get as much information out on it as possible to prevent anyone from being burned.

Dear James1968,

Novus Law School works very hard to offer its students the best possible legal education at the most competitive tuition. In the ten years that Novus Law School has offered legal studies it has never had an unresolved complaint with the BBB or any agency or for that matter any individual who completed our program. We understand that a person should investigate all of their options and Novus Law School provides direct links to the ABA and the United States Department of Education, so that individuals can research from the most authoritative sources. Prospective students can visit our website at www.novus.edu and we post a contact phone number for further information.

Sincerely,

Scott Andrews
Novus Law School

[NovusComServices]

I am a student at Novus Law School and have been for over 2 years ,I am seeking to BAR QUALIFY for the CA BAR by attorney supervised study ,I passed the Baby Bar with a C , I can say that Novus Law School has provided me with a great legal education . I read some fiction about Novus and Law suits and I am a private investigator and checked this school out completely before I enrolled and there is not one single law suit or complaint I could find .....I can not speak for every Novus student but 2 of my friends in the insurance business also completed Novus and their company paid, I am paying myself I have never had a call go unreturned and Samanatha Fisher my advisor has been there for me all the time.

If you are doing study via a law firm why are you enrolled in an online law school? Isn’t that redundant since you only need one or the other to qualify to sit for the baby bar and the state bar in Cali?
 

Dear Alltruth,

It is absolutely true that you do not need to complete your degree to qualify for bar admission in California or six other states. However, most individuals want and need both the academic and clinical training that they will receive by combining attorney supervised study and the completion of their online degree. Plus, very few supervising attorneys want to create fourteen courses of curriculum, exams, and textbooks which are included in the Novus Law School program. So it is true that it is not required but most of our students tell us that it is very much needed. Of course this is an individual decision and our students are fully aware of all their options


Sincerely,

Scott Andrews
Novus Law school

[NovusComServices]

A degree from Novus does not qualify a person to sit for the bar of any state.

Dear Alltruth,

A law degree does not qualify you to sit for a bar exam unless you meet all other requirements including pre legal education, character and fitness and any other requirements the state may require. Many students attend law school and earn a JD not to qualify for bar admission but utilize professionally, in specialized practice, or in business, industry or education. California distance learning schools provide both bar and non bar programs. California is the only state that allows correspondence education. A total of seven states allow attorney supervised study and the District of Columbia allows graduates of Non-ABA programs to qualify for admission by completing twenty-six units in residence at an ABA school. You may consider all of your options for bar admission by going to our catalog at www.novus.edu and clicking on the icon for state bar requirements and then also clicking on the report by the National Conference of Bar Examiners, which details bar admission for all fifty states and D.C. If we can assist you in any way please do not hesitate to contact us at Novus Law School.

Sincerely,

Scott Andrews
Novus Law School

[NovusComServices]

I have tried for months to get someone to call me back from Novus and so far no luck.  Who should I talk to?  Any ideas or numbers you can provide? 

Dear Laurakoel,

It certainly is possible that at some time it might be more difficult to contact Novus Law School. But, honestly we have never had anyone tell us that it took more than a day to get in touch with their advisor or students services staff member. We are open from 9 AM to 7 PM Mon-Thurs. from 9 AM-2PM Fri. and from 10 AM-2 PM Sat. So if you had a hard time reaching us we apologize and if you will email us your number to admissions@nulaw.org we will be happy to call you even after hours. We look forward to hearing from you.



Sincerely,

Scott Andrews
Novus Law School

[NovusComServices]

Does anyone know a NOVUS LAW SCHOOL graduate? Has anyone ever taken any of the programs they offer??? Is it a real school?? I am sure that someone has some information about it??

Did you ever get the response you were looking for.  I am having difficulties contacting them or getting any type of response after the fact.

Dear UNLVmom06,

At Novus Law School we provide prospective students with an online video and a catalog that details curriculum requirements, education requirements, tuition and financial aid, and direct links to ABA and the United States Department of Education. All this information can be accessed at www.novus.edu and at our offices 9 AM to 7 PM Mon-Thurs. from 9 AM-2PM Fri. and from 10 AM-2 PM Sat.

Sincerely,

Scott Andrews
Novus Law School

[UPL]

I have something to add about Novus University.  First, I don't know who is posting here, but these "representatives" of the University are impossible to reach.  Since my problem with this organization concerns a legal issue, I attempted to contact their "general counsel" by email and by phone.  I received no response to my email and the people who answered the phone at the number he posted on this discussion board had no idea who he was.  It was a private residence.

Though I did attend an ABA-accredited brick and mortar law school, sat for NY and now practice law, please understand that I have nothing against distance learning.  I think the ABA could investigate and grant accreditation to certain DL schools and that certain states should remove their prohibitions on granting access to their bar exams to graduates of proper DL programs.

Novus, however, should have no part of this.  They are not a scam in the sense that they lie to prospective students and allege those students will sit for any bar exams upon accreditation.  They do understand that in what we believe to be seven states, you can sit for the bar exam through law office study, and that Novus is a supplement to that study.  What they are doing is possibly facilitating the unauthorized practice of law in informing their students that those students can for all intents and purposes practice law while they are studying, even though they have no attorney supervision.

The problem is this: the few people each year who attempt to obtain access to a bar exam through law office study rarely do so in an appropriate manner.  They usually engage in the unauthorized practice of law, with little to no oversight from a licensed attorney as required.  One New York woman, who continues to advertise her "legal services" on Craigslist, made a half-hearted if not altogether false effort to work with an attorney and thereby abide by the law.  That attorney has contacted me and let me know that he never supervised any of her work and they have not had a working relationship, even though if you email her with prospective business she will say she works with him.

Her exact language is "I am able to do this as part of my law office study through Novus University."  As has been discussed on these boards, the law office study and the coursework are totally separate, the latter being unnecessary if someone wants to legitimately attempt to sit for the NY bar via law office study.

Long story short: this year, this woman was found to be engaging in the unauthorized practice of law by the Connecticut Statewide Grievance Committee and the Chief Disciplinary Counsel is now considering the matter for further action.  Since she is not a lawyer, referral to the District Attorney's Office is the only foreseeable punishment.

We are attempting to initiate similar proceedings against her in New York, where she continues to post Craigslist ads each day.  We are also actively trying to determine Novus University's role in facilitating the unauthorized practice of law, which is also a misdemeanor in New York State and many other states.  While that might require intervention from our state's Attorney General, for the time being at least prospective "students" can read this and consider whether or not they want to get mixed up with people like these.